Introduction: It's not about drinking eight glasses of water a day to get hydrated skin. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), skin hydration relies on the proper functioning of the lungs. If the lungs cannot fully metabolize fluids, it can lead to dry skin and a haggard appearance. How can we clear and moisten the lungs, hydrate, and beautify? Let's find out.
1. Honey
Honey has the effects of moistening the intestines and the lungs. Chinese medicinal syrups and pills almost always use honey as a base. Since the lungs and large intestine are interconnected, many respiratory issues can cause gastrointestinal problems. Honey can moisten the respiratory tract and also help with bowel movements, making it an ideal health food for autumn. Note that because honey is very sweet, and sweetness can generate phlegm, it is not recommended for those with excessive phlegm, and it is also unsuitable for people with colds or a hot-type cough.
2. Lily Bulb
In Chinese herbal medicine, lily bulb is considered neutral in nature with a sweet, slightly bitter taste. In the dry autumn climate, eating lily bulb not only nourishes the heart but also moistens the lungs and benefits the spleen and stomach. Fresh lily bulb contains mucilage, which has a moisturizing and heat-clearing effect and also helps with skin cell metabolism. Fresh lily bulb is often used in congee and is very effective for those with a weak constitution, weak lungs, menopausal women, and those with neurasthenia or poor sleep.
Lily Bulb and Pumpkin Sweet Soup
3. Brown Rice
TCM believes the spleen and stomach are the source of qi and blood. Brown rice, a whole grain, has the effect of strengthening the spleen, which can moisten the skin and respiratory tract. The rice bran produced during cooking is even more nutritious.
4. Lotus Root
Lotus root is cool in nature and has the effects of clearing heat and cooling the blood. It is effective for nosebleeds and coughing up blood caused by dry weather. Furthermore, it strengthens the spleen to stop diarrhea, increases appetite, and aids digestion, making it especially suitable for children. Lotus root is highly nutritious. In addition to the common lotus root and lotus seeds, the lotus seed pod, used in Chinese medicine, can also be stewed for its blood-cooling effect.
Sour and Spicy Pink Lotus Root Slices
5. Apricot Kernel
The apricot kernels referred to here are Chinese medicinal apricot kernels, not American almonds. The almonds commonly eaten in the West are actually apricots and do not have the same taste or medicinal value as apricot kernels. Apricot kernels are also divided into sweet and bitter varieties. Sweet apricot kernels are often used in food therapy for their cough-suppressing effect but contain a small amount of toxic hydrocyanic acid. Bitter apricot kernels are mostly used in medicine and are slightly more toxic than sweet ones, but their toxicity can be reduced by cooking them thoroughly before consumption.
6. Pear
Water pears have a cooling and moistening effect. The tannic acid they contain can help remove phlegm and relieve coughs, and they also soothe the throat. Eating raw pears can significantly alleviate symptoms such as a dry, itchy, or sore throat and constipation in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. Steamed pears with rock sugar is a time-honored therapeutic remedy that nourishes yin, supplements the lungs, relieves coughs and reduces phlegm, and has a good moisturizing and protective effect on the throat. However, because pears are cooling in nature, people with a cold constitution may experience stomach cold and diarrhea if they eat too many. It is recommended to dice the pears and stew them with red dates, goji berries, or Chinese medicinal ingredients like apricot kernels and Chuan Bei (Fritillaria) in an electric cooker to balance their nature.
Buddha's Hand Pear and Loquat Kernel Soup