Drinking cold water and sitting in air-conditioned rooms can easily damage the kidneys and cause brain damage.

With the scorching heat we've been experiencing these past few days, drinking cold water provides an instant cooling sensation, and sitting in air conditioning makes you not want to go outside at all. However, few people know that such rapid cooling methods pose significant health risks.

Traditional Chinese medicine has long stated, "The kidneys dislike cold." In fact, not only do the kidneys dislike cold, but the lungs, spleen, and stomach also fear cold.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the term 'kidney' should be understood broadly. It encompasses vital energy, the body's resistance, higher nervous system function, and the cerebral cortex, not simply the kidneys within the excretory system.

Therefore, when Traditional Chinese Medicine says "Kidneys are sensitive to cold," it means that the harmful effects of cold elements on human health and life are due to the continuous attack of cold on the body, which gradually weakens it.

Ice water causes a sudden drop in internal organ temperature, leading to kidney damage.

During the hot summer months, working, exercising, and traveling cause us to sweat a lot, making us very thirsty. Because of the heat and thirst, everyone likes to drink a glass of ice water or cold beer, thinking it will cool them down and quench their thirst. But the truth is, that's not the case. The water molecules in cold drinks are then clustered together, making it difficult for them to be absorbed into the cells, so even if you drink it, your body will still feel very thirsty.

Conversely, in hot drinks, individual water molecules completely permeate into cells to replenish lost water. Therefore, drinking ice-cold water doesn't quench thirst as quickly as drinking hot or slightly warm water. Regularly drinking cold water will lead to a lack of water supply to the cells.

Furthermore, when the body is hot and then exposed to cold, it automatically tries to neutralize the cold to balance the temperature between different parts of the body, causing the body to waste energy unnecessarily. If this happens daily, it clearly weakens the body, especially the related organs. This often affects the kidneys, a vital organ, if not the root of human life (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine). When the kidney meridians are weak, the illness is practically incurable.

Drinking cold water is harmful to the body, to put it simply, like heating a piece of limestone and then throwing it into cold water; you hear a hissing sound and the stone shatters. The sudden temperature change leads to such terrible destruction.

When the body is hot and the organs are working at full capacity to dissipate heat, suddenly drinking a glass of ice water causes the system's operation to change 180 degrees; instead of reducing heat, it has to increase heat to balance the body temperature.

Of course, drinking ice water doesn't cause immediate harm; its effects develop gradually, and kidney failure is an inevitable consequence.

On the other hand, while cold drinks may be refreshing, for those recovering from a cold or heatstroke, where sweat cannot escape and the body cannot dissipate heat, it increases the risk of fever. However, to both quench thirst and cool the body when feeling hot and thirsty, we can drink cold water at about 8-15 degrees Celsius, such as boiled and cooled water, orange juice, lemon juice, sugarcane juice, etc., and drink slowly.

If you drink excessively cold beverages, it can cause the microblood vessels in the stomach and intestines to constrict, leading to mucosal ischemia. This reduces the digestive and antibacterial functions of the stomach and intestines, resulting in abdominal pain and acute diarrhea.

Sitting in air-conditioned rooms for long periods can easily lead to acute pharyngitis, or even brain atrophy.

Sudden exposure to cold can easily lead to acute pharyngitis, a type of sore throat that accounts for up to 90% of all cases of sore throat.

Acute pharyngitis often occurs suddenly after exposure to cold, such as taking a cold shower, showering in an open, drafty area, or not drying oneself thoroughly before putting on clothes. The illness can also occur suddenly after going from hot weather to sitting directly in front of an air conditioner, or during sudden changes in weather.

The temperature difference between air-conditioned environments and the outside temperature, drinking cold water when feeling hot and bothered... can dry out the mucous membranes of the nasal sinuses, reduce their resistance, and create opportunities for germs and bacteria already accumulated in the sinus cavities to thrive.

Spending too much time in air-conditioned environments can easily lead to sore throats, sinusitis, and even brain damage.

People who frequently sit in air-conditioned rooms often experience dizziness and lightheadedness; this is a common neurological imbalance caused by the air-conditioned environment. Besides causing colds and flu, air conditioning can also damage the brain.

When people move from outdoors into an air-conditioned room, the sudden change in temperature can cause the body's autonomic nervous system to struggle to adapt, leading to symptoms of "air conditioning sickness," such as irritability, stress, and insomnia.

People who are sweating profusely from being in the sun should not enter an air-conditioned room immediately. They should sit for a while to let their sweat dry before entering the cold room.

Doctors recommend that everyone, both at home and at work, should set their air conditioners to between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. They also advise supplementing with minerals and drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration and dry skin.

Regular and daily oral, throat, and nasal hygiene is necessary. Brushing your teeth after meals and before and after waking up should become a habit, especially for children. Bathing with warm water is recommended, especially for those with recurrent sore throats. After bathing, dry yourself thoroughly before putting on clean clothes, regardless of the season. After bathing, avoid sitting in front of a fan or in a cold air-conditioned room (regardless of whether it's cold or hot).

According to Giadinh.net