The White Dew Health Preservation Chapter of the 24 Solar Terms

Liu Tingting's White Dew falls on September 7th to 9th of the Gregorian calendar every year. The White Dew is a typical autumn solar term. From this day on, the dew becomes heavier and heavier day by day, and it is named Dew. According to the lunar calendar, "When Dou points to GUI, it is called White Dew. The Yin energy gradually intensifies and condenses to form dew, thus it is named White Dew." At this time, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 165 degrees. As the weather has turned cool, water vapor in the air often condenses into white dewdrops on trees and flowers at night, and birds also start to prepare for the winter. The "Monthly Orders" chapter of the "Book of Rites" records the scene of this solar term: "Blind winds arrive, wild geese come, black birds return, and flocks of birds bring shame." It is said that during this solar term, wild geese fly south to escape the cold, and all kinds of birds start to store dried fruits and grains for the winter. It can be seen that the White Dew is actually a symbol of the weather getting cooler. Both being the White Dew solar term, the scenery varies in different regions of China. In the north, water vapor has already condensed, while in some areas of the south, the air is still filled with the fragrance of flowers. There was once a saying that "osmanthus is fragrant during the White Dew period." There is also a saying during the White Dew solar term that wind and rain should be avoided. For instance, "On a White Dew day, if the northeast wind blows, nine out of ten cotton bolls will be filled with pus." On the day of the White Dew, the northwest wind blows, and nine out of ten bells are empty. "And so on. From these proverbs, it is not difficult to see how much farmers value the solar terms. The White Dew solar term marks the true beginning of the cool season. Many people, when taking care of their health, only emphasize the intake of nutritional supplements such as seafood and meat, while neglecting the seasonal diseases that are prone to occur, causing damage to their own and their families' bodies and affecting their studies and work. Here, I would like to remind everyone that during the White Dew solar term, it is necessary to avoid the occurrence of nasal diseases, asthma and bronchial diseases. Especially for those diseases mentioned above caused by allergic constitutions, more caution should be exercised in dietary adjustment. Patients with bronchial asthma caused by allergies should eat less or no fish, shrimp, seafood, raw, cold, grilled, pickled vegetables, spicy, sour, salty, sweet and fatty foods in daily life. The most common ones include hairtail, crab, shrimp, Chinese chives flower, yellow flower, pepper, etc. They should eat light, easily digestible foods rich in vitamins. Modern medical research shows that a diet high in sodium salt can increase the reactivity of the bronchi. In many regions, the incidence of asthma is directly proportional to the sales volume of salt, which indicates that asthma patients should not consume too much salt. Among the properties of food, different diets have their distinct "natures", "flavors", "meridian tropism", "ascending, descending, sinking and floating", and "tonifying and purging" effects. Different attributes have different functions and are suitable for different groups of people. Therefore, everyone should adjust their diet structure at any time according to the changes of the solar terms. Diet, as a health care measure, is primarily aimed at preventing diseases and prolonging life. The nourishing effect of diet on the human body is itself an important health care and preventive measure. A reasonable diet arrangement can ensure the body's nutrition, making the five internal organs function vigorously and the blood and qi abundant. As the Inner Classic states, "When the body's vital energy is strong, evil cannot invade." When the body's vital energy is vigorous, pathogenic factors have no chance to invade the body, and naturally, a healthy physical state will be maintained. Modern medical research has proved that if certain nutrients are lacking in the body, it will lead to diseases. A deficiency of proteins and carbohydrates can cause liver dysfunction. A deficiency of certain vitamins can lead to night blindness, beriberi, stomatitis, scurvy, rickets and other diseases. If certain trace elements are lacking, such as calcium deficiency can cause rickets, phospholipids deficiency can lead to neurasthenia, iodine deficiency can cause goiter, iron deficiency can cause anemia, and zinc and molybdenum deficiency can cause poor physical development, etc. Only through a comprehensive combination of foods or by specifically increasing the above-mentioned food components can these diseases be prevented and treated. More than a thousand years ago, predecessors of traditional Chinese medicine recorded that animal livers were used to prevent night blindness, kelp to prevent goiter, grain peels and wheat bran to prevent beriberi, and fruits and vegetables to prevent scurvy. In autumn health preservation, especially during the change of solar terms, we should not only reflect comprehensive dietary adjustment and targeted strengthening of certain nutritious foods for disease prevention, but also give full play to the specific role of certain foods and directly apply them to the prevention of certain diseases. For instance, the white parts of scallions, ginger, cardamom and coriander can be used to prevent and treat colds. Beet juice and cherry juice can prevent measles. The juice of white radish and fresh olives can prevent diphtheria. Lychees can prevent halitosis caused by stomatitis and gastritis. Carrot