Typhoon No. 7 has just passed, and Typhoon No. 8 is fast approaching. Heavy rain is coming again, making it crucial to focus on health and disease prevention in all aspects of life, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation. Recently, widespread rainy weather has occurred across the country. How should we maintain our health during rainy weather, and what precautions should we take to prevent illness during thunderstorms? The unpredictable weather, followed by heavy rain after high temperatures, often makes people feel uncomfortable, easily fatigued, and susceptible to various illnesses if not careful. So, how should we maintain our health during the rainy summer?
Clothing: Keep clothes dry to prevent moisture and mildew.
Choose fabrics that are lightweight, soft, dry, and breathable. Studies show that linen clothing can regulate the body's meridian and endocrine systems, and has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Because linen fibers are hollow and rich in oxygen, anaerobic bacteria cannot survive, resulting in good antibacterial properties, making it an excellent fabric for rainy seasons. High-quality pure linen sold on the market is relatively expensive. Most linen fabrics are woven from hemp fibers, which are shorter. Some merchants mix semi-linen and cotton-linen fabrics with linen fabric for sale.
Bed sheets, blankets, T-shirts, and other fabrics are most prone to absorbing sweat. If they are not washed or dried promptly, dark spots may appear. Clothes and bedding should be thoroughly dried before storing them in the closet, leaving gaps for ventilation. Avoid storing clothes in non-breathable plastic bags. Place desiccants in the closet and change them regularly. On sunny and dry days, put blankets in the sun for 2-3 hours and open the closet for ventilation.
Human feet have many sweat glands, and after a day, shoes often become soaked with sweat, especially after being wet from rain. It's essential to prevent mold growth. Choose absorbent cotton insoles; ideally, change your shoes daily; don't immediately put used shoes in a shoe cabinet or box, allow them to air dry completely to prevent mold growth; whether sneakers or sandals, air dry them at least once a week; if they get wet from rain, mud, or other dirt, carefully remove the dirt with a brush, wash them thoroughly with soap, and then let them air dry.
Finally, don't forget about umbrellas. If you just leave them lying around after use, they will not only get moldy but also shorten their lifespan. After using an umbrella, you should first fold it up, shake off the water from the canopy, and then unfold it to allow any remaining moisture to evaporate. Before putting it away, wipe the inside and outside of the umbrella and the metal frame with a towel to remove moisture and dirt from the crevices. Try to air dry it in the shade to prevent the canopy from fading or being damaged.
Food: Removes dampness, prevents disease, and prevents diarrhea
Rainy and humid seasons are ideal for the growth of intestinal bacteria and molds, making it easy to trigger acute intestinal infectious diseases and food poisoning, such as dysentery and diarrhea. It's best not to eat leftovers; avoid eating food taken directly from the refrigerator, and wait for it to warm up or reheat it before eating.
Limit your intake of "damp-heat" foods. Many people believe that only fried foods like fried dough sticks and fried chicken wings can cause "heatiness," but roast duck and roast goose are also considered "damp," so it's best to avoid these foods during rainy days. While cucumber salad is a great cooling side dish, the addition of garlic adds a spicy and damp element to your diet. Other spicy foods such as chili peppers, mustard, and black pepper can also contribute to damp-heat in your body. Kale, onions, and leeks can also promote damp-heat. Beef, lamb, and dog meat should be eaten sparingly.
Eat foods that dispel damp-heat. Peanut oil, rapeseed oil, and corn oil are less likely to cause damp-heat problems. Foods suitable for dispelling damp-heat during the rainy season include pumpkin, poria cocos, shepherd's purse, daylily, lettuce, winter melon, crucian carp, red beans, Job's tears, and corn.
Keep medications on hand to prevent diarrhea. Summer is also a peak season for digestive tract diseases. Rising temperatures provide a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, making food more susceptible to spoilage and increasing the probability of digestive tract infections. It's advisable to keep some medications on hand during the summer, such as berberine and Huoxiang Zhengqi liquid.
Accommodation: Pay attention to ventilation and mite control.
Summer air is humid, and with increased rainfall, indoor air becomes even more damp. Some families don't pay attention to ventilation and dehumidification after using air conditioning, leading to excessive indoor humidity, which may eventually trigger rheumatic diseases. In southern regions, where it often rains heavily outside in summer, making the air even more humid than indoors, it's advisable to close windows and turn on a fan (avoid directing the airflow directly at people) to maintain air circulation, dehumidify the room, prevent joint dampness, and help prevent arthritis.
Dampness breeds insects; mites, mosquitoes, and various other insects become unusually active. On sunny days, clothes should be exposed to sunlight, every nook and cranny of the house should be cleaned, and bed sheets and curtains should be washed. If there are several consecutive days of rain, underwear should be scalded with boiling water after washing before drying, and then dried with a hairdryer before wearing to prevent fungal growth.
Humid and hot weather prevents sweat from dissipating properly, easily causing fatigue and lethargy. For those who frequently feel sleepy, a short nap at noon can effectively alleviate fatigue.
Travel: Avoid thunderstorms to relieve depressive moods
In damp, cold weather, people with poor mental health may experience a surge in depression and other psychological issues due to the polluted air. Many people feel inexplicably tired, depressed, and irritable in damp conditions. In fact, many seasonal illnesses are closely related to changes in weather and climate.
Doctors explain that various meteorological factors, such as air pressure, temperature, humidity, sunlight, and wind, can affect human physiological functions and cause mood changes. For example, higher air pressure increases the blood's ability to dissolve oxygen; lower air pressure decreases the body's ability to bind oxygen with hemoglobin. Rapid and significant changes in air pressure can cause symptoms of oxygen deficiency, such as rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath. These physiological changes can then lead to feelings of tension and irritability.
Generally speaking, people have a need to release their emotions. On sunny days, people tend to have more activities planned and are often in a better mood; however, in rainy and humid environments, outdoor activities are greatly reduced. Once people have nothing to do for a long time, they will feel empty, and then pessimistic and disappointed emotions will take hold, which may even trigger mental illnesses such as depression.
During prolonged periods of rainy weather, negative emotions can easily accumulate in people who are frequently feeling down, if not addressed promptly, and can eventually lead to illness. Those suffering from depression should focus on relaxation, listening to soothing music to regulate their mood, chatting with friends, and engaging in activities like saunas or foot massages. It's crucial to manage emotions promptly.
Rainy weather can easily lead to anxiety and depression. If the weather is slightly better, outdoor exercise can help improve mood and prevent the development of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. When encountering heavy rain, try to avoid wading through water. During thunderstorms, avoid using or touching electrical appliances; do not get too close to the exterior walls of tall buildings.
