Some people are prone to experiencing fever in their hands, feet, and heart in the afternoon, and prefer to grab cool things with their hands. When sleeping, I also like to extend my feet outside the blanket, accompanied by symptoms such as night sweats, red cheekbones, sore waist and knees, dry mouth and throat.
This situation is mostly caused by the imbalance of yin and yang in the organs, leading to endogenous deficiency heat and resulting in fever in the hands, feet, and heart.
01
Why are hands, feet, and heart more prone to fever as the temperature rises?
To clarify this issue, one must first understand the concepts of yin and yang in traditional Chinese medicine theory. Water belongs to yin, and substances such as blood and bodily fluids belong to the yin of the human body; Fire belongs to the yang, like energy, which belongs to the yang of the human body. A healthy human body is generally in a state of balance between yin and yang. If yin is deficient, it is like a lack of water, making the flames appear strong and even "dry burning". These people often experience internal heat, manifested as fever in their hands, feet, and heart; Yang deficiency is like insufficient fire, and these people are easily afraid of cold, such as cold hands and feet.
Just like cooking with boiling water, if the fire is too high, the water will dry up and the rice will burn; If the fire is not enough, the water won't boil and the rice won't cook.
When it is hot, it is the time when the human body has the least reserve of yin essence. Without the constraint of yin essence, yang heat appears relatively excessive, and people are prone to feeling fire in the body and feeling irritable.
The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon records: "When the sun is strong, the body becomes hot... it can be in winter but not in summer." This is because in summer, the heart's fire is more intense, and sweating increases, which affects the balance of yin and yang in the heart. If there is already insufficient Yin in the heart, sweating can trigger the syndrome of Yang hyperactivity, exacerbating the symptoms of palm fever.
02
How to suppress the 'internal fire'
keep early hours
The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon records: "When a person lies down, blood returns to the liver." The liver meridian is in place from 1am to 3am, and sleeping well during this time helps to nourish the liver and blood. It is best to go to bed before 23:00 in daily life. If you don't get enough rest and your body is weak, it will aggravate various discomforts such as hot hands, feet, and heart.
Eat less hot and dry food
People with yin deficiency are often prone to "rising fire" as soon as they take tonics. The key to regulating this type of person is to nourish yin and clear heat. Eat less hot and dry foods such as onions, ginger, garlic, chili peppers, lamb, etc. It is not recommended to peel ginger when consuming it.
In general, those whose hands and feet are feverish due to yin deficiency are mainly recuperated to nourish yin and kidney. They are suitable for eating lily, tremella, snow pear, grape, duck meat, lotus root and other sweet, cool and moist foods.
Lotus Seed Lily Lean Meat Pot
【 Ingredients 】 20 grams of lotus seeds (heart removed), 20 grams of lilies, and 100 grams of lean pork meat
[Method] Add an appropriate amount of water to lotus seeds, lilies, and lean pork, boil them together, and season the meat with salt once a day.
【 Effect 】 It has the effects of clearing the heart, moistening the lungs, nourishing qi and calming the mind. Suitable for people with Yin deficiency constitution who have symptoms such as dry cough, insomnia, restlessness, palpitations, etc.
Honey steamed lily
[Ingredients] 120g Lily, 30g Honey
[Method] Mix the lily and honey evenly, steam until soft. Take several tablets at a time, swallow saliva, and chew.
[Efficacy] This Tonic Diet can nourish the lungs, moisten dryness, and clear away heat. It is suitable for lung heat, dysphoria, hot cough, sore throat, etc.