What should we eat at the beginning of autumn? Although the beginning of autumn marks the start of the season, the temperature is usually still quite high in the period immediately following it, and the humidity in the air is still significant. People not only do not feel the coolness and dryness of autumn, but also often experience a feeling of stuffiness and humidity everywhere. Additionally, many people’s spleen and stomach functions weaken during the summer due to heat or excessive consumption of cold drinks. Therefore, if a large amount of tonics, especially excessively rich and nourishing ones, are consumed at this time, it can further burden the spleen and stomach, making it difficult for the already “weakened” gastrointestinal system to cope, leading to digestive dysfunction. Thus, replenishing the body in early autumn should focus on light nourishment rather than overly rich foods. Let’s take a look at what to eat for light nourishment at the beginning of autumn.
The so-called “light nourishment” primarily refers to replenishing the body without heaviness. Specifically, it means appropriately consuming foods or medications that strengthen the spleen, clear heat, and promote moisture, which can help expel the damp heat from the body through urination, eliminating the “aftereffects” of the summer heat. On the other hand, it can also regulate the functioning of the spleen and stomach, laying the foundation for further nourishment in mid to late autumn and even winter. At this time, it would be beneficial to consume more foods such as mung bean porridge, lotus leaf porridge, red bean porridge, red date and lotus seed porridge, and yam porridge. For those with weak spleen and stomach or digestive issues, it is important to “draw a clear line” from overly rich and nourishing products such as deer antler glue and donkey-hide gelatin, otherwise, it can easily worsen symptoms like loss of appetite and poor digestion. For those with spleen weakness, drinking more porridge made with coix seed or lentils can be greatly beneficial to their health.
Although the weather becomes cooler day by day after early autumn, there are also frequent occurrences of the “autumn tiger.” If there are high temperatures, clear skies with little rain, and continuous drought during the Mid-Autumn Festival, “warm dryness” will inevitably arise. It often damages the body’s fluids, causing symptoms such as dry skin, red tongue with little moisture, dry hair, hard stools, dryness in the mouth and throat, chest pain with dry cough, and scant phlegm. In late autumn, cool dryness can hurt the lungs, leading to coughing with thin phlegm, dry throat, chapped lips, and nasal congestion. Whether it’s warm dryness or cool dryness, both are characterized by dry skin and lack of body fluids. To prevent autumn dryness, during mid and late autumn, one should consume foods or medicines that are mild in nature and have moisturizing and fluid-replenishing properties, such as using white fungus or black fungus stewed with rock sugar; using polygonatum and sand gourd to stew with duck; and toasting black sesame seeds, grinding them, and mixing with honey for consumption. To prevent autumn dryness, one can also eat more fruits, with pears and sugarcane being top choices. Following them, options like water chestnuts, bananas, and loquats can also be good for moisturizing. However, those with spleen deficiency and excessive dampness leading to diarrhea, or those with lung cold cough and sticky phlegm, should avoid consuming these fruits in excess.
It is important to remind everyone that autumn nourishment should primarily focus on light and balanced replenishment. Aside from those with a yang deficiency constitution, one should not consume excessive amounts of warm and hot foods or medicines such as lamb, dog meat, ginseng, deer antler, and cinnamon, as this can easily worsen autumn dryness. Moreover, autumn nourishment should vary according to individual needs. Therefore, for friends who are physically weak or suffer from chronic illnesses, it is best to consult a doctor for personalized tonics to achieve optimal results.
