The dog days, also called Sanfutian in Chinese, refer to the hottest and most humid days of the year. This hottest period can be different from year to year. It starts in July and lasts for about 30 to 40 days. It has three stages: Chufu, Zhongfu and Mofu. Zhongfu is usually the hottest of the three.
酷暑期，在中文里又称“三伏天”，是指一年中最热、最潮湿的日子。这段最热的时期每年是不一样的。它从七月开始，持续大约 30 到 40 天。三伏天有三个阶段：初伏、中伏和末伏。中伏通常是三个阶段中最热的。
Because of the high temperatures, people may feel uncomfortable and have a poor appetite. Some even get sick from eating too many cold foods, like ice cream, watermelons or cucumbers. What's more, too much onion can also upset the stomach during the dog days.
由于高温，人们可能会感到不舒服，食欲不振。有些人甚至因为吃太多冷食如冰激凌、西瓜或黄瓜而生病。此外，在三伏天里，吃太多洋葱也会引起胃部不适。
It is important to choose the proper foods during the dog days. Foods which are easy to digest and full of protein, are good choices, such as vegetables, chicken, eggs, peanuts and tofu. It's better not to eat uncooked, cold or spicy foods. Besides choosing the proper foods, the taste of a dish is also important. Sour taste can improve the appetite and bitter taste makes people feel refreshed. For example, you can enhance the sour flavour by adding a squeeze of lemon, while fresh pepper can give flavour to the food without making it too spicy.
三伏天里，选择合适的食物很重要。蔬菜、鸡肉、鸡蛋、花生和豆腐等易于消化且富含蛋白质的食物都是不错的选择。最好不要吃生冷或辛辣的食物。除了选择合适的食物之外，菜肴的味道也很重要。酸味可以增加食欲，苦味则让人神清气爽。比如，加入柠檬汁可以增加酸味，而新鲜的胡椒可以在不使食物太辣的情况下为其增添风味。
As a saying goes, "Eating a chicken at the beginning of the dog days will keep you healthy for a whole year." Therefore, as soon as the dog days arrive, it will be better for you to choose proper foods to keep healthy.
俗话说：“头伏一只鸡，一年好身体。”因此，一到三伏天，就最好选择合适的食物来保持身体健康。