Introduction: The dietary habits of the Chinese people vary with the seasons. As autumn arrives, fruits and vegetables are abundant, and shrimp and crab are plump. Coupled with the traditional practice of nourishing the body in autumn, many people let their guard down in the face of various delicacies. However, as the saying goes, "illness enters through the mouth." Incorrect eating habits and methods can damage one's health. In autumn, one must remember the "four shoulds" and "five should-nots" for diet.
Autumn is a season of harvest, with all kinds of vegetables, melons, and fruits coming to market. Add to that the plumpness of shrimp and crab, and eating becomes an exceptionally pleasant affair. However, the autumn weather is cool and dry. To adapt to the seasonal changes, the body's physiological metabolism also adjusts. Incorrect eating habits, such as overeating or excessive nourishment, not only burden the body but can also lead to poisoning from over-supplementation.
I. Characteristics of Autumn
In autumn, the temperature begins to drop, rainfall decreases, and the air humidity is relatively low, making the climate relatively dry. The dry climate of autumn can easily damage the yin of the lungs, leading to symptoms such as a dry mouth and throat, a dry cough with little phlegm, dry skin, and constipation. In severe cases, it can even lead to coughing up blood. Therefore, autumn health preservation must focus on preventing dryness.
In autumn, the dryness also contains a hidden coolness. After the excessive exertion of summer, the body's various tissues and systems are in a state of relative water deficiency. If one is then exposed to wind and cold, it can easily trigger a series of symptoms such as headaches, nasal congestion, stomach pain, and joint pain, and can even cause old illnesses to recur or new ones to develop. The elderly and those with weaker constitutions have poorer adaptability and tolerance to these changes and should pay special attention to avoiding cold.
II. Five "Shoulds" for Dietary Regulation in Autumn
Dietary regulation in autumn should follow the principle of "nourishing yin and preventing dryness." The diet should be yin-nourishing and moistening.
1. It is advisable to eat pigeon and mutton: Pigeon meat is rich in hemoglobin, and its protein content is 9.5% higher than that of pork, with very low fat content. Its nutritional value is superior to chicken, and it is easier to digest and absorb, which is why there is a saying in folklore, "one pigeon is worth nine chickens." Because pigeons have very vigorous sex hormone secretion, traditional Chinese medicine also believes that it has the effect of tonifying the kidneys and strengthening yang, and has a significant therapeutic effect on recovery from overuse of the brain and neurasthenia.
Mutton is hot in nature, warming the middle and body, tonifying deficiency and replenishing qi. Every 500 grams of mutton can provide 6427 calories of heat, making it especially suitable for nourishment during winter or for those with yang deficiency. Traditional Chinese medicine says, "ginseng replenishes qi, and mutton replenishes the body." The fat content in mutton is only half that of pork, so there is no need to worry about obesity from excessive intake.
2. Eat more walnuts and sesame: Walnuts, also known as "longevity fruits" in folklore, have the effects of strengthening the body and brain, and nourishing the complexion and appearance. Black sesame is rich in cystine, and vitamins B and E. It can increase sebum secretion, improve skin elasticity, and keep the skin delicate. It is called by Japanese scholars the best food for improving rough skin.
Sesame and walnuts are rich in vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids, which can nourish the brain and skin, delay aging, and replenish and beautify the body, and can quickly replenish physical strength. If walnut meat and black sesame are ground and used together, it is truly a perfect match, complementing each other and achieving twice the result with half the effort. It is especially good for those who overuse their brains, suffer from neurasthenia, are weak and fatigued, or have dry skin.
3. It is advisable to supplement with health-strengthening soups: The principle of autumn diet is to nourish yin and moisten dryness. On this basis, drinking some health-strengthening soup at lunch and dinner every day can, on one hand,渗湿健脾 (promote dampness渗入 and strengthen the spleen), nourish yin and prevent dryness, and on the other hand, provide nutritional supplementation and strengthen the body. Common soups for autumn include: lily and winter melon soup, pig skin and tomato soup, hawthorn and spare ribs soup, carp and hawthorn soup, bighead carp head soup, eel soup, red bean and crucian carp soup, duck frame and tofu soup, goji leaf and tofu soup, oyster mushroom and tofu soup, oyster mushroom and egg soup, dried mushroom and seaweed soup, etc.
4. It is advisable to eat more congee: In early autumn, the weather is still relatively hot, the air is humid, and it is muggy and suffocating. Moreover, autumn fruits and melons are ripe, making it hard for people not to overindulge. These can all damage the spleen and stomach. Therefore, eating more congee in the morning in autumn can both strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach and bring a refreshing start to the day.
Common congees for autumn include: hawthorn and japonica rice congee, duck pear and japonica rice congee, rabbit meat and japonica rice congee, white radish and japonica rice congee, almond and japonica rice congee, tangerine peel and japonica rice congee, dried persimmon and japonica rice congee, etc. For women, a healthy and balanced diet in autumn not only helps them get through the dry season but also prepares their bodies for the coming winter. A woman who knows how to eat is the most beautiful.
5. It is advisable to eat more fish: Autumn is a season for nourishment, but many people are afraid of gaining weight from excessive supplementation. It is a good idea to eat some fish. Fish has low fat content, and its fatty acids have been proven to have blood sugar-lowering, heart-protecting, and anti-cancer effects.
III. Four "Should-Nots" for Autumn Diet
1. Do not overeat: In autumn, due to the pleasant climate and abundant food, people tend to eat too much. Excess calorie intake is converted into fat and stored, causing weight gain, a phenomenon commonly known as "gaining autumn fat." In autumn, one must pay attention to moderation and not indulge one's appetite by overeating and drinking.
2. Do not over-supplement: Traditional Chinese medicine teaches, "if deficient, supplement; if excessive, purge." One must follow the principles of "only supplement if deficient" and "supplement what is lacking." One can supplement what the body lacks, but it must be done in moderation; otherwise, it can lead to an imbalance of yin and yang in the body. At the same time, one should understand that medicinal supplementation is not as good as food supplementation. "All medicines have some toxicity," so if food supplementation can be used, medicinal supplementation should not be.
3. Eat less stimulating food: In autumn, one should eat less irritating, spicy, and dry-heat foods, such as hot peppers and pepper. One should eat more vegetables and fruits, such as winter melon, radish, zucchini, eggplant, green leafy vegetables, apples, and bananas. In addition, one should avoid the accumulation of damp-heat qi. This is because foods with a pungent aroma have a dispersing effect. Therefore, it is recommended to eat some pungent and aromatic foods, such as celery.
4. Do not eat excessively raw and cold food: As the autumn weather turns from hot to cool, the body's physiological metabolism changes to adapt. It is especially important not to eat food that is too raw or cold, so as to avoid indigestion and various digestive tract disorders.