Can I Eat Watermelon During Menstruation?
Women are advised to avoid cold and chilly foods during menstruation, and watermelon is a typical example of such foods. Although watermelon is rich in water, amino acids, and sugars, which have the effect of clearing heat and relieving thirst, it is also known as "cold melon" due to its chilly nature. Even for healthy individuals, excessive consumption is not recommended, and women during menstruation should be particularly cautious.
Here are some reasons why women should be cautious about eating watermelon during menstruation:
1. Weak spleen and stomach: Watermelon's chilly nature can easily harm the spleen and stomach. As recorded in "Compendium of Materia Medica" by Li Shizhen, watermelon and sweet melon are both considered cold and raw, and excessive consumption can harm the spleen and promote dampness.
2. Early stages of a cold: Whether it's a wind-cold or wind-heat cold, attacking it before the exterior symptoms are resolved can worsen the condition. Since watermelon has the effect of clearing internal heat, eating it during the early stages of a cold can lead to a worsening of symptoms or a prolonged illness.
3. Diabetes: Watermelon contains a certain amount of sugar, and excessive consumption by diabetic patients can increase the burden on their kidneys, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and increased urinary sugar.
4. Renal insufficiency: Women with renal insufficiency may have difficulty excreting excessive water. Eating too much watermelon can not only worsen edema but also increase blood volume, which can trigger acute heart failure.
5. Oral ulcers: In traditional Chinese medicine, oral ulcers are believed to be caused by yin deficiency and internal heat. Eating watermelon can drain excessive moisture from the ulcerated area, thus aggravating yin deficiency and internal heat, leading to delayed healing of the ulcers.
