Early Autumn Diet: Do's and Don'ts
After autumn begins, although the temperature difference between day and night increases, it can still be very hot during the day. This is especially true when there are many consecutive sunny days without rain, making the lingering summer heat even more oppressive, a phenomenon known as "Indian Summer." Medical experts suggest that a well-organized diet can mitigate the adverse effects of the "Indian Summer" and effectively prevent "autumn dryness" that may occur in the season.
Cooling and heat-relieving foods should not be completely removed from the dining table all at once. Such foods can help prevent summer heat, reduce sweating, and replenish fluids, while also stimulating people's appetite. Therefore, drinking mung bean soup or eating lotus seed porridge or mint porridge is very beneficial. In addition, consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables can not only meet the body's nutritional needs but also replenish potassium lost through sweating. People can also eat duck, loach, American ginseng, fish, seafood, and soy products, which are foods that clear summer heat and have tonic effects. After a long summer, the body has been under great strain, especially for many elderly people who tend to have a weak and cold spleen and stomach. Therefore, when choosing foods, attention should be paid to their nature and flavor; they should not be too cold. Foods like watermelon, pears, and cucumbers have a cold nature, and excessive consumption may damage the spleen and stomach, which is not conducive to tonifying deficiency. The elderly should consume them in small amounts.
Furthermore, dryness is the primary climatic influence in autumn. The "autumn dryness" most easily affects the lungs. Therefore, people should be cautious about preventing "autumn dryness" in early autumn. It is advisable to drink an appropriate amount of boiled water rock sugar water, or light tea daily to moisten the internal organs. At the same time, the following food therapy methods can be used to moisten the lungs: 1. Soak 10 grams of white fungus and 10 grams of black fungus with 30 grams of rock sugar and stew them for consumption. This has the effects of nourishing yin, tonifying the kidneys, and moistening the lungs. 2. Crush 15 grams of black sesame seeds and mix with an appropriate amount of honey to take. This can nourish yin and moisten dryness.
People who are prone to coughing should eat white fungus, bird's nest, or Hashima (frog oil), or they can take ground ginseng and gecko. For those with a cough and phlegm, you can carve out the core of a raw pear, fill it with chuanbei powder and rock sugar, and then stew it for consumption. But it is crucial to remember that the pear skin must be washed clean.
For patients with chronic liver disease, etc., soup can be made by boiling corn with its husks, and the soup can be consumed. For people with poor digestion, apples can be cooked and eaten to achieve a laxative effect.