How to Adjust Our Diet After the Start of Autumn
Nourish the Lungs in Autumn
After the Start of Autumn, yang energy begins to decline and yin energy rises. The natural world transitions from growth to storage. According to the principle of adapting to the seasons for health, one should nourish yin during autumn and winter.
Autumn is dry, and dryness injures the lungs. When lung qi is deficient, the body's tolerance to adverse stimuli decreases, making one prone to illness. Therefore, it is necessary to moisten dryness, nourish yin, and moisten the lungs.
According to the five-element cycle, the liver, heart, and spleen are in a weak phase after the Start of Autumn, while lung function begins to flourish. Based on the principle of balancing yin and yang to maintain bodily equilibrium, it is important to strengthen the care of these organs to prevent excessive lung qi from affecting overall health.
What to Eat in Autumn
After the Start of Autumn, one should eat more sour foods and fewer spicy foods to support the liver's function. Consume more foods that pacify the liver and moisten the lungs, such as lily bulbs, lotus root, potatoes, radishes, wood ear mushrooms, Chinese yam, hyacinth beans, goji berries, tremella fungus, pork, duck, chicken, rabbit meat, peanuts, rice eel, crucian carp, yellow croaker, pomelo, pear, apple, etc.
Autumn is a suitable season for the body to receive nourishment, but one should choose "moistening but not greasy" mild tonics, such as pumpkin, lotus seeds, longan, black sesame, red dates, and walnuts.
Reduce consumption of pungent foods like green onions, ginger, garlic, chives, and peppercorns.
Avoid overindulging in melons and fruits to prevent harm to the spleen and stomach.
Eating Nuts in Autumn to Prevent Malaria
Malaria is a common infectious disease for children during the summer and autumn, also known as cold-heat disease. It is an infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes infected with the malaria parasite, with symptoms of chills and high fever. The best way to prevent malaria is to eliminate and prevent mosquito bites.
Scientists have discovered that an amino acid called arginine can help children resist malaria. A deficiency of arginine is closely linked to a lack of nitric oxide in the human body, and nitric oxide helps the body defend against the malaria parasite.
Researchers have also found that nuts are rich in arginine. After the Start of Autumn, eating more nuts can enhance a child's ability to resist malaria.
Pork Spine and Lotus Root Soup for Autumn
This dish has the benefits of nourishing the kidneys, replenishing marrow, supplementing calcium, and strengthening the brain and body, making it suitable for the autumn season.
Ingredients: 1 pork spine, 250g lotus root, appropriate amounts of salt, green onion segments, fresh ginger slices, yellow wine, and MSG.
Method: Wash and chop the pork spine, blanch it in boiling water, and remove. Remove the nodes and peel of the lotus root, wash, and slice. Place the pork spine in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, add salt, yellow wine, green onion segments, and fresh ginger slices. Simmer over low heat until the meat falls off the bone. Remove the bones, shred the meat, and extract the spinal cord. Place the spinal cord and lotus root slices back into the soup to cook through. Remove the green onions and ginger, add MSG, and serve.
How to Adjust Our Diet After the Start of Autumn
"Start of Autumn". In the study of health preservation, diet is very important. So, what adjustments do we need to make to our diet after the Start of Autumn?
After the Start of Autumn, one should "increase sourness" in the diet to enhance liver function and resist the invasion of excessive lung qi. The following foods can be chosen: apple, grape, starfruit, pomelo, lemon, and hawthorn.
For dietary conditioning in autumn, one must first follow the principle of "nourishing yin in autumn and winter" as proposed in the "Huangdi Neijing". This means eating more foods that nourish yin and moisten dryness to prevent autumn dryness from damaging yin. The following foods can be chosen: tremella fungus, pear, sesame, lotus root, spinach, soy milk, duck eggs, and honey.