While it is tempting in the summertime (or anytime) to cool down and quench your thirst with a tall, cold beverage, you may be doing more harm than good to your body’s internal organs and systems. Here’s why.
Your spleen is like a bunsen burner.
If you were to ask Dr. Vaughan to explain this to you, he would give you the analogy of your spleen being like a bunsen burner and your stomach is the pot of boiling water on that burner.
By the way, his sounds effects for the spleen are pretty fantastic if ever he explains this to you!
The spleen is working hard to keep your stomach warm so that it can efficiently digest
food. When we drink (and eat) cold things, the spleen has to work harder to warm the stomach. Imagine the liquid in the beaker in the photo is hot because of the flame below it. If we put an ice cube or two into that liquid, it will cool and it will take a few minutes for the liquid to come back to that hotter temperature. Same goes for our spleen and stomach when we drink cold beverages.
It’s more than cold beverages.
The same goes for cold food like ice cream, salad, raw veggies, and anything else that’s not hot when we consume it. It’s not to say you should avoid these things altogether. All things in moderation, right? (Although ice cream is another conversation entirely, and we’ll talk about that in a later post.)
The cold also cools the core body temp (and the blood), which is that cooling sensation you experience when you drink cold beverages. The blood and the internal organs are meant to be 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit for good reason.
Consuming cold beverages can contribute to:
Gastrointestinal conditions, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, malabsorption, loss of appetite, etc.
Immune system issues like the flu, common cold, etc.
Women’s health issues related to blood circulation such as menstrual pain, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, etc.
General health and wellness issues such as dizziness, fatigue, poor sleep quality, sensation of heavy limbs, edema, weight gain, obesity, etc.
It’s tempting to try to cool down with cold beverages during the hotter months, but try to stick to room temperature or hot drinks as often as possible. Because, while you may feel cooler enjoying that cold beverage, your body is working very hard to maintain a warmer temp to keep you healthy.
Try it! If you have digestive problems, like indigestion or acid reflux for example, try removing cold beverages from mealtime to see if it helps.
Looking for help with any of the conditions above? Dr. Vaughan will be happy to listen and discuss treatment options. Cheers to health, wellness, AND summertime!
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