“倏忽温风至，因循小暑来。”小暑是夏季的第五个节气，标志着“三伏天”临近。此时气温攀升，雨水增多，易形成“上蒸下煮”的闷热环境，湿热交织如蒸笼。人体阳气外浮，心火易亢；脾土恶湿，易受湿困；汗多伤津，需护气阴。养生重在 “清暑热、祛湿浊、养心脾”。中医经典《饮膳正要》云：“夏气热，宜食菽以寒之”，顺应时节饮一杯药食同源的茶饮，既能解暑生津，又可调和阴阳，安然迎接盛夏。
养生原则：
✅ 清心火——轻清芳化以解暑
✅ 健脾胃——淡渗利湿以运中
✅ 敛汗液——酸甘生津以养阴
小暑经典茶饮推荐
乌梅陈皮饮· 酸甘敛汗醒脾胃
原料：乌梅15g、陈皮5g、山楂10g、冰糖20g
做法：乌梅、山楂洗净，与陈皮同入砂锅，加水1000ml；大火煮沸后转小火煮30分钟，加冰糖焖5分钟，滤渣放凉饮用。
功效：生津止渴、消食化积，改善暑天汗多口渴、食欲不振。
《本草经疏》载乌梅“酸能敛虚火，化津液”；《神农本草经》谓陈皮“主胸中瘕热，利水谷”。现代研究发现，乌梅柠檬酸能促进唾液分泌；陈皮挥发油可以增强胃肠动力。
薄荷荷叶茶· 轻清解暑降心火
原料：鲜薄荷叶10片、干荷叶5g、绿茶3g、淡竹叶3g
做法：荷叶、竹叶剪碎，与绿茶同置茶壶；85℃热水冲泡，加盖焖3分钟后加入薄荷叶即可。
功效：清热解暑、宁心安神，缓解暑热头昏、心烦失眠。
《滇南本草》载荷叶“升发阳气，解暑利湿”；《本草新编》称薄荷“清利六阳之会首，祛除诸热之风邪”。现代研究发现，荷叶碱可以调节血脂代谢；薄荷脑能够抑制中枢神经兴奋。
茯苓冬瓜皮茶· 健脾祛湿消水肿
原料：茯苓10g、冬瓜皮20g、炒薏米15g、生姜2片
▪ 做法：冬瓜皮洗净，薏米、茯苓浸泡30分钟；所有材料加800ml水煮20分钟，代茶饮用。
▪ 功效：利水渗湿、健脾和中，调理暑湿浮肿、小便短赤。
《名医别录》载茯苓“止消渴，调脏气”；《湖南药物志》称冬瓜皮“利小便，消暑湿”。
现代研究表明，茯苓多糖可以增强肠道屏障；冬瓜皮含丙醇二酸可以抑制脂肪堆积。
饮茶养生小贴士
o 时间讲究：晨起饮 茯苓冬瓜皮茶 助阳气升发，午后饮 薄荷荷叶茶 清心火，傍晚饮 乌梅陈皮饮 敛汗生津。
o 体质适配：阴虚燥热者加麦冬5g，湿热重者添赤小豆10g，气虚者配黄芪3片。
o 禁忌提示：孕妇慎用薏米，胃酸过多者少饮乌梅茶，空腹忌饮浓绿茶。
Health Preservation through Solar Terms — Tea Drinks for Minor Heat
"Suddenly, warm winds arrive, marking the approach of Minor Heat." Minor Heat, the fifth solar term of summer, signals the nearing of the Dog Days. Rising temperatures and frequent rain create a stifling "steaming and boiling" environment where heat and dampness intertwine. At this time, the body’s yang energy tends to float outward, making the heart fire hyperactive; the spleen, which dislikes dampness, becomes easily overwhelmed; excessive sweating depletes fluids, necessitating the protection of qi and yin. Health preservation should focus on "clearing summer heat, dispelling dampness, and nourishing the heart and spleen." As stated in the classic Chinese medical text Yin Shan Zheng Yao (Essential Knowledge for Drinking and Eating): "Summer is hot; one should eat legumes to cool the body." Drinking herbal teas that blend food and medicine aligns with the season, quenching thirst, balancing yin and yang, and preparing the body for the peak of summer.
