🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Autumn is the golden season for nourishing the body, but improper methods of nourishment may not only fail to achieve desired results but also harm health. Dr. Chen Bohua, chief physician of the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Department at Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, reminds everyone to pay attention to the following issues when nourishing in autumn.
What to Eat for Autumn Nourishment
With so many supplements available—ginseng, bird’s nest, lotus seeds, sesame—some consumers feel overwhelmed. What should one actually eat for autumn nourishment? Dr. Chen recommends the following foods for general use.
Lily Bulb: Helps tonify the lungs, moisten dryness, calm the mind, and relieve fatigue. Lotus Seeds: Help dispel residual summer heat and strengthen the body. Yam: Suitable for all ages and constitutions, whether healthy or weak. White Kidney Beans: Boiled into porridge or decoction, they strengthen the spleen and stomach and enhance appetite. Lotus Root: Cooked lotus root helps stimulate appetite and digestion, ideal for autumn nourishment. Beef and Mutton: Consuming beef and mutton in autumn provides warm tonification of qi and blood. Chestnuts: Help strengthen the spleen and stomach, nourish the kidneys, and fortify bones. Red Dates: Tonify yin, moisturize dryness, benefit the lungs, and replenish qi.
Dr. Chen notes that high-end supplements like ginseng and bird’s nest are not suitable for everyone and should ideally be taken under medical supervision. Autumn is the season to consume foods that nourish yin and moisten dryness—such as silver ear fungus, sesame, black-boned chicken, pork lung, soy milk, and honey. Regular consumption prevents autumn dryness from harming the body. Additionally, dairy products, legumes, fresh vegetables, and fruits should be eaten more often. These foods are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and various vitamins, making them excellent nourishing options.
Experts recommend that the elderly and those with weak constitutions determine their nourishment method based on their physical condition and avoid blind supplementation. Before selecting food or medicine, consult a professional physician.
Doctors remind us that due to excessive consumption of cold foods during summer, the spleen and stomach have not fully recovered in early autumn. Thus, overly greasy foods should be avoided. With dry autumn weather, people are prone to internal heat, so spicy foods such as scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers should be limited.
Four Taboos for Autumn Nourishment
First, moderation is key. Overconsumption of any supplement can be harmful. Believing “more supplements mean better health, curing illness and strengthening the body” is unscientific. Excessive supplementation burdens the spleen and liver. During summer, frequent intake of cold drinks and frozen foods weakens digestive function. Sudden heavy supplementation then overloads the already weakened digestive organs, causing functional disorders.
Second, do not replace food with medicine. Relying solely on drugs while neglecting food is unscientific. Many foods are excellent tonics. For example, eating more shepherd’s purse helps treat hypertension; eating more radishes aids digestion and relieves chest tightness; eating more yam strengthens the spleen and stomach. Daily foods like walnuts, sesame, peanuts, red dates, and kidney beans are also excellent choices for nourishment.
Third, higher price does not mean better suitability. Each person’s constitution differs, so the appropriate supplement varies. Expensive items like bird’s nest or ginseng are not universally beneficial. Every supplement has its target audience and indications. The principle should be practical effectiveness—supplement what you lack.
Fourth, do not rely solely on meat. Moderate consumption of beef and mutton is effective for autumn nourishment. However, after summer, the spleen and stomach have not fully recovered, so greasy foods are hard to digest. Excess accumulation of fats and sugars may trigger cardiovascular diseases. Vegetables must not be overlooked in dietary supplementation, as they provide essential vitamins and trace elements.