BDC #15 - Fight the 'Natsubate' !!

I believe for those who has ever lived / been living in Japan, is familiar with 夏ばて(natsubate). It's ferived from 夏 (natsu) means summer; and　果てる　(hateru) means to be exhausted. In direct translation into English, it means 'Summer Fatigue'.

Now is June, and it's actually the time for rainy season (梅雨), however some people already start loosing their appetite. Loosing appetite under the summer heat is commonly assossiated with natsubate. 

I don't know how to actually saying it, BUT after my first winter, I might be not a tropical human anymore. I even say that 26 centigrade is HOT!!! And I also start to complain how humid Japan is. Come to think of it, my original country is SUMMER ALL YEAR LONG. It's always over 30 centigrade with humidity over 70% (even over 90% in monson season). How scary human perception is.... 

Well, I am not saying I got a natsubate (yet), and definitely not loosing any appetite (I am such a big eater), but let's summarized some tips of how to FIGHT the natsubate.

1. Avoid a sudden and large temperature changes

Sudden temperature changes will tire our body since the body has to adjust quickly. Staying in an over-chilled air-conditioned room in a long time will just make you strike by a sudden heat stroke once you step out the room. I think, this is the main reason why they are so stingy to keep the AC at 28 centigrade no matter how hot the outside weather. 

2. Keep hydrated!! 

The heat and humidity will suck our sweat dry out of the body. So never forget to keep on drinking. Water is the best option, keep taking it at least 2 L a day (trust me, you will be able to drink 2 L like nothing). But if water is just too plain to make you motivated, you could try some sport drink (which also add some more ion in your system). But, I like drinking 'Mugi-cha' (Japanese barley tea) better, since it's no calorie. 

3. Keep Eating!!

Don't lose to your self. We have to keep on nourishing our body. We just need to change our diet into more appetizing food. Here are some suggestions:

- Pickled Plums (umeboshi) : the sour taste will help you increase your appetite, and the citric acid with help you absorb more energy from your food.

- Bitter melon (goya) : in my country, it's called 'paria/pare'. The bitter taste might be undesirable, but it's unexpectedly suppresses the nausea feeling (which usually makes us less excited towards food).

-Soba and Soumen : Soba is a buckwheat noodle and soumen is a wheat thin-noodle. Both are really good to be eaten with cold 'mentsuyu' (麺つゆ), a Japanese based soup. You might think that it's weird to eat cold noodle, but trust me...it taste really good, light, and fulfilling. I don't favour heavy ramen under the thick weather. 

- Eel (unagi) :  OH YEAH!! Summer is the season of eel!! It taste heavenly good, light, and super nutritious. 

- Watermelon : who doesn't like chilled watermelon?

4. Protect your head 

I am not a fanatic of white--fair-fragile skin. I enjoy getting sun tan, BUT I don't like the dizzy feeling under the heavy sunlight. But I also don't like bringing umbrella to everywhere I go. So, at least, try to use a hat or cap. Direct sunlight will literary boil the blood veins in your head and you will easily get a nosebleed. 

So... Happy Summer everybody!!!