Don't miss ginger in summer
We visited a Korean friend's house last weekend, and a table full of Korean dishes was presented. What caught our attention the most was a large pot of ginseng chicken soup. It turns out that there is a health custom in Korea: in summer, especially during the hottest dog days, ginseng chicken soup is a must for nourishment, while cold noodles are eaten in winter. This may sound a bit incredible, but it is not only folk wisdom but also has a basis.
The "Huangdi Neijing - Suwen" (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon - Plain Questions) mentions "nourishing yang in spring and summer, and nourishing yin in autumn and winter," emphasizing the balance of yin and yang, and adapting to nature and the weather to regulate the body. Simply put, in summer, yang energy flourishes, and although the yang energy in the body is strong, it is easily expelled with sweat, so yang needs to be nourished in spring and summer. There are many ways to nourish yang, similar to the Korean health philosophy. There is also a saying: "Eat radish in winter and ginger in summer, no need for a doctor to prescribe medicine."
Ginger is pungent in taste and warm in nature, and it enters the lung, spleen, and stomach meridians. It can warm the lungs to relieve coughs, induce sweating to release the exterior, and treat spleen and stomach deficiency-cold or disharmony of stomach qi. From 7 AM to 11 AM, when the body's stomach and spleen meridians are active, drinking a cup of ginger tea can help regulate the spleen and stomach. The Analects record that Confucius, who was long-lived, had a habit of "never removing ginger from his meals, nor eating too much." Adhering to the Confucian doctrine of the mean, it is said that Confucius ate ginger every day, neither too little nor too much.
The summer solstice, one of the 24 solar terms, will arrive in two days. The month from then until the dog days is an unmissable opportunity to nourish yang in summer, especially for those with a cold constitution or who are afraid of cold. You might consider having a cup of brown sugar ginger tea every morning to nourish your health in a timely manner.
Note: It is not suitable for individuals with yin deficiency and internal heat, eye diseases, or hemorrhoids.