Our weather has changed! Autumn is here. According to Chinese Solar Terms it begins on August 8 this year, with the white dew (condensed moisture which makes dew white), arriving on Sept. 8. This means that the temperature will slowly begin to drop after this date.
Autumn is the transition of nature from hot to cold. This also happens in the human body. As autumn sets in, Yang energy fades while Yin energy strengthens.
This is the time for us to be peaceful, both physically and mentally. Restraining from over-exertion will help us store Yang energy for the coming winter.
Coming into fall, it is getting cold and windy. The dry wind is absorbing water from our bodies. The temperature changes between day and night are great, and cold nights can be uncomfortable. Drinking enough water and avoiding losing too much fluid are always important, but are even more so at this time of year.
Autumn corresponds to the Lungs in the 5 Phases The Lungs are called the “tender organs” and at this time of year are more vulnerable to illness. Thus, coughs and other upper respiratory ailments can arise.
It is important to rest. We should be in bed before 11 pm and up by 7 am. Napping is also wonderful and can help us feel refreshed for the rest of the day.
In the dry season, we may have no appetite,can develop dry skin, or have a dry throat. So it’s best to consume foods which will moisten us from the inside out. It’s best to eat delicate foods with sour and sweet flavors, instead of pungent, spicy foods. Stews,congees and porridge are recommended. Garlic, ginger, peppers are best avoided.
Congee (or Jook in Cantonese), a rice porridge or gruel made with lots of water, reinforces the digestive system and nourishes other organs. Since it’s made with white rice that has been milled, it’s quickly converted to energy. Whole grain brown rice with the hulls, though not as popular, is more nutritious and converts to energy more slowly, so there’s no spike in sugar levels.
Zhang Zhongjing attached a great deal to the benefits of congees in the Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Colds. Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases). He suggested that eating some hot congee right after taking herbal decoctions like Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) can help promote sweating and expel pathogens from the body.
Li Shizhen in his “Compendium of Materia Medica”, in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), recommends a big bowl of congee as the best breakfast in all seasons, as taking in grains in the way of congee can help fill the empty stomach “tenderly but sufficiently.” Congee can warm the stomach and nourish the internal organs; and in combination with other ingredients it helps restore the energy balance and treat weakness and other specific conditions.
Huang Di, The Yellow Emperor, the legendary founder of Chinese Medicine and many elements of Chinese culture, is said to have invented congee more than 4,000 years ago by steaming rice and then boiling it. He did that after he invented the cooking pot. Congee then became part of Chinese Medicine food therapy. Many Chinese people make different kinds of congee to achieve certain results and treat minor problems. There’s a rhyme about congee that goes: “Add jujubes to congee for perfect skin, add lotus seeds for insomnia, add walnuts to strengthen kidneys and blacken hair, and add reed rhizome to relieve fever.”
Eating low-calorie congees regularly can decrease the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. It is recommended that we consume hot reinforcing congees in the morning and congee with different ingredients at night for insomnia.
Do not consume congee three times per day as it will not provide you with the same amount of energy as regular rice would. Diabetics shouldn’t eat too much white rice since it quickly raises blood sugar.
Sweet cold congee, though tasty, is not recommended for the elderly, children and those suffering from “pathogenic cold” (Yin energy) problems. Too much cold congee undermines the digestive system.
Ingredients commonly added in the fall include turnips, sesame, white fungus, lily root and chrysanthemum; all are cooling (containing Yin, or cold energy) and moistening.
Other foods good for the fall are :
Yam: It nourishes Yin and the Lungs while also being good for the skin. It strengthens digestion and balances metabolism. It can be added to soups, but steamed yam preserves are the most nutritious.
Pear:It is is in season in the fall. The fruit is juicy and helps nourish the lungs, dissolve phlegm, relieve coughing and aid in bowel movements. Uncooked pears are recommended to relieve dry problems in upper respiratory systems such as a sore throat. Steamed pear with rock sugar is more effective in dissolving phlegm and helping the lungs. Pear juice mixed with herbal teas like pang da hai (boat-fruited sterculia seed, a tropical herb) can help protect the voice.
Do not consume too much pear as the “cold” (Yin) fruit can cause problems like diarrhea and stomachache.
In terms of exercise, gentle yoga, tai chi and Qi Gong are the best for this time of year. Gentle movements with meditative techniques will help us store energy and attain more peace of mind and spirit.