After the Start of Autumn, the weather remains mainly muggy, a period known as "Autumn Tiger." From this time, diet should gradually transition to lay the foundation for the cold of autumn and winter. Summer is about growth, while autumn is about harvest. Now, attention should be paid to three key dietary points:
Eat more honey, less ginger
Honey moistens and nourishes the lungs, which is what autumn requires to protect lung yin. Because autumn is dry, dryness injures the lungs. Eating pungent ginger on top of that can further damage the lungs and worsen body dehydration and dryness. Therefore, the body must constantly "rehydrate," and drinking more water becomes a necessary measure to combat "autumn dryness."
Drinking light salt water during the day and honey water at night is a good way to replenish the body's fluids. It is also a dietary remedy for autumn health preservation, resisting aging, and preventing constipation caused by autumn dryness. Honey is particularly rich in nutrients, with glucose and fructose as its main components, as well as proteins, amino acids, vitamins A, C, D, etc.
Honey can strengthen the body, improve intelligence, increase hemoglobin, and improve heart function. Taking honey regularly in autumn not only aids recovery from certain illnesses but also prevents the harm of "autumn dryness" to the body, playing a role in moistening and nourishing the lungs.
Ginger is a good thing, but it's best to eat less of it in autumn. There's an old saying: "Don't eat ginger in autumn for a whole year; don't eat ginger at night for a whole day." This roughly means no ginger in autumn and no ginger at night. Of course, this doesn't mean you absolutely cannot eat any ginger in autumn; the key is not to eat "too much" and "not to eat it at night."
In addition, after the Start of Autumn, it's best to eat less or no spicy, grilled foods, such as chili, Sichuan peppercorns, cassia bark, ginger, etc. Instead, you can eat more foods like sesame seeds and almonds, which can nourish the spleen and stomach, moisten the lungs and intestines, prevent fluid deficiency caused by autumn dryness, and alleviate common discomforts like dry cough, a sore and dry throat, loss of skin luster, and constipation.
Eat "fruits," not "melons"
There's a folk saying, "Autumn melons harm the stomach." Many delicious melons are yin-cold in nature, and eating too many can damage the spleen and stomach, so moderation is key. However, some "fruits" can be eaten more. Pears can moisten the lungs and resolve phlegm to stop coughs, making them the most recommended fruit for autumn. Apples are rich in various vitamins and potassium, beneficial not only for patients with cardiovascular diseases but also for stopping diarrhea. Longan has tonic, strengthening, sedative, and blood-nourishing effects, making it especially suitable for the elderly with insomnia.
Additionally, grapes are worth mentioning. This is the season when grapes are abundantly available. Besides being nutritious and sweet-sour, eating more grapes in early autumn can help the body detoxify and clear internal heat.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, grapes can replenish qi and blood, promote the production of body fluids to quench thirst, and strengthen the spleen while promoting urination. After a hot and humid summer, the body accumulates a large amount of toxins, has heavy internal heat, and feels lethargic. Grapes have a good effect on promoting urination. Eating a moderate amount in early autumn can help the body expel toxins and clear internal heat.
Red, white, green, purple, and black—grapes come in various colors on the market. Besides the common nutrients in all grapes, different colored grapes have different nutritional focuses. Red grapes contain reverse transcriptase, which can soften blood vessels, invigorate blood to resolve stasis, and prevent thrombosis. People with cardiovascular issues might eat more. Reverse transcriptase is most abundant in the skin of red grapes, so it's best to eat them with the skin. White grapes have the effect of toning lung qi and moistening the lungs, making them suitable for people with coughs or respiratory diseases. Green grapes focus more on clearing heat and detoxifying. Purple grapes are rich in anthocyanins, which can beautify the skin and fight aging. Black grapes are more prominent in nourishing yin, nourishing the kidneys, and darkening hair. But a reminder: grapes are cool in nature, so people with a cold stomach should not eat too many at once.
Three Appetizers: Radish, Duck, and Glutinous Rice Porridge
Just after the "End of Heat" solar term, which marks the end of summer's heat, the air becomes noticeably dry. People often feel their skin is tight, may experience peeling, an increase in dandruff, dry or chapped lips, a burning sensation in the nose and throat, and dry stools. Therefore, health preservation at this time must focus on preventing autumn dryness.
Glutinous rice has the effect of nourishing yin, so it's appropriate to drink some glutinous rice porridge in autumn. Radish and duck are also well-known foods suitable for autumn, with moisturizing properties. Women can eat more lilies to achieve the effect of moistening the lungs and nourishing yin. Foods with similar nourishing yin and moisturizing effects also include fish, dried scallops, kelp, celery, spinach, sesame seeds, beans, and dairy products.
Overall, more attention should be paid to the diversity of foods in the diet at this time, especially eating more chewable, fiber-rich foods. When eating, chew slowly, which not only aids the full digestion of food and complete absorption of nutrients but also promotes the production of saliva to moisten and combat dryness. Here are two recommended moistening snacks:
* Honey-marinated lotus root slices. Simply wash the lotus root, slice it, blanch it in boiling water, drain, and add an appropriate amount of honey. Lotus root is sweet and cool in nature and rich in various nutrients, especially vitamin C.
* Tremella and snow pear soup. It has the functions of nourishing yin and moistening dryness, stopping coughs and relieving asthma, and clearing the heart and reducing fire. To make it, soak the tremella in cold water until it expands, then add sliced snow pears and boil in water. It is especially suitable for dry cough, thirst, constipation due to dry intestines, and dry skin caused by insufficient yin fluids.