Easy to Get Eczema After the Start of Autumn
August 7th marks the "Start of Autumn," one of the 24 solar terms. After this day, the weather gradually becomes cooler in the mornings and evenings, but the afternoons are still scorching hot. This is because the "Sanfu" days (the hottest period of summer) have not yet ended, and the summer heat has not dissipated. Therefore, at the beginning of autumn, the weather remains muggy and hot, and the focus of health preservation is still on preventing summer heat and removing dampness.
When the weather is hot and humid, one should not blindly nourish the body, as tonic foods will only加重 the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. The autumn weather can easily weaken the spleen and stomach, so regulating them is key. It is advisable to eat light and easily digestible foods, with a preference for more fruits and vegetables, such as celery, eggplant, cucumbers, and watermelon. Red beans, mung beans, Job's tears (coix seed), and hyacinth beans should also be common on the dining table. They can clear heat, lower body temperature, relieve summer heat, reduce sweating, replenish fluids, and stimulate the appetite.
Diarrhea, low-grade fever, and eczema are most common during the Start of Autumn. It is advisable to keep two types of "waters" at home: Huoxiang Zhengshui water and Sanhuang water. Huoxiang Zhengshui water can transform dampness and is very effective for treating diarrhea and low-grade fever. For skin conditions, you can try Sanhuang water. "Sanhuang" refers to three herbs: Coptis chinensis (Huanglian), Phellodendron amurense (Huangbai), and Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin). Use 10 to 20 grams of each, decoct them into a medicinal soup to wash or apply to the affected area. Families with the means can also decoct the three herbs in water for a medicinal bath.