Introduction: Today is the Minor Heat solar term. There is a folk saying, "Minor and Major Heat are like being steamed from above and boiled from below." After Minor Heat, the hot weather becomes more prominent. The body sweats more and consumes more energy, so traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) health emphasizes replenishing physical strength and relieving heat to prevent sunstroke during the Minor Heat period.
There is a folk saying that "eel during Minor Heat is as nourishing as ginseng." The eel from the month around Minor Heat is the most nourishing. TCM believes that eel is warm in nature and sweet in taste, and has effects such as tonifying the middle and replenishing qi, nourishing the liver and spleen, expelling wind-dampness, and strengthening muscles and bones. Eating eel during Minor Heat is most appropriate, as it can prevent diarrhea caused by indigestion in the summer and also protect the cardiovascular system.
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Summer is a remission period for rheumatoid arthritis and chronic bronchitis. Eating eel also has a therapeutic effect for winter illnesses treated in summer. Major Heat is also a season with a high incidence of digestive diseases. Therefore, dietary conditioning should be appropriate, light, and nutritious. It is not advisable to eat too greasy or spicy food during Minor Heat, so stewing is the best way to cook eel. In addition, eating more freshwater fish, kelp, etc., around Minor Heat is also very beneficial to the body.
In southern regions, there is also a custom of eating honey-glazed lotus root during Minor Heat, which has multiple effects of clearing heat, nourishing blood, and relieving vexation. Fresh lotus root can be simmered on low heat until tender, then sliced and eaten as a cold dish with an appropriate amount of honey. Eating lotus root in the summer has a calming effect and aids sleep. Additionally, mung bean sprouts are recommended for consumption during Minor Heat, as they have the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying.