Year: 2016

Watermelon is traditionally a summer fruit that is sweet, juicy and cooling in nature. I remember from my childhood that the local Beijingers would eat watermelon nearly every day to keep their bodies cool and in balance throughout the summer. Traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy recommends watermelon to relieve thirst and cool the body in summer. Furthermore, it can also help with symptoms of bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

The symptoms of bladder and urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections are a common and annoying problem for women of all ages especially in summer.

Some women recover quickly while others suffer from lingering infections that come back again and again.

The main symptoms are:

• Frequent urination with an urgency to urinate
• Burning or painful sensations during urination
• Dark or cloudy coloured urine
• Lower back or lower abdominal pain
• Feeling feverish or unwell

Chinese medicine diet therapy understands that during treatment there are certain foods which can have a positive or negative effect on your symptoms.

For bladder and urinary tract infections, eating chilli and hot, spicy foods will make your symptoms worse.

Eating watermelon will help to relieve your symptoms quicker and prevent infections from returning.

Remember: don’t delay to see your western medicine doctor (GP) first for a check-up if you have the above symptoms. UTIs can become a serious problem if left untreated.

The health benefits of watermelon

Relieve symptoms of bladder and urinary tract infections
Watermelon clears heat and dampness from the Urinary Bladder channel by promoting urination to relieve the symptoms of UTIs.

I suggest eating a handful of watermelon or a cup of watermelon and celery juice daily to help you recover from a UTI.

Clear excess body heat in summer
In summer, some people are more affected by the heat than others. Watermelon is a great fruit to relieve excessive body heat, rehydrate the body and prevent heat-stroke in hot weather.

Did you know that you can eat the watermelon rind (the firm, crispy white part close to the skin), which is even more nutritious and effective for clearing heat?

Reduce high blood pressure
Traditional Chinese diet therapy texts also describe that watermelon is especially beneficial for high blood pressure with oedema (body swelling and puffiness).

Research has shown that watermelon has a diuretic effect as well as being a leading source of lycopene an important compound for lowering blood pressure and cardiovascular health.

Recipe: watermelon and celery juice

Juice 3 handfuls of chopped watermelon and 1 stick of celery.

Drink 1 glass of juice every 1-2 days.

Important advice: if you have a urinary tract infection, this recipe can be suitable to have alongside your course of antibiotics. It is not a substitute for seeking medical care.

Precautions and diet advice

Watermelon is generally best eaten at room temperature. It is eaten chilled usually only in extremely hot weather.

Avoid eating watermelon if you are experiencing diarrhoea.

If you are unsure whether or not watermelon is suitable for your body, ask your traditional Chinese medicine practitioner for further advice.

In China, mung beans are a very popular food, especially in the hot summer months. They are grown in almost all the provinces of China. Most families in China eat mung beans and use them widely in different recipes, such as mung bean noodles, mung bean cake, mung bean rice, mung bean soup, mung bean.

1. The health benefits of mung beans

i) Clear heat and prevent summer heat-stroke

ii) Clear the skin and reduce acne

iii) Clear toxins from the body

This article introduces an ancient traditional Chinese medicine quote to protect yourself from joint pains in springtime.

Cover up in spring because the spring cold easily affects the bones and joints.

The nature of spring weather

Spring is regarded as the season of new growth and change, but it is also a very unstable season during which the cold winter changes into a hot summer.

During this season, the temperature starts to fluctuate up and down and these daily changes in temperature also make springtime a very windy season. Even though the days are getting longer and the spring sun feels warm during the day, the environment of the earth still retains the coldness of winter which has yet to warm up completely.

How and why does spring weather cause body pain?

After a cold winter season, it is popular for people to start taking off their winter clothes to enjoy the warmer weather and sunshine in spring.

However, the spring wind is still very cold in nature and it easily attacks the body’s bones and joints to cause pain.

People are easily caught off guard when the temperature suddenly cools down, or they don’t feel the coldness of the wind under the warmer spring sun.

This is why many pain conditions tend to flare up in springtime, for example:

• Neck and shoulder pains
• Arthritis and joint stiffness
• Fibromyalgia

What can you do to protect yourself in spring?

If you are prone to experiencing joint pains and aches, the following advice will protect your body in spring.

• Don’t change your wardrobe so quickly in springtime. Keep your winter wear and your scarf with you.
• Especially avoid exposure to the wind in spring. Avoid staying or sitting in windy areas even though you may be feeling warm in the sunshine.
• When you go out in the evening don’t forget to take warmer clothing with you.
• Avoid exposing your body to cold things, including cold water, walking with bare feet and sitting on cold surfaces.

By understanding the nature of the seasons and following this simple advice, you’ll be able to stay healthy and reduce your pain symptoms during spring.

In daily life, the small things you do well will help you to avoid bigger health issues.