[Health Preservation during the 24 Solar Terms] The weather starts to get cold during Bailu, and people with high blood pressure should take a moderate tonic

According to the "Collection of Explanations of the 72 Seasons of the Lunar Calendar", "White Dew" means "the moisture in the soil condenses into dew. Autumn belongs to the color of gold, and gold is white. White is the color of dew, and the air begins to get cold." This means that after the White Dew solar term, the temperature difference between day and night will gradually widen, and you will feel cool in the morning and evening. At this time, autumn really comes.

Autumn is the season for nourishing the lungs, but the lungs are delicate and cannot tolerate cold or dryness. During the White Dew season, the heat of the outside world gradually recedes, while the coolness gradually rises. It is best to nourish evenly to avoid bias. At the same time, when the seasons change and the temperature changes, the human body's blood pressure is also prone to fluctuations. At this time, adjusting the diet can also play a role in nourishing the body. This year, the "Guidelines for Dietary Nutrition for Adult Hypertension (2023 Edition)" issued by the National Health Commission has 2 simple and easy-to-use dietary nutrition recipes that are suitable for consumption during the transition from summer to autumn. I will combine common clinical problems and give you some suggestions on eating based on my personal experience.

Lily, Tremella and Pear Soup

Ingredients: lily, white fungus, snow pear, wolfberry

Preparation method: Put lily, white fungus, snow pear and wolfberry into a pot, add appropriate amount of rock sugar, simmer over low heat into a soup and eat with meals.

Explanation of the recipe: Lily enters the heart and lung meridians, moistening the lungs and relieving coughs, clearing the heart and calming the mind; Tremella enters the lung, stomach, and kidney meridians, nourishing yin and moistening the lungs; Snow pear enters the lung and stomach meridians, promoting fluid production and moistening dryness, clearing away heat and resolving phlegm; Lycium barbarum enters the liver and kidney meridians, nourishing the liver and kidneys, improving intelligence and improving eyesight. These four types of food ingredients, with the addition of rock sugar, can not only adjust the taste, but also replenish the middle qi, harmonize the stomach and moisten the lungs. Although this is a dietary recipe for people with high blood pressure, the overall combination is moist without being dry, and nourishing without being stagnant, and is also suitable for most people to eat during the White Dew season.

Note: Lily, pear, etc. contain starch and fructose, and rock sugar is a refined sugar. People with diabetes are not recommended to directly consume this diet. At the same time, people with high triglycerides and obesity need to adjust the proportion and dosage appropriately. The above people should use it under the guidance of a nutritionist.

Lotus Seed, Lily and Jujube Soup

Ingredients: lotus seeds, lily, jujube, glutinous rice

Preparation method: Add lotus seeds, lilies, jujubes and glutinous rice to water and appropriate amount of rock sugar and cook together. It can be eaten after it becomes porridge.

Explanation of the recipe: Although it also contains lily and crystal sugar, this recipe uses lotus seeds and lilies to nourish the heart and kidneys, and tonifies the spleen. In addition, jujubes, which tonify the spleen and stomach, replenish qi and promote body fluid, and glutinous rice, which tonifies the middle qi and strengthens the spleen, make this recipe more inclined to nourish the spleen and stomach. Compared with the above recipe, this recipe is more suitable for people who have experienced a bitter summer to use to regulate their spleen and stomach.

If you experience spleen and stomach discomfort after overeating or drinking too much cold drinks in the summer, and still have loss of appetite, fatigue, and loss of appetite in the fall, you should focus on nourishing the spleen and stomach while replenishing the lung qi to lay a good foundation for winter nourishment.

Note: Lotus seeds, lilies, glutinous rice, dates, etc. all contain starch and fructose, plus rock sugar which is a refined sugar. This medicinal food is not suitable for diabetics to eat with meals. It can replace part of the staple food, but it is best to consult a nutritionist before eating.

Author: Wei Guo, attending physician of the Nutrition Department of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Oriental Hospital

Review expert: Yan Yan, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine