🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Autumn begins with Start of Autumn, progressing through Limit of Heat, White Dew, Autumn Equinox, Cold Dew, and Frost’s Descent—six solar terms, with the Autumn Equinox marking a pivotal climatic transition. The *Huangdi Neijing Suwen* states: “In the three months of autumn, things reach maturity; the sky’s energy becomes swift, and the earth’s energy grows clear.” By autumn, the sky is crystal-clear, the earth is purified, the crisp wind brings comfort, and all things mature—perfect for harvesting. Autumn is a transitional phase of “declining yang and rising yin.” From Start of Autumn to Limit of Heat, the sun remains fierce, temperatures are high, and occasional rains increase humidity, making the weather characterized by combined heat and dampness—hence the term “Autumn Tiger.” After White Dew, rainfall decreases, the air becomes dry, days are hot while nights are cool, and the climate fluctuates greatly. A single misstep can easily lead to catching a cold, and many old ailments may recur—earning autumn the nickname “the troublesome season.” Since the human body’s physiological activities adapt to natural changes, internal yin and yang also shift accordingly. Therefore, autumn health preservation must emphasize the principle of “harmony” in mental well-being, diet, daily routines, and physical exercises.
Harmonizing Emotions to Avoid Melancholy
After entering autumn, from the perspective of “unity between man and nature,” the lung belongs to metal and corresponds to autumn. The lung governs respiration and is associated with sorrow in emotion. Those with weak lung Qi are sensitive to seasonal changes, especially middle-aged and elderly people who, witnessing autumn winds and rain, falling flowers and trees, and the bleak scenery of late autumn, often feel sad, lonely, and weary—prone to depression. As Song Dynasty health expert Chen Zhi noted: “In autumn, with gloomy winds and rain, the elderly often feel emotional distress. If their mood is down, one must distract them with conversation to divert their thoughts from autumn melancholy.” Clearly, regulating emotions is essential for health preservation in autumn. As the *Suwen* says: “Let the will be tranquil, to mitigate autumn’s severity. Gather and conserve your spirit, to make autumn’s energy balanced. Do not scatter your will externally, to keep the lung’s energy pure. This is the essence of autumn health preservation.” Thus, for middle-aged and elderly people, adopting the philosophy of “having no mind, thus no illness” is vital. Cultivate a mindset of not rejoicing over external gains nor grieving over personal losses—be optimistic, open-minded, tolerant, and peaceful. Conserve your spirit and maintain inner tranquility to reduce the impact of autumn’s harshness, allowing adaptation to autumn’s balanced state. Therefore, middle-aged and elderly people should go hiking in the countryside, climb high places, and enjoy the magnificent autumn scenery—flowers in full bloom, fiery red leaves—erasing all sadness and rejuvenating their spirits with vitality.
Appropriate “Autumn Chilling” for Health
The traditional Chinese saying “Wear more in spring, wear less in autumn; no illness will come” aligns with the principle of “light clothing to resist cold” in autumn. But “autumn chilling” must be understood correctly and scientifically.
After the Start of Autumn solar term, temperatures gradually drop, and the daily temperature difference increases. After Cold Dew, northern cold fronts invade frequently, bringing “a rain brings a chill.” From a preventive health perspective, gradually practicing “autumn chilling” strengthens resistance to cold, enhances heart and lung function, and improves the body’s ability to adapt to changing climates—helpful in preventing respiratory infections. However, in late autumn, if sudden weather changes occur with significant drops in temperature and continuous drizzle, wearing thin clothes and shorts remains dangerous. This can easily trigger cold exposure, weakening immunity and leading to colds, especially for middle-aged and elderly people with chronic bronchitis, asthma, COPD, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes. Neglecting weather changes and failing to stay warm can easily cause recurrence of old illnesses. Cold stimulation reduces vascular elasticity, increases peripheral resistance, excites the sympathetic nervous system, increases adrenal cortex hormone secretion, causes small arteries to constrict, raises blood pressure, and increases risk of cerebral hemorrhage. Cold stimulation also elevates blood fibrin concentration and viscosity, increasing the risk of thrombosis—threatening life and health. Therefore, one must follow autumn’s climate changes, appropriately adding or removing clothes—practicing “autumn chilling” with moderation and harmony with nature is truly wise.
