Heat

External heat relates to the season summer.

The nature of heat is to flare upward. When heat invades the body the majority of the symptoms manifest in the head and the upper body. Typical external heat invasion, especially in children, include acute sore throat with red swollen tonsils, and high fever. These symptoms are very common during the summer season, as heat is the climatic factor of the summer. Other heat symptoms include headache, mouth and tongue ulcers, swollen and painful gums, restlessness, thirst, profuse sweating, but these are more “internal heat symptoms” and belong to “internal disharmonies” rather than acute attacks of external climatic factors. In both cases cooling the heat with cold drinks, fruits and vegetables (which have cooling nature), will bring about relief.

If the heat remains untreated it will eventually dry up body’s fluids. Symptoms include dryness of the lips and throat, scanty yellow urine, and constipation (not enough fluids  to nourish the intestines).  In such cases hydrating the body with electrolyte rich fluids is essential.

If the heat reaches blood level the blood circulation will speed up, and will cause heart palpitation and a rapid pulse. In severe cases the increase of blood flow will force the blood out of the blood vessels causing bleeding. Symptoms include nosebleed, spitting up of blood, blood in the stool and urine, etc.

To cools the internal heat one can engage in a raw food diet (raw, uncooked foods have cooling nature) and choose some specifically cooling foods such as green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, broccoli as well as fruits that ripe during spring, summer or in hot climates such as citrus fruits, strawberries, melons and watermelons, plums. 

YS

Liangyue, D., Yijun, G., Shuhui, H., Xiaoping, J., Yang, L., Rufen, W., Wenjing, W., Xuetai, W., Hengze, X., Xiuling, X., Jiuling, Y. (1987). Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press

Related Articles:

The Six Climatic Factors and The Five Elements

Wind

Cold

Summerheat

Damp

Dryness

Spring (Element Wood)

Summer (Element Fire)

Late Summer (Element Earth)

Autumn (Element Metal)

Winter (Element Water)

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