Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) places great importance on the relationship between weather, climate, and human health. The "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" tells us: dry weather can easily damage the kidneys; hot or cold weather can easily harm the heart and lungs; windy or gale-force weather can easily injure the liver; while cold-damp or damp-heat weather can easily affect the spleen and stomach. At the same time, TCM also believes that regulating one's lifestyle to adapt to the changes of the four seasons can effectively maintain health and defend against diseases. Throughout the year, as the weather and climate change, diet should also vary accordingly. The "Principles of Correct Diet" states: "In spring, the weather is warm, so it is advisable to eat wheat to cool it; in summer, the weather is hot, so it is advisable to eat beans to cool it; in autumn, the weather is crisp, so it is advisable to eat hemp to moisten its dryness; in winter, the weather is cold, so it is advisable to eat broomcorn millet to treat its cold nature with its warming properties."
Specifically, how can one "eat according to the weather"? Here, we can categorize weather and climate into several types based on specific meteorological indicators, and then list the corresponding optimal diets and their pairings. Humid and warm weather (air humidity above 60%, temperature between 20-30°C).
This weather type is characteristic of spring in many parts of China. In such weather, the body's metabolism is more active, making it suitable to consume foods like scallions, wheat, jujubes, and peanuts. At the same time, it is also important to appropriately supplement B vitamins and eat more fresh vegetables, such as bamboo shoots, spinach, celery, and shepherd's purse. The ancients believed: "Spring is a season of dispersion, so it is advisable to eat sour foods to astringe." Therefore, attention should be paid to using sour flavors in the spring. A special mention should be made of spring leeks, which with their unique fragrance and deliciousness, become a popular side dish in thousands of households, and the nutritional value of leeks can rival that of some meat dishes. Humid and hot weather (air humidity above 60%, temperature above 30°C).
This is essentially the weather characteristic of summer in our country. At this time, people are in the midst of the interaction of heaven and earth's qi, with dampness and heat steaming together, leading to a general loss of appetite and weakened digestion. Therefore, the summer diet should focus on strengthening the spleen, relieving summer heat, and transforming dampness. Dishes should be prepared light and refreshing, with bright colors. Fresh and pungent foods can be chosen appropriately, but not excessively. Due to the high temperature, one should not consume too many cold drinks to avoid harming the stomach and depleting spleen-yang; attention should be paid to food hygiene, and spoiled or rotten food must not be eaten to avoid causing gastrointestinal diseases. The "Analects of Confucius" has long warned people: "When fish is spoiled and meat is rotten, do not eat it. When the color is bad, do not eat it. When the smell is bad, do not eat it." Dry and cool weather (air humidity below 40%, temperature between 5-20°C).
In accordance with the pattern of China's monsoon climate, autumn in the north and winter in the south mostly have this weather characteristic. In dry and cool weather, "dryness evil" is prone to attack the lungs and damage fluids, causing symptoms such as a dry throat, dry nose, hoarseness, and dry skin. It is advisable to eat less of pungent and drying foods like chili, large green onions, and alcohol. Instead, one should eat more moistening and warming foods, such as sesame seeds, glutinous rice, radishes, tomatoes, tofu, water chestnuts, tremella, duck meat, pears, persimmons, and olives. It is also good to drink more water, honey water, light tea, vegetable soup, soy milk, and fruits to moisten the lungs, generate fluids, and nourish yin to clear dryness. Dry and cold weather (air humidity below 40%, temperature below 5°C).
This weather type persists for a long time in the north. It is advisable to eat more foods with high caloric content. The "Qian Jin Yi Fang" records: "Between autumn and winter, warm the interior." Indeed, China's winter eating habits involve consuming more calorie-rich foods such as eggs, poultry, and meat, and cooking methods are mostly roasting, stewing, and braising. Among these, the "hot pot" is the most popular and enduring. Of course, in dry and cold weather, it is also necessary to pay attention to dietary balance, especially eating more vegetables (hot pots should also be as "balanced between meat and vegetables" as possible), while also appropriately eating some "warming fruits" such as tangerines, oranges, lychees, and hawthorns. Other suitable weather (air humidity around 50%, temperature around 20°C).
At this time, there are many foods available for selection and pairing. One can mainly use foods with neutral nature and flavors, while also considering individual dietary preferences.