Dietary Harmony to Moisturize Lungs and Prevent Dryness
After the Autumn Equinox, rainfall decreases and atmospheric humidity drops, making autumn dryness the dominant climate from mid-autumn to late autumn. Autumn is also the season when the lung (metal) dominates. Carelessness in health care can easily lead to depletion of body fluids by autumn dryness, causing symptoms like dry mouth, sore throat, and lung heat cough. Therefore, autumn is ideal for consuming foods that clear heat, generate body fluids, nourish yin, and moisten the lungs. Examples include loach, eel, white duck meat, sesame, walnuts, lily bulbs, glutinous rice, honey, milk, peanuts, fresh yam, white fungus, tangerines, ginkgo nuts, pears, red dates, lotus seeds, sugarcane, and other nourishing, moistening tonics. These help nourish yin, moisten lungs, and enrich blood. For middle-aged and elderly people with weak stomachs, breakfast should consist of porridge, which helps harmonize the stomach, nourish the stomach, and generate body fluids. Li Shizhen wrote in *Medical Introduction*: “Morning porridge helps expel old waste, benefits the esophagus and stomach, generates body fluids, and makes one feel refreshed throughout the day—its benefits are substantial.” For example, lily-red date-glutinous rice porridge nourishes yin and the stomach; lily-lotus seed porridge moistens lungs and tonifies kidneys; three-color porridge clears heat and nourishes lungs; lily-almond porridge removes phlegm and stops cough; fresh rehmannia juice porridge cools blood and moistens dryness; red adzuki bean porridge strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the middle; ginger porridge wards off cold and stops vomiting; walnut porridge moisturizes skin and prevents dryness; pine nut porridge moistens lungs and intestines; chrysanthemum porridge brightens eyes and calms the spirit; tea porridge dissolves phlegm and aids digestion; bird’s nest porridge nourishes lungs and stops cough; yam porridge strengthens the spleen and intestines; chrysanthemum-jujube porridge nourishes liver and kidneys. Choose porridges according to individual conditions to achieve harmony among zang-fu organs, yin-yang, and qi-blood—achieving the goal of nourishing the body.
Physical Exercise: Balance Between Movement and Stillness
Golden autumn, with clear skies and refreshing air, is an ideal time for physical exercise. Given the wide range of exercise options, choose according to individual capacity: seniors may walk, jog slowly, practice Wuqinxi (Five Animal Frolics), tai chi, fitness exercises, Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade), or self-massage; middle-aged and young adults may run, play ball games, hike, take cold showers, or swim. While engaging in dynamic exercises, combine them with static practices such as the Six Sounds Breathing Technique, Nei Qi Gong, or Yi Shou Gong—balancing movement and stillness. Movement strengthens the body, stillness nurtures the spirit, achieving holistic wellness. Note: those who enjoy cold-weather training should begin in autumn, gradually adapting to climate changes, persisting consistently to enhance the body’s adaptability and resistance to variable weather.
Focus on Prevention for Harmonious Health
Autumn is a peak season for intestinal infectious diseases, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and other illnesses, often triggering recurrences of old conditions such as gastritis, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Middle-aged and elderly people with hypertension, coronary heart disease, or diabetes risk worsening conditions in late autumn if preventive measures are neglected—potentially leading to hypertensive crisis, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or even death. Therefore, everyone must adopt a preventive mindset. First, prioritize dietary hygiene: avoid raw water, spoiled or bacteria-contaminated food. Those with chronic gastritis must pay special attention to dietary adjustment—eat in moderation, prefer warm, soft, bland, and light foods; avoid raw, cold, and overeating; abstain from smoking and alcohol. Second, maintain environmental hygiene: eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes and take measures to prevent bites. Children should receive JE vaccine on schedule; those exposed to JE or susceptible populations should also get vaccinated to boost immunity. Third, protect against colds during sudden weather changes—this helps prevent recurrence of chronic bronchitis and asthma. Fourth, intervene medically for hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes—keep blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood glucose within ideal ranges to maintain harmony and balance, effectively preventing complications and improving quality of life, ensuring a peaceful autumn.