Introduction: For autumn health preservation, the principles of nourishing and gathering should be followed in diet, daily routine, exercise, and mental well-being. At this time, many people who had a poor appetite during the "summer heat" season will find their appetite gradually improving. However, people should not rush to "fatten up for autumn." Because the body's gastrointestinal function is still weak and has not fully recovered, eating too much will instead increase the burden on the digestive system.
Principles of Autumn Nourishment
"Less pungent, more sour." Try to eat less pungent foods such as green onions, ginger, garlic, chives, and chili, as well as spicy, fried, alcoholic, and dry puffed foods. Appropriately eat more sour fruits and vegetables to help nourish the liver. It is advisable to consume some foods or herbs that strengthen the spleen, clear heat, and promote dampness drainage. This can expel damp-heat pathogens from the body through urine, regulate spleen and stomach function, and lay the foundation for health in mid-to-late autumn and winter. Compared to meat, the mild nourishing effects of leafy vegetables, cauliflower, and some melons and fruits are more prominent. Light foods like eggplant, fresh lotus root, mung bean sprouts, loofah, cucumber, winter melon, and bitter melon all have the effect of clearing summer heat and transforming dampness. Traditional Chinese medicine health preservation also recommends congee in the morning after the Start of Autumn, while keeping in mind that "melons harm the stomach in autumn." Eating large amounts of raw melons and fruits after the Start of Autumn can further promote dampness pathogens, damage the spleen's yang, and lead to acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery.
Here are a few soups suitable for autumn consumption
Snow Pear and Tremella Soup
2 snow pears, 50g tremella, 100g rock sugar. Slice the snow pears. Soak the tremella until soft and remove the hard base. Add water to a pot, then add the pears, tremella, and rock sugar. Simmer over low heat for half an hour, then it is ready to eat. It benefits qi, nourishes yin, and stops coughs, preventing autumn dry cough. Especially suitable for those with a yin-blood deficiency constitution.
Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup
500g lotus root, 500g pork ribs, a little yellow wine, ginger, green onion, and salt. Cut the pork ribs into 5cm sections, then blanch them. Wash the lotus root and slice it. Place the lotus root and ribs in 1500ml of warm water, add a little yellow wine, ginger, and green onion. After the water comes to a boil, simmer over low heat for about 90 minutes. Add a little salt before serving. It tonifies the spleen and benefits the lungs. Suitable for all constitutions.
Chinese Yam and Coix Seed Congee
60g coix seed, 60g fresh Chinese yam, 30g persimmon frost. Mash the Chinese yam and cut the persimmon frost into small pieces. Cook them together into a congee. It nourishes the lungs, strengthens the spleen, and cares for the stomach. It is suitable for conditions of spleen-lung qi deficiency with symptoms such as internal yin deficiency, dry cough, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.