Porridge for Treating "Summer Heat"
In hot summer months, infants often suffer from prolonged fever, known as "summer heat" or heat exhaustion, most commonly affecting babies aged 6 months to 3 years. Due to immature nervous systems and poor temperature regulation, coupled with underdeveloped sweating mechanisms, infants struggle to dissipate heat efficiently, making it difficult to adapt to extreme summer heat, leading to persistent fever.
Children with summer heat experience continuous fever, with higher temperatures in hotter weather. Fever may last up to two months, accompanied by thirst, increased drinking, reduced appetite, and minimal sweating—further elevating body temperature. Without treatment, recovery only occurs after autumn cooling. Here are several recommended dietary porridges for调理.
Lotus Leaf Winter Melon Porridge: Use two fresh lotus leaves, wash thoroughly, and decoct into about 500 ml of liquid. Filter and reserve the juice. Use 250 grams of winter melon, peel, cut into small cubes, add the lotus leaf juice and 30 grams of rice, cook into a thin porridge, add appropriate sugar, and consume in the morning and evening. Winter melon clears heat and generates fluids, promotes urination and relieves thirst; lotus leaf clears heat and dispels summer heat—suitable for children with persistent fever, thirst, and reduced urination.
Silk Worm Cocoon Mountain Yam Porridge: Use 10 silk worm cocoons, 10 jujubes, 30 grams of mountain yam, 30 grams of glutinous rice, and appropriate sugar. First, decoct the silk worm cocoons into 500 ml of liquid, filter and remove residue. Then remove jujube pits, add mountain yam and rice to cook into porridge, consume once in the morning and once in the evening. Silk worm cocoons relieve thirst and detoxify; mountain yam and jujubes strengthen the spleen and stomach. Suitable for children with low-grade fever, fatigue, poor appetite, and loose stools.
Qi-Nourishing Heat-Clearing Porridge: Use 1 gram of American ginseng, 10 grams of Bei Sha Shen (Northern Sand-Participating), 10 grams of Shi Hu (Dendrobium), 5 grams of Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena), and 30 grams of rice. First, wrap Bei Sha Shen, Shi Hu, and Zhi Mu in cloth, decoct in water for 30 minutes, strain and reserve the liquid. Then grind American ginseng into powder, mix with rice and the decoction, cook into porridge, add sugar to taste, and consume in the morning and evening. American ginseng nourishes qi and yin; Bei Sha Shen, Shi Hu, and Zhi Mu nourish yin and clear heat to relieve thirst—ideal for children with persistent fever, thirst, and little or no sweating.