A Season of Dryness pursue, as the Heat subsides!

My friend,

As I mentioned in my previous article (on the Summer Commences (LiXia立夏)), we are going to have a very hot weather leading to July in 2018, and after these few months, I believe you will agreed with me. For Singapore, being one degree north of Equator and an island nation, while we have fair share of hot sunny days, we are fortunate to have frequent thundery showers to help cool us down. Countries further north in the northern hemisphere may not be as lucky, and most are experiencing extreme droughts and big scale forest fires.

The 8th of August, marks the solar term of the Beginning of Autumn (立秋) in the northern hemisphere. The climatic characteristic of the Beginning of Autumn (立秋) is a transition from hot summer heat to cool autumn solar terms, a period when the Yang Qi Element gradually subsides and the Yin Qi Element grows. But the hot summer heat gathered from the past few months will take some time to cool down, and the heat expected to continue into mid-to-late September before it can really cool down.

In my “TCM Herbal Diet course“, on the understanding and application of the Five Elements Theory, I mentioned that the Autumn season correspond to the Metal Element and is associates with the Lung Visceral System. The Lung Visceral System in term is emotionally aligns with sorrow. After the Beginning of Autumn (立秋) solar term, the day light time will gradually shortened, there is a tendency for the human body to develop a state of depression, thus its prudent to consciously maintain a calm, and balance state of mind and spirit.

Autumn is the season of the Lung Visceral System. In TCM, The Lung Visceral System prefers to stay moisten and dislike to be in a state of dryness. During this period (between August and October every year in Singapore), the weather is normally dry and it will affect the Lung Visceral System. Therefore, the health maintenance approaches is to nourish Yin, moisten the Lung Visceral System, and promote fluid secretion in the body.

In this article, as part of the health maintenance approaches for the solar term of the Beginning of Autumn (立秋) , I will introduce three medical diets (detail of the therapeutic effect of the ingredients are covered in the Herbal Diet Class) and massaging techniques of three acupuncture points.

Dietotherapy:

Daily Diet during this period should be focusing on food with moistening and fluid secretion properties, such as pear, lily, lotus seeds, white fungus, red dates, lotus root, red bean, honey, etc.

  • Honey stewed pear:
    • [Ingredients] a pear, 2 red dates, honey 10 grams.
    • [Steps]  After cleaning the pears, cut the top of the pear, remove the core of the pear and pour in the honey and red dates. Simmer for five minutes and eat the pears with soup.
    • [Efficacy] nourishing the lung, relieving cough, promote fluid secretion and eliminating dryness.

  • Lily white fungus and lotus seed soup:
    • [Ingredients] 20 grams of lily, 40 grams of white fungus, 15 grams of lotus seed, rock sugar to taste.
    • [Steps]  Cook lily, white fungus, lotus seed, together and add rock sugar when boiled.
    • [Efficacy] nourishing the lung and invigorating the body, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and soothing the heart and mind.

  • Lily almond and red bean porridge
    • [Ingredients]  15 grams of lily, 6 grams of almond, 30 grams of red bean, 50 grams of rice.
    • [Steps]  Cook the rice bean and rice together, when almost cooked, add lily, almonds, simmer with low heat until cooked.
    • [Efficacy] clear lung and moisten dryness.

 

Acupressure Massage Techniques:

  • Guan Yuan 关元穴
    • Beginning of Autumn (立秋) is the best time to massage Guan Yuan, as this action can help to converge the body’s Yang Qi, which will be beneficial in maintaining health, and strengthening the body.
    • Guan Yuan acupoint is an important Ren meridian acupuncture point, it is located in the lower abdomen, along the mid body line, 3 Cun below the naval. Kneading the acupoints with both hands at that same time, with an bulging sensation. 2 times a day, about 1 – 3 minutes.

  • Yu Ji 鱼际穴
    • Yu Ji acupoint is located at the midpoint between the root of the thumb and the wrist. During the dry seasons such as the Beginning of Autumn (立秋) massaging the Yu Ji Acupoints can help relieve respiratory diseases, such as cold, bronchitis, pneumonia, pharyngitis, etc.
    • When massaging, you can use the thumb of the other hand to push along the Yu Ji Acupoint, or using the Yu Ji Acupoints of the two hands to hit each other. 1 to 2 times a day, about 10 minutes.

 

  • Ying Xiang  迎香穴
    • With the start of Beginning of Autumn (立秋), diseases associated with the Lung Visceral System are prompt to develop. Massaging the Ying Xiang Acupoint has the function of cleansing the heatiness, moistening dryness and nourishing the Lung Visceral System and help clear nasal congestion.
    • Ying Xiang acupoint is located beside the nasal about 0.5 Cun away, in the nasolabial groove. When massaging, use you’re the edge of the index finger to rub for 20 to 30 times, 1 to 2 times a day.
    • If you are practicing the 5 Element Facial Massage Technique I shared in module 3 of the “Acupressure Massage” course, you will have already been massaging this Acupoint!

 

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Thank you for being a part of my health maintenance and leaning community. I look forward to share Acupressure massage techniques and medical diet methods with you and hope you’ll someday join me to learn even more by taking my class-room training or an online course or training in the convenience of your home .

Warmest regards

Dr Clement Ng (黄欣杰)

dated: 08/08/2018

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