In order to survive the summer in good health, we will talk about the causes of summer fatigue and the points you should incorporate into your diet to prevent and relieve it.
☆Summer fatigue☆
◆How does summer fatigue occur?
◆What kind of food should I eat to prevent and relieve summer fatigue?
[Devised by a nutritionist! Recommended recipes for summer fatigue]
◆Refreshing stew of chicken and summer vegetables
◆ Garlic stir-fry with gizzard and summer vegetables
A major cause of summer fatigue is disturbances in the autonomic nervous system .
Disturbances in the autonomic nervous system can lead to symptoms such as feeling heavy and sluggish, losing appetite, getting tired easily, feeling light-headed and dizzy, and being unable to sleep.
*If you are concerned about dizziness, please also take a look here ⇒⇒ [Healthy Recipe] Dizziness Edition
*If you are concerned about insomnia, please also take a look here ⇒⇒ [Healthy Recipe] You may have insomnia
~What is the autonomic nervous system? ? ~
The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, which work in an exquisitely balanced manner to maintain a constant internal environment.
The sympathetic nervous system increases blood pressure and pulse, reduces gastrointestinal motility, and tenses muscles to keep the body active .
Conversely, the parasympathetic nervous system lowers blood pressure and pulse, increases gastrointestinal function, promotes the digestion and absorption of food, and relaxes muscles, putting the body into a relaxed state .
~Why is the autonomic nervous system disturbed? ? ~
※image
① Temperature difference between indoor and outdoor
The autonomic nervous system also plays a role in regulating body temperature in response to changes in temperature. When there is a large temperature difference, such as the capricious temperature difference during the rainy season, or the extreme heat outside and the air-conditioned indoors, the autonomic nervous system becomes unable to cope with the changes and becomes disordered.
② Cold stomach and intestines
If you only eat cold foods, your stomach and intestines will become cold and their function will decrease. As a result, it can cause a loss of appetite and diarrhea, and the absorption of nutrients can be hindered, leading to malnutrition, and the autonomic nervous system can also be disrupted.
③A lot of sweat
If you sweat a lot to lower your body temperature, and your body loses water and salt, resulting in dehydration, you will not be able to regulate your body temperature properly, and your body will become overheated, making your autonomic nervous system more likely to become disturbed.
Furthermore, the minerals necessary for the body are also excreted, causing an imbalance in the body and making it easier for the autonomic nervous system to become disturbed.
In addition, due to the proliferation of digital devices such as smartphones, continued exposure to blue light even at night can cause disturbances in the autonomic nervous system. If autonomic nerve malfunction continues, mental malfunction will also occur more easily.
Click here to learn more about the effects of blue light ⇒⇒What is blue light?
* Heat trapped in the body reduces body functions and can cause heatstroke*
~What is the difference between “summer fatigue” and “heatstroke”? ? ~
Summer fatigue leaves you feeling unwell for some reason, but heatstroke causes your physical condition to deteriorate rapidly.
In the early stages of heatstroke, the symptoms are similar to those of summer fatigue, but as heatstroke progresses quickly, it is necessary to take immediate action. It can be life-threatening.
When you're feeling tired in the summer, your resistance to heat is weakened, so you're more likely to get heatstroke, so be careful.
Click here for tips on how to prevent heat stroke ⇒⇒Be careful of heat stroke
Measures against heatstroke⇒⇒Government information Prevention of heatstroke is important! Actions to take when a heatstroke warning alert is announced
◎Let's eat seasonal "summer vegetables"
Seasonal food is not only delicious, but also full of the nutrients your body needs at that time of year. Seasonal summer vegetables are rich in vitamins such as carotene and vitamin C, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and potassium, so be sure to incorporate them into your diet.
Tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, corn, paprika, okra, ginger, perilla, etc.
◎Choose foods that won't cool your body too much
It's a way of thinking about medicinal meals, but by keeping in mind the ``balance of cold and heat'' when choosing ingredients, you can naturally adjust your body. Foods include warm foods and cool foods.
Thermogenic foods have the property of warming the body , improving blood flow and boosting metabolism.
Cool foods have the property of cooling the body , removing excess heat and calming the body's excitement.
Most of the foods we normally eat have properties that are neither warm nor cool, and are somewhere in the middle. 
