As the weather warms and flowers bloom, although the season for winter tonic supplementation has passed, many people still choose medicinal diets to nourish yin and moisten dryness. Nutritionists remind that when choosing medicinal diets for supplementation in spring, attention should be paid to the selection and pairing of ingredients.
Nutritionists point out that in spring, the body's yang energy is abundant on the surface, while the internal yang energy appears insufficient. Therefore, the diet should include more foods that tonify the kidney's yang. The diet should shift from the rich and heavy foods of winter to light, warm, and bland flavors. Food should be served warm and raw or cold foods should be avoided. It is advisable to eat less fatty meat and other high-fat foods, as greasy food can easily lead to a feeling of fullness and cause fatigue.
If choosing a medicinal diet for supplementation, experts suggest that common medicinal herbs for spring health-preserving diets include Shouwu (Polygonum multiflorum), Baishao (White Peony Root), Goji berries, Chuanxiong (Lovage root), Ginseng, and Astragalus root. Accompanying foods include: chicken (eggs), quail (eggs), lamb, pork, animal liver, bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, daylily, shiitake mushrooms, crucian carp, etc. These can be made into dishes like quail slices, ginger and scallion grass carp, Shouwu liver slices, and mixed eggplant paste. Oranges (including kumquats), apples, and other fruits, as well as sesame and walnuts, are also good choices. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, rich in vitamin C, have antiviral properties and can be eaten regularly. In daily life, you can also boil tangerine peel, kumquats, radish, pear, or water chestnut to make a tea, which has the effects of regulating qi, resolving phlegm, clearing heat, and moistening the lungs, thereby protecting the respiratory tract.
Experts also remind that the selection of ingredients for spring medicinal diet supplementation should be tailored to the individual. Generally, for those with insufficient liver qi and both qi and blood deficiency, one can choose Astragalus root, Danggui (Angelica sinensis), Ginseng, longan, and Silkie chicken for supplementation to help the liver qi rise and develop in accordance with nature. For those with yin deficiency and internal heat, a method of "clearing and supplementing" can be used. Such foods include: pears, lotus root, shepherd's purse, lily, soft-shelled turtle, river snails, etc. These foods have a cool nature and help clear heat and reduce fire after consumption, which is beneficial for improving a poor constitution.
For middle-aged and elderly people with signs of premature aging, soreness in the lower back and dizziness, sallow complexion, listlessness, and those who are prone to repeated colds after catching a chill, a "leveling and supplementing" diet can be adopted. This includes eating more grains like buckwheat and Job's tears, and legumes like soy milk and red beans.