Good spleen and stomach means fewer diseases; nourish with good spleen and stomach. Natural products are the most suitable “tonics” for the spleen and stomach – herbs, plants, insects, fish, fruits, and vegetables, regardless of status, can all be beneficial “medicines” for the spleen and stomach. Make good use of readily available materials in daily life, learn and apply actively, be your own “caretaker.”
Medical guidance: Professor Lu Chuanjian, a young expert in prominent contributions to national health and family planning, and a leading figure in the Lingnan Spleen-Reinforcing academic school at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
During the three dog days, the heat is oppressive, and various ways to cool down become prevalent. Generally, during summer, it’s advisable to consume more cooling foods like watermelon and mung bean soup. However, after the beginning of the “dog days,” dietary habits shift towards consuming nourishing foods. For instance, there’s a saying in Anhui that goes, “A bowl of mutton soup during the dog days saves you from prescribing medicine,” and in Beijing, people indulge in winter melon lamb soup after the initial dog days. In ancient times, affluent families in Hangzhou would arrange sumptuous meals during the dog days, leading to the saying, “Ham in the first dog days, chicken in the second, and golden and silver hooves in the third.”
This is due to the body’s tendency to have fluctuations between “external heat and internal cold” during the hot season: excessive sweating leads to the outflow of Yang Qi, while the Qi of the spleen and stomach inside becomes insufficient. Mild symptoms include loss of appetite on hot days, while severe cases may lead to diarrhea, making it challenging to eat anything. Therefore, during the hottest dog days, it is advisable to consume some tonics to restore our spleen and stomach.
Replenishing during summer differs from winter, and excessive tonics should be avoided. Our ancestors have already selected some suitable foods for us, such as the Yellow Eel, known as one of the “Three Treasures of Minor Heat.”
Yellow Eels, also known as snakehead fish, have a sweet taste and warm nature. When mature, their bodies turn golden yellow, and their flesh is rich and juicy. In the past, many wild yellow eels could be found in rural water fields or rivers. During scorching daylight, they would hide in caves and come out at night for food hunting. Equipped with a flashlight and long tweezers, one could catch half a bucket in a single night. Yellow eels can be prepared in various ways: stir-fried, braised, in porridge, stewed, versatile for all cooking methods. There is a folk saying, “Eat eel in summer, ginseng in winter,” believing that yellow eels are excellent tonics for the summer.
Regarding the nourishing effects of yellow eels, the Tang Dynasty’s “Newly Revised Materia Medica” recorded, “Strengthens the center, enriches the blood.” Later works like the “Classic of Materia Medica” further specified its ability to “nourish the meridians and expel wind and dampness,” strengthening the bones and sinews with its blood-nourishing properties and dispelling dampness
There are numerous blood-nourishing ingredients, but as a “sea product,” yellow eels are gentler in nature, nourishing without causing internal heat, making them suitable for consumption in hot weather. With such an ingredient, using light cooking methods can fully bring out its nourishing qualities. If cooked through methods like frying, grilling, or roasting, it may become overly drying and fail to nourish effectively in the summer. Stir-frying, cooking in porridge, or making salads are all good ways to enjoy this “tonic.”
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Expert Introduction: Lu Chuanjian, Professor, Chief Physician, Ph.D. supervisor. A disciple of the national master of traditional Chinese medicine, Professor Xuan Guowei, he is an academic inheritor of the national first batch of famous old Chinese medicine experts, a national Chinese medicine leader named “Qihuang Scholar,” a state-level talent cultivation object for the Guangdong “1000-100-10” project, a leading figure in the academic school of Lingnan Spleen-Reinforcing at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and currently serves as the Vice President of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He also holds positions such as the Director of the Immunology Branch of the Chinese Association of Chinese Medicine, Vice President of the Immunology Committee of the World Federation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Societies, Member of the Dermatology Committee of the Chinese Medical Association, Deputy Director of the Psoriasis Special Committee, Member of the Psoriasis Group of the Dermatology Society of Guangdong Medical Association, Director of the Standardization Technical Committee of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Guangdong Province, Director of the Standardization Professional Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Director of the Standardization Professional Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Association of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Chief of the Chinese Medicine Group of the Biobank Sub-Committee of the China Biopharmaceutical Association, and other positions.
He has hosted and completed multiple national and provincial-level research projects; edited and published 20 monographs (6 in English); authored more than 150 academic papers as the first author or corresponding author (including more than 60 SCI papers); obtained a total of 9 national invention patents and software copyrights, one clinical approval for a new Chinese medicine, successfully transferred the research and development of two new Chinese medicines, and received a total of 12 teaching and research achievement awards at provincial and ministerial levels. He has been honored with titles such as “Young Expert with Prominent Contributions to National Health and Family Planning,” “National Excellent Scientific and Technological Worker,” “First Outstanding Female Chinese Medicine Doctor in the Country,” “China Women’s Association Five Continents Women’s Technology Award,” “Top Ten Innovators in Nan’ao, Guangdong,” “Red Flag Bearer and Model of Women in Guangdong Province,” and other honors.
Contribution: Research on Lingnan Spleen-Reinforcing School of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Executive Editor: Zhang Liangwen, Jin Hui
Proofreader: Wang Junfei
Responsible Editor: Chen Jiajia
