In traditional Chinese medicine culture, seasons are divided into five seasons: spring, summer, long summer, autumn, and winter. Under the concept of "harmony between heaven and man" in traditional Chinese medicine, it is matched with the five elements and five organs, becoming a basic theory that emphasizes the relationship between humans and nature.
At this time, it is the transition between long summer and autumn, when dampness gradually weakens and dryness gradually arises, which is a good time to nourish the spleen and stomach.
Strengthening the spleen after 'summer exhaustion'
The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon states: "The spleen governs the long summer." The spleen is the foundation of the human body after birth, and the five elements belong to the earth. The middle earth is located in the center and is connected to the qi of the long summer. Its main qi is dampness.
Due to the high temperatures during the long summer, people are prone to losing their temper and sweating, which can lead to a loss of stomach fluids. They are also prone to fatigue, thirst, or heatstroke; If one takes a cool break or drinks excessively, it often damages the spleen and stomach, and can lead to stomach pain, diarrhea, or colds.
Therefore, although the spleen and stomach are vigorous in the long summer, they can still be damaged and cause illness if not taken care of. As pointed out in the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, we should follow the principle of "regulating yin and yang, harmonizing with numerology, regulating food and drink, maintaining regular daily routines, and avoiding excessive labor".
Traditional Chinese medicine has clever ways to nourish the spleen
The ancient saying goes, 'The stomach controls the digestion and absorption of grains,' 'the spleen controls the transportation and transformation,' and 'the spleen controls the saliva.' These can be understood as the spleen and stomach having digestive and absorptive functions. For those with spleen deficiency and diarrhea, Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (ginseng, Atractylodes macrocephala, white beans, yam, sand seed, Job's tears seed, Platycodon grandiflorus, Poria cocos, roasted licorice, lotus seed meat, jujube) can be used to strengthen the spleen.
The spleen and stomach are the hometown of qi and blood, which means that the spleen and stomach have the function of transforming and generating qi and blood. For anemic individuals, the Eight Treasures Decoction (ginseng, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Rehmannia glutinosa, Paeonia lactiflora, Angelica sinensis, Chuanxiong, roasted licorice) can be used to nourish the spleen and blood.
The concepts of "spleen controls dampness", "spleen is the source of phlegm production", and "spleen controls transportation and transformation" indicate that the spleen is involved in the metabolic functions of fluids and lipids. Patients with spleen deficiency and edema can choose Wuling San (Atractylodes macrocephala, Alisma vulgaris, Poria cocos, Cinnamomum cassia).
Parent child Carrot and Pig Tendon Soup
Recently, there has been heavy rainfall and humidity throughout the country, and many people have shown symptoms such as poor appetite. It is recommended to drink radish and pork tendon soup appropriately to improve this situation.
[Ingredients] 1 white radish, 1 green radish, 1 carrot each, 250g pork tendon, 3 longan pieces, 2 dates, 1 tangerine peel, 2 slices of ginger
[Method]
1. Peel all three types of radishes, wash them thoroughly, and cut them with a rolling cutter. Peel and slice ginger. Chenpi and longan meat have been washed with water, and jujubes have their seeds removed. Wash the pork tendon and cut it into pieces.
2. Place radish, tangerine peel, ginger, longan meat, and jujube in a soup pot, add 6 bowls of water, bring to a boil, then add pork tendon meat and simmer over low heat for about an hour. Season with salt and it's ready to drink.
【 Effect 】 Radish can clear heat, eliminate stagnation, and reduce phlegm in the middle; Guiyuan has the effects of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the blood, calming the heart, and calming the mind; Jujube has the effects of nourishing the middle and qi, nourishing blood and calming the mind; Ginger can warm and neutralize the stomach.