August 7th is “Liqiu” (the Beginning of Autumn). Traditional Chinese medicine experts remind us that although it’s Liqiu, the weather is still within the second phase of the hottest period of summer (“Sanfu”), and the hottest phase won’t begin until August 13th. Therefore, after Liqiu, preventing heatstroke and removing dampness remain the main themes of health preservation. At the same time, it’s important to nourish the spleen and stomach, and avoid rushing to gain weight for winter. >>>>>>[Special Autumn Health Preservation Plan-Nourishing Yin, Preventing Dryness, and Moistening the Lungs are Fundamental]
Nourishing the spleen and stomach is key at the start of autumn.
Although the Beginning of Autumn signifies the start of autumn, the weather has just passed the Lesser Heat and Greater Heat periods, and the temperature has not yet entered autumn. There are still many humid and rainy days, and the weather is hot and humid. Therefore, it is important to take precautions against heatstroke and dampness, nourish the spleen and stomach, and prevent gastrointestinal diseases.
After a long summer, many people have relatively weak spleen and stomach functions. Therefore, it’s important to avoid heavily seasoned foods, overeating, and consuming excessively cold or hard-to-digest foods. Foods that are good for strengthening the spleen and stomach include Job’s tears, lotus seeds, lentils, and winter melon.
Summer mats are getting out of service.
Experts point out that people often say “spring drowsiness, autumn fatigue, and summer lethargy,” with autumn fatigue mainly caused by the continuation of summer fatigue into autumn. The best way to eliminate autumn fatigue is through appropriate exercise. Although the hottest days of summer are approaching after the start of autumn, and muggy weather will still be prevalent, the heatwave will subside somewhat, and morning and evening temperatures will be relatively low. Therefore, appropriate exercise in the morning and evening, such as walking, Tai Chi, or swimming, is suitable. However, it’s important not to overexert yourself, otherwise you’ll feel even more tired.
After the start of autumn, avoid excessive exposure to cold. Prolonged exposure to air conditioning or fans, or sleeping on a cool mat on chilly nights, can lead to problems such as localized aches and pains, and diarrhea. Furthermore, conditions such as arthritis, cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, and herniated discs are prone to relapse due to exposure to cold.
Pay attention to four aspects of conditioning.
Mental well-being: It is advisable to calm the mind and spirit, avoid depression and anger, and maintain a cheerful mood so as to clear the lung qi and adapt to the calm and peaceful climate of autumn.
Daily life and health maintenance: It is advisable to go to bed early and rise early. Going to bed early helps to follow the natural contraction of Yang energy, while rising early allows the lung Qi to expand and prevents excessive contraction. As the saying goes, “One autumn rain brings one chill,” meaning there will be more rainfall and the weather will turn cooler. At this time, you should add clothes as needed according to the weather changes to prevent catching a cold.
Exercise and conditioning: After the start of autumn, you can gradually increase the amount of exercise. You can choose jogging, walking, ball sports, etc., but you should still avoid excessive sweating. You can also do more health-preserving exercises such as “ringing the heavenly drum”.
Dietary therapy: During the Beginning of Autumn solar term, there is more rainfall and higher humidity. It is advisable to increase salty foods and reduce spicy foods to promote qi and strengthen tendons, thus nourishing the spleen and stomach. It is appropriate to eat less spicy foods such as ginger, scallions, and chili peppers, and more sour and salty foods such as barley, black beans, and cowpeas. Eat more foods that strengthen the spleen and remove dampness, such as millet, Job’s tears, lentils, and cardamom.
Here are some recommended medicinal diets for health preservation:
Barley Malt Soup: 50g barley malt, 300g winter melon, 25g dried tangerine peel, 5 slices of ginger, 200g lean pork. Wash the barley malt and dried tangerine peel. Peel and wash the winter melon, then cut it into chunks. Wash the lean pork and cut it into small pieces. Add the ginger slices and all ingredients to a clay pot with enough water to cover. First, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours. This soup has the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, regulating qi and strengthening the spleen.
Corn Silk, Poria Cocos, and Beef Soup: 30g corn silk, 10g poria cocos, 30g raw coix seed, 5g dried tangerine peel, 50g black beans, 100g beef, 10g ginger, 10 jujubes, and salt to taste. Wash the beef and cut it into small pieces. Place all ingredients in a clay pot, add enough water, and simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Season with salt before serving. This soup has the effects of clearing heat and dampness, strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi.
Poria, Atractylodes, and Lotus Leaf Porridge: 15g Poria, 30g Chinese yam, 15g Atractylodes macrocephala, 5g Amomum villosum, 1 lotus leaf (or 30g dried lotus leaf, chopped), 200g japonica rice. Wash the Poria, Chinese yam, Atractylodes macrocephala, Amomum villosum, and lotus leaf, add appropriate amount of water, soak for 30 minutes, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the dregs and keep the liquid. Put the liquid into a clay pot with the washed japonica rice, add appropriate amount of water, and simmer over low heat to make porridge. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, removing dampness and relieving summer heat.
Tangerine Peel, Winter Melon, and Two-Bean Porridge: 250g winter melon, 5g tangerine peel, 30g hyacinth beans, and 30g black beans. Wash and peel the winter melon, then slice it. Place the sliced winter melon, tangerine peel, hyacinth beans, and black beans in a pot with enough water to cover them. Simmer over low heat until the beans are tender. Season with salt. This porridge is believed to have spleen-strengthening, dampness-removing, and summer-heat-relieving effects.