Principles of Health Preservation:
✅ Clear Heart Fire — Use light, aromatic herbs to relieve summer heat.
✅ Strengthen Spleen and Stomach — Promote diuresis to harmonize digestion.
✅ Astringe Sweat — Sour-sweet flavors to nourish yin and retain fluids.
Classic Tea Recommendations for Minor Heat
Black Plum and Tangerine Peel Drink · Sour-Sweet Flavor to Retain Fluids and Awaken the Spleen
▪ Ingredients: 15g black plum (乌梅), 5g dried tangerine peel (陈皮), 10g hawthorn (山楂), 20g rock sugar.
▪ Method: Rinse black plum and hawthorn, then simmer with tangerine peel in 1000ml water for 30 minutes. Add rock sugar, steep for 5 minutes, strain, and cool before drinking.
▪ Benefits: Promotes fluid production, quenches thirst, aids digestion. Ideal for excessive sweating, thirst, and poor appetite in summer.
Compendium of Materia Medica notes that black plum "soursness can astringe deficient fire and transform fluids," while Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica states that tangerine peel "clears phlegm-heat in the chest and promotes digestion." Modern studies show that citric acid in black plum stimulates saliva secretion, and tangerine peel’s volatile oils enhance gastrointestinal motility.
Mint and Lotus Leaf Tea · Light and Cooling to Clear Summer Heat and Calm the Heart
▪ Ingredients: 10 fresh mint leaves (薄荷叶), 5g dried lotus leaf (荷叶), 3g green tea (绿茶), 3g lophatherum (淡竹叶).
▪ Method: Cut lotus leaf and lophatherum into pieces, place in a teapot with green tea. Brew with 85°C water, steep for 3 minutes, then add mint leaves.
▪ Benefits: Clears heat, relieves summer lethargy, and soothes irritability or insomnia.
Dian Nan Ben Cao describes lotus leaf as "lifting yang energy and dispelling dampness," while New Compendium of Materia Medica praises mint for "clearing heat from the head and expelling pathogenic wind." Modern research indicates lotus leaf alkaloids regulate lipid metabolism, and menthol in mint calms the nervous system.
Poria and Winter Melon Peel Tea · Strengthen Spleen, Disperse Dampness, and Reduce Edema
▪ Ingredients: 10g poria (茯苓), 20g winter melon peel (冬瓜皮), 15g roasted barley (炒薏米), 2 slices ginger.
▪ Method: Soak barley and poria for 30 minutes. Simmer all ingredients with 800ml water for 20 minutes. Drink as tea.
▪ Benefits: Promotes diuresis, strengthens the spleen, and alleviates edema or scanty urine caused by summer dampness.
Ming Yi Bie Lu states poria "stops excessive thirst and regulates organ qi," while Hunan Materia Medica notes winter melon peel "promotes urination and clears dampness." Modern studies show poria polysaccharides enhance gut health, and cucurbitacin in winter melon peel inhibits fat accumulation.
Tea Drinking Tips
· Timing: Drink Poria and Winter Melon Peel Tea in the morning to boost yang energy; Mint and Lotus Leaf Tea in the afternoon to clear heart fire; Black Plum Drink in the evening to retain fluids.
· Adaptations: Add 5g Ophiopogon (麦冬) for yin deficiency with dryness; 10g adzuki beans (赤小豆) for severe damp-heat; 3g astragalus slices (黄芪) for qi deficiency.
· Cautions: Avoid barley for pregnant women; limit black plum tea for those with acid reflux; avoid strong green tea on an empty stomach.
