Five Secrets to Staying Healthy During Cold Dew Season
NEW YORK – As the “Cold Dew” solar term arrives, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are offering five key strategies to combat autumn dryness, allergies, and seasonal depression, and prepare for the colder months ahead. the recommendations, shared by Guo Dawei, emphasize nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, and maintaining emotional wellbeing.
According to traditional Chinese medicine principles, autumn and winter require a focus on “nourishing yin,” a concept central to maintaining balance during these seasons.
Here are five secrets for health preservation during Cold Dew:
1. Strengthen Lung & Spleen with Acupuncture: Specific acupuncture points can help “moisten the lungs, nourish the spleen, clear away heat and purge fire.” Regular massage of these points is suggested to alleviate symptoms of allergies and colds common in autumn and winter.
2. Combat “Sad Autumn” Mood: The shorter days and reduced sunlight can contribute to feelings of depression. Guo Dawei advises spending more time outdoors, meditating, reading, and listening to music to adjust emotions, calm the mind, and nourish the heart.
3. Embrace Nourishing Foods: The Cold Dew season is ideal for incorporating ingredients that nourish the lungs, yin, and stomach. Recommended foods include:
* Tremella fuciformis: Known as the “life-prolonging product,” it nourishes yin, moisturizes the lungs, replenishes qi, and nourishes the skin. It’s suitable for those with constipation, high blood pressure, and dryness/cough. Caution is advised for those with colds, excessive phlegm, or diabetes.
* Yam: Nourishes the kidneys and essence, strengthens the spleen, and moistens the lungs, potentially improving chronic cough, asthma, and circulation. Those with abdominal distension or heavy menstruation should consume it in moderation.
4. try These Recipes:
* Hundred Dates, Lotus Seeds and ginkgo Porridge: (30g lily, 18 red dates, 20g lotus seeds, 15 ginkgo, 100g japonica rice, rock sugar) – Nourishes yin, moisturizes the lungs, strengthens the spleen and stomach.
* Tremella Porridge: (30g Tremella fungus, 1 Sydney pear, 10g Sichuan clam powder, rock sugar) - Nourishes yin, moisturizes the lungs, promotes body fluids, relieves cough, and eases dry/itchy throats.
5. Prioritize Early Bedtimes & Warmth: Guo Dawei emphasizes that Cold Dew is the ”best time to ‘prevent cold and nourish yin.'” He recommends adhering to the principles of “early to bed and early to rise, warming and nourishing the body, moistening the lungs and preventing dryness” for a smooth transition into autumn and a healthy winter.