At this time of year, it is important to maintain a balance by focusing on cool foods and combining them with warm foods and spices to prevent your body from getting too cold. Especially if you spend a lot of time in air-conditioned environments, or if you are concerned about a cold stomach or body, try incorporating warming foods.
Even cold foods can be made warm by adding heat, and conversely, warming foods can be made cold by cooling them. In other words, balance can be achieved not only by the properties of the ingredients themselves, but also by the cooking method.
Also, balance your diet by pairing seasonal summer vegetables and tofu, which cool down your body, with ginger, which warms your body, and by pairing raw vegetables with warm soup .
*There are various theories about the attributes of food.
Summary···
・Combine and balance coolness and warmth
・Balance with cooking methods
・Balance with food combinations
Let's embrace summer! Summer seasoning!
Condiments such as myoga , green perilla, green onion, ginger, and wasabi are added to add flavor to cold noodles and hiyakko .
By adding it to dishes, it adds aroma and color and has the effect of stimulating the appetite, but it also has various functions such as warming the body and aiding digestion.
It's a condiment that we often eat without thinking, but this summer, let's consciously incorporate summer condiments!
◎Be conscious of protein and vitamin B1 intake
・Protein: meat, seafood, eggs, dairy products, etc.
Protein is essential for building a strong body and recovering from fatigue. It is also used to repair skin damaged by sunburn, etc., and it is especially easy to become deficient during this time of year, so be sure to take it with every meal.
The largest amount of water in the body is contained in muscles , and muscles act like a water storage tank .
The more muscle you have, the more water you can store in your body, making it less likely that you will become dehydrated. To avoid becoming dehydrated, make sure to get the protein you need to build muscle from a variety of foods at every meal.
・Vitamin B1: Pork, eel, liver, brown rice, soybean products, etc.
It is essential for energy metabolism and recovery from fatigue. It is effective to take it with garlic, green onions, chives, etc., which contain a lot of allicin, which has the effect of increasing the absorption of vitamin B1.
◎Take sour foods
Citrus fruits such as lemons and grapefruits, and sour foods such as vinegar and pickled plums can stimulate your appetite and help you recover from fatigue ! Much of what makes it sour is citric acid. In addition to relieving fatigue, citric acid can also be expected to help the body absorb minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
If you feel like you have no appetite or get tired easily, try adding vinegar or plums to your dishes.
It's also a good idea to incorporate citrus fruit juices and easy-to-drink black vinegar drinks !
～Habits to be careful of other than meals～
◎ Stay hydrated frequently
We tend to think that we're okay because we're not thirsty or sweating, but sometimes we're already dehydrated and have a lack of water. If your urine is darker than usual and the amount is small, your body is already dehydrated .
Let's do a self-check ⇒ ⇒ How to detect hidden dehydration in people who are at risk for heatstroke
Frequent hydration before you get thirsty will help prevent heatstroke.
To stay hydrated , drink 1200ml of water a day. If you try to drink one glass of water (or a non-caffeinated drink such as barley tea) (approximately 150 ml) eight times a day , as shown in the picture below, you can easily continue drinking.
Stay hydrated with cold ion drinks when in hot environments or when exercising.
Food also contains water. In particular, seasonal summer vegetables and fruits contain a lot of water. Cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons, etc. are about 90% water. Food also contains water, so in addition to drinks, be sure to incorporate seasonal summer vegetables and fruits to stay hydrated .
◎Let's get plenty of rest
Don't push yourself too hard and give your body a rest. Sleep is the basis of rest . Even on nights when you have trouble sleeping, use an air conditioner (don't let it get too cold) or use an ice pillow to make sure you get enough sleep. If you are suffering from insomnia such as not being able to sleep or sleeping poorly, please also see here ⇒⇒ [Healthy Recipe] You may have insomnia
◎Incorporate moderate exercise
By sweating through moderate exercise, you can activate your autonomic nervous system and improve your balance. It also increases your muscle mass and increases your water storage tank. However, excessive sweating can lead to dehydration, so instead of strenuous exercise, try walking or light jogging in the early morning or evening when the temperature is low and the sun is less intense.
Waking up early in the morning when it's cool and allowing your body to gradually acclimatize to the outside temperature will help prevent heat loss!
If you spend a lot of time at home, try to do some exercise that you can do at home ⇒⇒Exercise at home
Don't forget to stay hydrated when exercising!