We all know that there are four seasons in a year, but in the "Huangdi Nei Jing", a year is divided into five seasons, corresponding to the five elements theory, these five seasons are: spring, summer, long summer, autumn and winter. The diets corresponding to these five seasons are also called five flavors, namely: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and pungent. "The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" says: "The liver governs spring, the heart governs summer, the spleen governs summer, the lung governs autumn, and the kidney governs winter." In this way, the five internal organs correspond to the five flavors. A diet with different tastes in different seasons is the highest state of health.
Chinese medicine has always believed that food itself is medicine, so different flavors have different functions. Let's take a look at the functions and effects of these five flavors. Sweet (called "sweet" in Chinese medicine), has the effect of replenishing and relaxing the viscera, and is the most pleasant taste, which is the most suitable for spring. The sour ones have the function of astringent and firming. It can not only quench thirst but also suppress sweat. The corresponding season should be summer. The bitterness has the purpose of purging fire, and at the same time it can be dry or firm. It is very suitable for consumption in the long summer. Salty, its function is to disperse and firm, and it can be eaten in autumn and winter and long summer. In the end, the pungent flavour remains, which is what we call the spicy flavour. It has the effect of diverging and promoting qi and blood circulation. It is not pungent in winter. The reason why
says that we should eat sweetness in spring is because the yang energy is born in spring, and everything is in an upward phase just like the human body. At this time, the most important thing we need to do is to soothe the liver and replenish qi. As the "Huang Di Nei Jing" said: "The liver is anxious, if you eat eagerly, you can relieve it." This means that excessive suffering is not conducive to the spread of liver qi. At this time, you should eat as little bitter and sour food as possible. The sweet one is just right. It not only nourishes yang qi, but also facilitates the metabolism of liver qi, which directly avoids the possibility of excessive liver qi and possible liver and stomach problems. Of course, nourishing the liver in spring focuses on the mid-term, during this period the liver is most prone to hyper-qi, and the consequences are serious-it will damage the spleen. Therefore, we can appropriately eat more sweet foods, such as chestnuts, peanuts and other common things in life, which can nourish the liver and the spleen, which is more appropriate.
After entering the early summer, the heart fire began to be vigorous, and people are often prone to problems such as hemorrhoids, toothaches and acne. "Huangdi Neijing" therefore suggested: "Satisfy the heart, rush to eat acid in order to harvest it." Because the sour taste has the effect of spreading Qi, it can help the digestion of the spleen and stomach and reduce the growth of anger. Of course, in order to ensure the orderly operation of qi and blood, some people will eat some spicy flavor appropriately. At this time, don't forget to use sour flavor with spicy flavor to promote body fluid, clear heat, and nourish body.
enters Changxia after early summer, and the weather is even hotter. At this time, people obviously lose their appetite, feel bad, and even have diarrhea and other problems. At this time, we should use the appropriate bitter taste to clear the heat, because the spleen governs the growth of summer and the spleen is bitter and damp. Naturally, it is necessary to "anxiously eat bitterness to dry it". Eating bitter gourd in summer always makes people feel refreshing. This is where the bitterness harmonizes the spleen and stomach. In addition, during the long summer period, the diet should be more light, so as to ensure that the human body is not attacked by external evils.
in autumn, the temperature is low, but it becomes abnormally dry. At this time, people are prone to lung problems, so they should eat less spicy food and take the road of sourness convergence. "The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" has a note that "the bitterness of the lungs is upside down", and sour food has the effect of nourishing yin, and naturally it can alleviate this bitterness. At the same time, you can also eat a bit of bitterness to relieve qi, and then have the effect of nourishing yin and eliminating dryness. Although the focus is on moisturizing the lungs in autumn, you should also pay attention to nourishing yin and nourishing your stomach. Only by preventing autumn dryness as early as possible can you clear your heart and calm your mind.
The weather is cold in winter, and the human body's metabolism has entered a slow stage. At this time, it is mainly to nourish qi and nourish yang. We all know that the kidney is the protagonist of nourishing yin and nourishing yang, so the focus of this period is on the kidney. But "Kidney desires to be firm, fast food and bitter to firm it, bitter to replenish it, salty to relieve it". This means that in winter, it is not only necessary to replenish the body, but also to evaporate moisture with salty taste. Otherwise, the moisture in the body is too heavy and it is easy to cause the loss of Yang Qi. Although
says that the five flavors have their own effects and can cope with different seasons, they cannot be used alone.
