From a seasonal perspective, autumn is the harvest season when grains are fragrant, and also an excellent time for people to nourish their body and mind. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) health preservation, autumn health preservation can not only prevent and treat common autumn illnesses but also enhance the body's ability to adapt to the cold climate after autumn and improve physical constitution.
"Dryness" is the characteristic of autumn climate. Autumn dryness consumes body fluids and first enters the lungs through the mouth and nose. If not resolved in time, symptoms such as dry mouth and throat, loss of appetite, scanty urine, constipation, weight loss, and dry skin may occur. Therefore, autumn health preservation should mainly focus on nourishing, moistening, and supplementing the lungs.
Black and white fungus can nourish the lungs. TCM believes that in autumn, the five organs correspond to the lungs, so people with a normal constitution should generally focus on nourishing the lungs with a gentle supplement. This gentle supplement can include black fungus, white fungus, ginkgo, peanuts, almonds, apricots, figs, longevity fruit, and dark plum.
Sugarcane and pear clear the lungs and moisten dryness. TCM suggests that for those showing signs of autumn dryness, eating pungent foods can dispel stagnant qi in the lungs. Foods that clear the lungs and moisten dryness include loquat, pear, sugarcane, water chestnut, orange, radish, bamboo shoots, loofah, cabbage, seaweed, and duck eggs.
Sugarcane has the effect of nourishing and clearing heat, and is rich in nutrients. As a cooling tonic, it has a certain therapeutic effect on dry stools, nausea and vomiting, and deficiency-heat cough. Pear has functions such as promoting fluid production to quench thirst, relieving cough and reducing phlegm, clearing heat and reducing fire, nourishing blood and promoting muscle growth, and moistening the lungs to relieve dryness. It is most suitable for people with internal heat. It is particularly suitable for lung-heat cough, pediatric wind-heat, and dry stools.
However, because pears and sugarcane are cold in nature, people with a weak spleen and stomach or stomach and abdominal pain should avoid eating them.
Lily and Job's tears supplement lung qi. Additionally, for those with symptoms of lung qi and yin deficiency, they should be treated according to their specific condition with qi-supplementing, yin-supplementing, or both qi and yin-supplementing methods. Lily, Job's tears, Chinese yam, and honey can be used to benefit and supplement lung qi. When symptoms of lung yin deficiency occur, foods like walnut kernels, Euryale ferox seeds, lean meats, eggs, and dairy products can be used to nourish lung yin. When stomach fluids, liver, or kidney yin are damaged, foods like sesame seeds, snow pears, lotus root juice, milk, hemp seeds, sea cucumber, and chicken can be used to respectively nourish stomach yin and liver and kidney yin.
Euryale ferox seeds (Qian Shi) are an excellent autumn supplement that "nourishes without being harsh" and "prevents dryness without being greasy." They come in two forms: raw and stir-fried. Raw Euryale ferox seeds are mainly used to tonify the kidneys and secure essence, while stir-fried Euryale ferox seeds are mainly used to strengthen the spleen and whet the appetite. The simplest way to supplement with Euryale ferox seeds in autumn is to make Euryale ferox paste: Grind 1000 grams of roasted Euryale ferox seeds into powder. Before consuming, take 50-100 grams of the powder and mix it with boiling water. According to your preference, you can add sesame seeds, peanuts, walnut kernels, etc.
Excessive supplementation is not advisable in autumn. Although autumn is a good season for nourishing the body, supplementation should be moderate. Generally, overly spicy, greasy, and heavy foods, as well as fried and grilled foods, and potent tonics like deer antler, bull penis, and red ginseng, should not be consumed. For those with heat-dryness, it is advisable to avoid foods with bitter and cold properties, and also avoid overly pungent and dispersing foods, so as not to damage fluids or allow cold pathogens to invade the lungs, leading to aggravated lung deficiency.