Dietary Therapy for Frequent "Internal Heat"
Those prone to frequent emotional stagnation, internal heat, and irritability may exhibit the following conditions:
Upper Burn (upper burner refers to heart and lung areas): Symptoms include dry mouth, mouth sores, chapped lips, red eyes, tinnitus, and mild cough.
Middle Burn (middle burner refers to spleen and stomach areas): Manifestations include alternating episodes of excessive stomach fire (leading to insatiable hunger), belching with sour taste, regurgitation, epigastric distension, and poor appetite.
Lower Burn (lower burner refers to liver, kidney, bladder, and intestines): Manifestations include dry stools, reduced and yellowish urine, turbid odor, intermittent genital itching, increased vaginal discharge in women, sometimes yellow in color.
From a dietary health perspective, the general principle is to drink plenty of water, avoid spicy and stimulating foods, minimize smoking and alcohol consumption—ideally quit entirely. Reduce intake of greasy foods, increase consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, and maintain regular bowel movements and clear urine.
If mild internal heat occurs, one may consume pears, lotus root, or persimmon cake powder regularly.
For gastrointestinal heat, eat more fiber-rich vegetables to promote intestinal motility. If constipation occurs, drink 50–100 grams of honey daily. For physically robust individuals, chewing betel nut slices can aid digestion.
For pronounced symptoms, consider the following medications based on condition: For middle burner heat, take scorched three herbs (scorched hawthorn, scorched malt, scorched barley sprouts) or scorched four herbs (add scorched betel nut). Alternatively, use chicken gizzard lining or five-spice betel nut candy (main ingredient betel nut plus sandalwood, cardamom, etc., for digestion and qi movement). For lower burner heat, take patent medicines such as Longdan Xiegan Wan, Danggui Longhui Wan, or Zhizi Jinhuā Wan. Single herbs like raw Sophora flower or raw Sanguisorba root may also be used. For severe genital itching, purchase snake bed herb for fumigation and sitz bath.