Entering autumn, the human body gradually begins store what it needs, and the demand for substances such as yin essence increases. If the yin essence is sufficient, it can provide a good material basis for winter storage. Therefore, health preservation experts put forward the concept of “nourish yin in autumn and winter”. That is, in the autumn, the maintenance of yin qi in the body is the primary task, because it complies with the climactic characteristics of autumn. This is in order to reduce the impact of the autumn qi which tends to cause clearing and descending in the body.
Nourish yin and moisten dryness, emphasize sour food to astringe the lung
Dryness is the predominance of autumn. Among different solar terms in autumn, the characteristics of “dryness” in each of them differ. In the early autumn, the waste heat of summer remains, and the temperature is still high. When combining with dryness, warm dryness appears. In the late autumn, the temperature decreases. When combining with dryness, cool dryness ensues.
In TCM theory, pathogenic dryness easily damages the body fluids, presenting with symptoms including dry mouth, nose, lips, skin, and tongue coating, and dry cough with scanty sputum. Therefore, light and moistening foods with the actions of moistening zang-fu organs and nourishing yin and promoting fluid production are preferred, including Tremella (Yín ĕr), honey, Lily Bulb (Băi Hé, Bulbus Lilii), Lotus Seeds (Lián Zĭ, Semen Nelumbinis), etc. It would be better to take less fried, spicy food, as well as food that is hard, cold, hot, or sticky. Smoking is prohibited and alcohol consumption should be limited. Do not overeat and pay attention to the maintenance of the lung, spleen and kidney.
Therefore, the principles for the diet at this time should be principally based on clearing heat and removing dampness, and fortifying the spleen and moistening the lung. In TCM theory, it is believed that sour flavor astringes the lung qi, and acrid flavor has a dispersing effect on draining the lung. In autumn, astringing not draining is appropriate, so it is necessary to avoid eating acrid foods such as onions and ginger, and emphasize sour fruits and vegetables such as pears, apples and grapes. Sweet flavors correspond with the spleen. In the five-phase theory, the spleen and stomach correspond with earth, and earth can generate metal, which corresponds with the lung, therefore, the sweet flavor is beneficial for the spleen and lung, and can also promote fluid production. At this time, you can take sweet, light, and moistening foods including honey, Tremella, Bulbus Lilii, Loquat Leaf (Pí Pá Yè, Folium Eriobotryae), and drink warm water, soy milk, dairy products, which are all beneficial for fortifying the spleen and boosting the stomach, moistening the lung, and promoting fluid production.
Tremella Broth with Autumn Pear
Ingredients: Tremella (10 g), a housui pear and a small amount of rock sugar.
Preparation: Wash the pear and cut it into small pieces after removing the kernel, add the immersed Tremella and washed Bulbus Lilii together with a small amount of rock sugar. Put them into a bowl and steam for 30 to 40 minutes, and then eat the pear and drink the soup.
Efficacy: nourishing yin and moistening dryness, relieving cough and dissolving phlegm. It is appropriate when the air is dry in the late summer and early autumn.
