Heat can have a significantly negative effect on our health. During periods of very hot weather, a person may suffer from several conditions that are a direct result of the heat. Symptoms that can occur when the weather is hot include: fatigue and weakness; cold sweat or absence of sweating; hot, red and dry skin; elevated body temperature; dizziness; headache and blurred vision.
So what can we do in times of hot weather in order to prevent those symptoms from occurring? Common sense precautions such as staying out of direct sunshine, wearing lighter clothes that offer better protection, wearing hats, drinking a sufficient amount of liquid and avoiding alcohol and caffeine are good ways to handle heat.
Some areas in China have to endure long periods of hot weather. The local population in these areas has adopted habits and methods that help them handle the heat better. One way to deal with hot weather is to use products from nature such as mung beans (Phaseolus Aureus) and green tea. The mung beans can be used in two ways. Drinking cool decoct from the mung beans is one way. It is also useful to eat the beans. In addition to drinking mung bean decoct, people also drink a lot green tea during periods of hot weather.
Another way to handle heat is to practice Qigong. Training Qigong not only contributes to a general improvement of ones health state, but also helps us to deal with heat during the summer months. Qigong may also give us better protection against sun rays.