🌿 Folk Prescriptions

TCM holds that dryness is the dominant climate in autumn. In Guangzhou, residual summer heat combines with sunny, dry weather, making dryness prone to damage the lungs. Thus, diet should be carefully managed. Autumn health preservation lies in nourishing yin and conserving yang—diet should emphasize foods that nourish blood, moisten dryness, clear lung heat, and relieve dryness.
According to Dr. Liu Qiong, attending physician at the Department of Internal Medicine Five, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, autumn dryness mainly damages body fluids. For example, lung injury often manifests as coughing—dry cough without phlegm or sticky phlegm hard to expel, known as “dry cough.” The throat and larynx, being the gateways and channels of the lungs, often result in dry mouth, sore throat, and hoarseness.
Dr. Liu points out that autumn diet should favor sesame, which nourishes blood, moistens the intestines, generates body fluids, and alleviates fatigue and dry cough. Spicy foods like chili, scallions, and garlic should be avoided; instead, soft, moist foods are preferred. Modern medicine suggests that combating “autumn dryness” requires foods rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, and E—such as carrots, lotus root, pears, honey, wood ear mushrooms, sugarcane, dairy products, eggs, and fish—to nourish blood, moisturize dryness, and enhance resistance to dryness and illness.
Additionally, proper hydration is crucial in autumn. Under such conditions, about 500ml of water evaporates daily, so one should replenish 500ml of water. Dr. Liu emphasizes that moderate, scientific drinking is essential for moisture and prevention of dryness. Drink small amounts frequently, slowly hydrating the mouth, nose, throat, esophagus, and trachea. Drink slightly salty water in the morning and honey water at night—both replenish fluids and serve as excellent dietary remedies for autumn health and anti-aging.
What Is Most Suitable to Eat in Autumn?
1. Lily: Nourishes lungs, moistens lungs, calms the spirit, relieves fatigue, and eases dry cough.
2. Lotus seeds: Clear residual summer heat and nourish the body—ideal seasonal tonic.
3. Yam: Tonifies without stagnation, neither hot nor dry—suitable for all ages, regardless of health status.
4. White kidney beans: In early autumn, cooking white kidney beans into porridge or decoction can clear residual heat, resolve dampness, strengthen the spleen, and boost appetite.
5. Lotus root: Raw lotus root clears heat and generates body fluids, quenching thirst; cooked lotus root strengthens the spleen, improves appetite, and nourishes blood. Hence the saying: “Eat raw lotus root in summer heat, cooked lotus root in cool autumn; raw for freshness, cooked for maturity.”
6. Eel: Eating eel in autumn provides strong nourishment and helps regulate blood sugar. Dishes include braised eel sections, steamed eel, stir-fried eel threads, and eel porridge.
7. Snake meat: High in protein and rich in nutrients, snake meat helps slim down, delay aging, and prolong life.
8. Chestnuts: Strengthen the spleen and stomach, nourish the kidneys, and strengthen bones.
9. Walnuts: Nourish the kidneys, solidify essence, warm the lungs, relieve asthma, and nourish qi and blood while moisturizing dryness and the intestines.
10. Red dates: Eating red dates in autumn is an excellent nourishing food for moistening dryness and enriching lung qi. When combined with silver ear fungus, lily, and yam and stewed together, the effect is even better.