As the saying goes, "One summer of illness leaves one-third of the body deficient." The intense summer heat depletes vital energy, so it's essential to properly nourish oneself in the autumn. Furthermore, autumn is characterized by "dryness," and the dry environment can deplete the body's fluids, causing discomfort. As autumn dryness sets in, our diet needs to be adjusted accordingly.
As the season progresses into autumn, the discomfort caused by autumn dryness becomes more apparent. People may experience varying degrees of dryness in the mouth, nose, and skin, and may even develop symptoms such as a dry mouth and throat, a sore throat, and constipation. This can also lead to irritability and restlessness.
Regarding specific illnesses, Dr. Wu Yanhua, Director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at the Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, explains that children have delicate organs; their tracheal, nasal, and skin membranes are very thin and fragile, making them susceptible to irritation from the dry environment, which can trigger allergies, bronchitis, and other illnesses. The organ functions of the elderly decline, and their response to temperature changes is slow, making them prone to bronchial and other diseases. Women, due to physiological and pregnancy-related reasons, are more likely to have insufficient body fluids and an imbalance of yin and yang, so they particularly need to nourish yin, improve their complexion, and moisten the lungs in autumn.
To maintain the normal moisture levels of the lungs and respiratory tract, Dr. Wu Yanhua recommends increasing daily water intake by more than 500 milliliters compared to other seasons, reaching a total of 2000 milliliters, and drinking small amounts of water frequently throughout the day.
However, drinking plain water can quench thirst but not the body's "internal thirst." According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory of the Five Elements corresponding to the Five Organs: autumn is dry, belongs to the Metal element, and the corresponding internal organ is the "lung." Therefore, to relieve the body's internal thirst and combat dryness in autumn, the key is to nourish and moisten the lungs. Dr. Wu Yanhua states that to achieve the goal of moistening the lungs, the general dietary principle for autumn is to focus on light and moistening foods, increase sour flavors, and reduce spicy ones, in order to best nourish the lungs.
Ancient Chinese medical texts say, "The lung governs autumn; the lung is about astringency. One should eat sour foods to astringe it, use sour foods to supplement it, and spicy foods to drain it." This means that sour foods can astringe lung qi, while spicy foods cause dispersion and drain the lungs. Therefore, regularly eating sour fruits in autumn, such as pears, tomatoes, lemons, dark plums, grapes, hawthorn, pomegranates, and kiwis, can nourish the lungs. They also have effects such as stopping diarrhea and removing dampness, promoting fluid production and quenching thirst, strengthening the stomach and aiding digestion, and increasing appetite.
In addition, Dr. Wu Yanhua says that dryness is the predominant climatic influence in autumn, which easily damages body fluids. The diet should consist of foods that nourish yin and moisten the lungs, with honey and lotus root being the top choices. Honey is sweet and neutral in nature; it can tonify the middle jiao, moisten dryness, nourish yin and improve complexion, lower blood pressure, and relieve constipation. Lotus root has the effects of clearing heat and cooling the blood, moistening dryness and quenching thirst, and calming the mind. Other foods such as almonds, tremella (snow fungus), and tofu are also excellent for "moistening dryness" and relieving constipation in autumn. For those with weak digestion or poor gastrointestinal function, foods that strengthen the spleen and stomach, such as lotus seeds, Chinese yam, and hyacinth beans, can be consumed.