"Henan Health" 24 solar terms • White Dew | Dew soaks the vegetables and grasses tonight, "autumn fat" is scientifically "sticked"

"Reeds grow green, white dew turns to frost." When we go out in the morning, the layer of dew on the car windshield may remind us that it is the White Dew solar term. At this time, crops are about to mature and the autumn is getting stronger. "What should we eat during this solar term?" "How to 'put on weight in autumn'?" These topics are very popular on platforms such as Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu. "During this solar term with a large temperature difference between morning and evening, little rain, and dry air, we must pay special attention to our diet and daily life." Recently, the reporter specially invited Zhang Xiaoyan, associate professor of the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhongjing College) of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to give advice to netizens.

Relieve the "autumn dryness" by nourishing the body from the outside and storing up weight for the winter

"Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the 'correspondence between heaven and man', that man and nature are an integrated whole." Zhang Xiaoyan told reporters that as the weather gradually turns cooler in autumn, the body's yang energy begins to gradually converge inward, and the yin essence also moves in. Therefore, dryness of the orifices and skin can easily occur at this time, which is called "autumn dryness" in traditional Chinese medicine.

"I suggest that you can relieve 'autumn dryness' through diet therapy and nourishing the inside." Zhang Xiaoyan believes that after a long summer, most people go to bed late and sweat a lot, which causes relatively great damage to the body's positive energy and yin fluid. In addition, people generally have a poor appetite in summer and eat relatively light food. After entering the clear and cool autumn season, it is necessary to supplement through diet and make preparations for the winter. This is the need to "put on weight in autumn."

Getting angry? Gaining weight? "Putting on weight in autumn" does not mean "eating only meat"

"Meat is rich in protein and fat, and is very suitable for supplementing nutrition." However, the purpose of putting on weight in autumn is to replenish the qi and body fluid consumed in the summer, so that the body can accumulate enough energy to resist the cold in autumn and winter, not the so-called "gaining weight". The more common situation now is that people have excessive nutrition. Blindly taking supplements not only fails to achieve the effect of nourishing, but also affects physical health. "Five grains are for nourishment, five fruits are for assistance, five animals are for benefit, and five vegetables are for filling. Take them together with the right flavor to replenish essence and qi." This is the dietary compatibility principle given in the "Inner Canon of Medicine". "So eating meat is just a way to 'put on weight in autumn'. When taking supplements, you should pay attention to balanced nutrition." Zhang Xiaoyan told reporters.

"Some people will get sore throat after putting on weight in autumn, and the same principle applies." On the one hand, it is related to the climate. The weather is dry, and dryness can easily turn into fire. In this season, symptoms of getting sore throat such as dry mouth, sore throat, and red eyes are prone to occur. On the other hand, eating too much spicy food or meat can also easily lead to getting sore throat.

Eat white foods in season to help!

Summer diets are often dominated by watermelons and cold drinks, coupled with air conditioning, which can easily damage the yang energy of the spleen and stomach. "If you suddenly add a large amount of meat and other foods, the spleen and stomach will not be able to absorb them easily." Zhang Xiaoyan believes that it is necessary to "put on weight in autumn gradually."

In addition, "dryness" is a characteristic of autumn climate, and "putting on weight in autumn" requires eating in season. In autumn, the lung meridian is in season, the climate is dry, and the five elements belong to gold, which corresponds to white. "So most white foods have the effect of moistening the lungs." Zhang Xiaoyan recommends netizens to eat pears, lotus roots, sugar cane, water chestnuts, lilies, white fungus, Chinese yam, etc. Chinese yam is a common food ingredient that can be used as medicine and food, and has the effect of "tonifying the lungs and moistening dryness". Lotus roots become warm ingredients after being cooked, which can remove autumn dryness and moisten the lungs. White fungus soup is a good product for nourishing yin and moistening dryness. Snow pears have a very high water content and have the effects of moistening the lungs and relieving coughs, promoting body fluids and reducing phlegm.

However, most white foods are cold in nature and can easily damage the spleen and stomach. "For people with weak spleen and stomach function, the elderly and weak, and children, they should be careful not to overeat. Heating them before eating is also a good idea."

Summer heat is over, cool breeze is blowing, drink Bailu tea

"Traditional health care advocates that people follow the four seasons and eat seasonal food. The White Dew season is another growth period for tea trees, and people have the habit of drinking White Dew tea." He Wei, director of the Tea Science Department of the College of Horticulture of Henan Agricultural University, told reporters that White Dew tea is tea made in different tea producing areas before and after the White Dew, and is an autumn tea. As the saying goes, "Spring tea is bitter, summer tea is astringent, and you should drink tea in the White Dew season in autumn." In autumn, you can drink black tea, scented tea, strong-flavored oolong tea, Pu'er ripe tea, etc. Tea soup can dissolve fats and help digest meat, oils and other foods.

There are also some rules for drinking Bailu tea. "For example, if we eat foods that are high in fat and carbohydrates, such as fried dough sticks, fried cakes, and baked steamed buns, most teas can be used to relieve the greasiness." If the food you want to "put on weight in autumn" is rich in protein, such as grilled fish, grilled meat, fried meat, stewed meat, and roasted meat, you need to choose heavily fermented teas such as black tea and Pu'er ripe tea to relieve the greasiness. "As the saying goes, 'simple tea and rice, green vegetables and tofu keep you safe.'" He Wei suggested that netizens should not eat too much greasy food in their daily lives. In the dry autumn, after "putting on weight in autumn" and having a full meal, you may as well drink a cup of tea to help digestion and relieve the greasiness.