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As summer ends, TCM recommends foods to nourish lungs and prevent dryness for autumn health

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests dietary adjustments for the 'Chushu' solar term, marking the transition from summer to autumn.
  • Key recommendations include consuming hydrating foods like pears and lily bulbs to nourish the lungs and prevent dryness.
  • It is also advised to avoid spicy, grilled, and fried foods, and to maintain moderate warmth to support the body's adaptation to seasonal changes.

As the weather transitions from summer to autumn with the arrival of the 'Chushu' solar term, traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers guidance on dietary and lifestyle adjustments to prepare the body for the drier season ahead.

Li Ting-hua, director of the Zhanqian Xinshengtang hospital and a TCM practitioner, emphasizes that Chushu is a crucial point for health preservation during the summer-to-autumn shift. She advises focusing on "nourishing the lungs and preventing dryness" through diet. Recommended foods include pears, lily bulbs, white fungus, lotus root, and yams, along with moderate amounts of honey. These ingredients are believed to help moisturize the lungs, generate fluids, and combat dryness.

Chushu is a crucial point for health preservation during the summer-to-autumn shift. Focusing on 'nourishing the lungs and preventing dryness' through diet is recommended.

— Li Ting-huaThe TCM practitioner explains the significance of the Chushu solar term and dietary recommendations.

Beyond specific foods, Li stresses the importance of adequate hydration. Drinking enough water not only helps prevent dryness but also reduces the adhesion of bacteria and viruses to the throat and respiratory tract, thereby lowering the risk of infection.

Drinking enough water not only helps prevent dryness but also reduces the adhesion of bacteria and viruses to the throat and respiratory tract, thereby lowering the risk of infection.

— Li Ting-huaThe TCM practitioner highlights the importance of hydration during the seasonal transition.

Li also cautions against sudden dietary changes as the weather cools. The digestive system may still be adjusting, so it's advisable to avoid heavy meals like barbecued, spicy, or fried foods, which can burden the stomach and lead to indigestion and internal heat. Additionally, she recommends moderate warming measures, such as protecting the abdomen and neck area during sleep, to prevent the invasion of cold air, even if daytime temperatures remain high.

By aligning with the seasonal changes through appropriate diet and lifestyle practices, individuals can better adapt to the transition, strengthen their immune systems, and potentially reduce the incidence of common autumn and winter ailments like colds, allergies, coughs, and dry discomforts. Li concludes that proactive health management during Chushu sets the stage for a healthier latter half of the year.

It's advisable to avoid heavy meals like barbecued, spicy, or fried foods, which can burden the stomach and lead to indigestion and internal heat.

— Li Ting-huaThe TCM practitioner advises on avoiding certain foods during the seasonal change.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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