Health Preservation After Beginning of Autumn: Nourishing the Spleen and Stomach is Key

After the Beginning of Autumn, mornings and evenings are slightly cooler, but the days are still very hot. Some people may feel fatigued and weakness, hence the saying “having no illness all summer leaves you thirty percent deficient.” At this time, Traditional Chinese Medicine talks about “nourishing yin in autumn and winter,” showing that tonic support in autumn is quite necessary. However, a reminder: early-autumn tonification should not be done blindly; it is necessary to regulate the spleen and stomach first.

So, how can you assess whether your spleen and stomach function is healthy, and what should you pay attention to in daily life?

During summer, the hot weather often leads people to seek relief in air-conditioned rooms, cold drinks, and fruits to cool down. However, excessive reliance on these methods can easily damage yang energy, especially spleen yang. Once yang energy is impaired, symptoms such as acid reflux, abdominal distention, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, and loose stools may occur.

If the above symptoms occur, it means your spleen-stomach function already has problems. To prepare for tonic treatment in autumn and winter, you need to restore your spleen-stomach function to a healthy working state so that nutrients can be absorbed properly, thereby achieving the purpose of supplementation.

Traditional Chinese Medicine theory states that "the spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal life and the source of qi and blood," meaning that the production of qi and blood depends on the health of the spleen and stomach. They are also the source of vitality after birth, underscoring their importance to the human body.

1. As the saying goes, "Three parts treatment, seven parts nourishment"—this is especially true for the stomach. In terms of diet, pay attention to the following points:

(1) Eat at regular times and in appropriate amounts; do not binge, starve, overeat, or eat overly greasy foods.

(2) Eat a light diet and try to avoid irritating foods such as strong alcohol, strong tea, coffee, and spicy foods.

(3) Eat reasonably: vegetables, fruits, and legumes are indispensable; eat meat appropriately and supplement dairy products moderately to ensure adequate nutritional intake.

(4) Eat breakfast every day.

(5) Pay attention to the hygiene of drinking water and food; do not eat rotten or spoiled food.

2. Work pressure and irregular lifestyles are major contributors to stomach disorders. Therefore, establishing regular habits and relaxing the mind are crucial:

(1) Adjust your mindset amid busy work schedules.

(2) Minimize staying up late. If unavoidable, pay attention to dietary combinations.

2、For abdominal cold pain, abdominal distention, preference for warmth, cold limbs and loose stools, vomiting, and diarrhea—symptoms of spleen-stomach deficiency cold—consider taking Fuzi Lizhong Pills. 

3、For weak spleen and stomach, indigestion, epigastric and abdominal fullness, poor appetite and loose stools, consider taking Jianpi Pills.

4、Stomach cold due to excessive cold drinks: Symptoms include loss of appetite, stomach distension, and acid regurgitation. To warm and harmonize the stomach, Xiangsha Yangwei Pills can be taken.