porridge can prevent dizziness and other symptoms. As Chinese people increasingly pursue the quality of life, the international medical community is also paying more and more attention to the preventive role of food in diseases. Scientists have discovered and confirmed that many foods can prevent and assist in the treatment of various diseases. Bitter gourd, asparagus, purslane and the like have all been found to have the effect of preventing and fighting cancer. In addition, the role of dietary habits and methods in disease prevention has increasingly drawn the attention of scientists. The Nanjing records: "People rely on food and drink to survive. The flavors of the five grains nourish the skin, fill the body and moisten the hair." This is the ancient people's comment on the role of dietary nutrition two thousand years ago. It is evident that the nourishment of diet is not only the foundation for human survival, but also the material guarantee for the movement of life when the nutrients in food (referred to as "water and grain essence" in traditional Chinese medicine) are transformed into the tissues and energy of the human body. The famous physician Bian Que of the Warring States Period said, "The foundation of one's well-being must be based on diet." Those who do not know the proper way to eat cannot survive. It emphasizes that the properties of food vary from person to person. The White Dew is a typical autumn climate. Therefore, we cannot fail to take into account the climatic characteristics of autumn - dryness, which is often referred to as "autumn dryness". We say that dryness can harm people and easily depletes body fluids, leading to symptoms such as dry mouth, dry lips, dry nose, dry throat, constipation and cracked skin. There are many ways to prevent autumn dryness. One can appropriately consume more foods rich in vitamins or choose some traditional Chinese medicines that promote lung function, dissolve phlegm, nourish Yin and benefit qi, such as ginseng, adenophora, American ginseng, lily, almond and Fritillaria, which are often effective in alleviating autumn dryness. For the general public, simple and practical medicinal diets and food therapy seem to be more acceptable. Here are several medicinal diets and food therapy recipes. Lotus Seed and Lily Bulb Stew: [Ingredients] 30 grams each of lotus seeds and lily bulbs, 200 grams of lean meat. [Method] Soak lotus seeds and lily bulbs in clean water for 30 minutes. Wash the lean meat and put it in a pot of cold water to boil (blanch it in water), then remove it. Put the water back into the pot, add the lotus seeds, lily bulbs and lean meat together, and simmer until cooked (you can add some salt and monosodium glutamate for seasoning). [Functions] Moistens dryness in the lungs, relieves cough and reduces inflammation. Suitable for patients with chronic bronchitis. Yuzu Chicken: [Ingredients] One yuzu (best for overwintering), one rooster, and an appropriate amount of fine salt. [Method] Remove the feathers from the rooster and wash its internal organs. Peel the pomelo and keep the flesh. Put the pomelo into the chicken's belly, then place it in a steam pot and steam until cooked. Add salt to taste before serving. [Functions] Tonifies the lungs and benefits qi, dissolves phlegm and relieves cough. Ginkgo Chicken Cubes: [Ingredients] 100 grams of ginkgo (white fruit), 250 grams of boneless tender chicken, 2 egg whites, an appropriate amount of stock, white granulated sugar, Shaoxing wine, starch, monosodium glutamate, sesame oil, salt, oil, and scallions. [Method] Peel the ginkgo nuts and stir-fry them in a hot oil pan until they are 60% cooked. Then, remove them, peel off the thin skin and set aside. Cut the chicken into 1-centimeter-square cubes and put them in a bowl. Add egg white, salt and starch, and stir well. Heat a wok over high heat and add a considerable amount of oil. When the oil is about 60% cooked, add the diced chicken and stir it up with a spoon. Then, add the ginkgo nuts and continue to stir-fry. Once cooked, pour the oil along with the chicken into a strainer to drain off the excess oil. Pour a small amount of oil into the pot, stir-fry the scallion sections, then add Shaoxing wine, stock, salt and monosodium glutamate. Add the processed diced ginkgo chicken and stir-fry. Thicken with a thin layer of wet starch. Before serving, drizzle with sesame oil, stir well and serve on a plate. [Functions] Tonifies qi and nourishes blood, relieves asthma and stops vaginal discharge. This prescription can be used as a diet for patients with chronic tracheitis in the elderly, pulmonary heart disease, emphysema and vaginal discharge syndrome in women. Crispy Yam: [Recipe] 500g fresh yam, 125g white sugar, 100g soybean powder, 750g vegetable oil (actual consumption 150g), vinegar, monosodium glutamate, starch, and sesame oil in appropriate amounts. [Method] Wash the yam thoroughly, steam it until cooked, take it out, peel it, cut it into 1-inch-long sections, then split it into two pieces and flatten them with a knife. Heat the pan and pour in vegetable oil. When the oil reaches about 70% of its smoking point, add the yam and fry until it turns yellow. Then remove it and set it aside. Heat another pan, add the fried yam, sugar and two tablespoons of water. Simmer over low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, then turn to high heat. Add vinegar, monosodium glutamate and starch to thicken the sauce. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve on a plate. [Functions] Strengthen the spleen and stomach, tonify the lungs and kidneys. It is more suitable for those with spleen deficiency and poor appetite, as well as those with lung deficiency and coughing or shortness of breath. From China.org.cn