Fall brings shorter days and lower temperatures. The world changes as needed for each season. Plants start to wither, animals start gathering food to store for the oncoming winter, and people start winterizing everything.
Fall tells us that we need to start reducing our consumption of the many cooling meals we often eat in the summer. According to traditional Chinese medicine, meals like raw foods, salads, juices, and fruits should be reduced because they can lead to an excessive amount of cold in the body.
Traditional Chinese medicine has numerous components, but one of the most crucial ones is diet. Ancient Chinese people observed nature and responded to its cues. They started eating what was available when the season turned to fall, the amount of daylight shrank, and the temperatures dropped. To “eat for the season” implies doing something like this.
We can prevent a lot of illnesses and diseases by eating in accordance with the season. We put ourselves at risk for digestive issues, colds, sinus infections, and even sore joints if we continue to eat raw, cold foods during the chilly fall and winter months. A person who eats seasonally will undoubtedly realize that some items are no longer plentiful or readily available. One should stock up on dry foods, hearty cereals, seeds, roots, and squashes during the fall. According to TCM, these meals aid in directing the body’s qi, which is pronounced “chee,” inside.
Fall is a good time to take everything easy. This suggests that we should cook food on lower heat for a longer amount of time. Food preparation has an impact on how well it is absorbed by the body and how much energy is expended. TCM advises utilizing a crockpot or slow cooker, roasting, and baking items as appropriate for the fall season. These techniques produce a more intense warmth and increase the energy the meal provides.
During the fall, it is crucial to eat foods that are healthy for the lungs. Lung-nourishing meals can be quite helpful during these months when a lot of people get sick. This includes foods like pears, walnuts, miso, navy beans, almonds, asparagus, broccoli, apricots, bananas, apples, plums, and grapes, as well as foods like ginger, onion, and garlic.
Chapped lips, a dry nose, an itchy throat, rough skin, and even dry feces are some common effects of the drier weather. It is advised to consume foods that encourage the production of body fluids, such as nuts, seeds, pears, pumpkins, honey, and the traditional Chinese porridge known as congee, to combat these problems.
