Diet for the Elderly: How to take supplements in all seasons

　　The sky changes, the stars move, the earth comes and goes, the spring comes and goes, the summer grows, the autumn harvests, and the winter hides. These are the laws of nature and are not subject to human will. Man is a member of the natural world, and he must follow the harmony of heaven and earth and respond to the changes of the four seasons. The so-called "the wise man's health maintenance must follow the seasons, adapt to the cold and heat, and live in peace with the joys and anger." Harmonize yin and yang and adjust hardness and softness. ”The traditional medicine of the motherland has always paid attention to the "correspondence between nature and man". Therefore, according to the changes of seasons, timely and appropriate supplementation is beneficial to human health. healthy Longevity is very necessary. This is the concept of timeliness in dietary therapy proposed by someone.

　　To supplement according to the four seasons, you must first understand the characteristics of the four seasons. Based on their understanding of nature at that time, the ancients proposed the theory of yin and yang and the five elements. The so-called "the foundation of life is based on yin and yang." ”It is also believed that "Yang is Qi and Yin is taste", "Yin is born from the five flavors", and the smells are combined and taken to replenish the essence and Qi", and connect the changes of Yin and Yang with the four Qi and five flavors of food. "Nei Jing" says: "For people, nourish yang in spring and summer; nourish yin in autumn and winter, so that from their roots, the two qi will always be there. ”How to nourish yang and nourish yin? Li Shizhen said: "Eat cool foods in spring and cold foods in summer to nourish yang; eat warm foods in autumn and hot foods in winter to nourish yin. ”The food habits are adapted to the relationship between cold, hot, warm and cool in the four seasons. When summer is extremely hot, cold and cool foods are needed to clear away heat and relieve the heat. On the contrary, when the climate is severely cold in winter, the human body needs pungent warm or spicy foods to warm the yang and dispel the cold.

　　The ancient concept of dietary therapy and nutrition has been confirmed by modern medicine and nutrition. For example, in the cold winter, the human body's basal metabolism increases by 10% to 15%, and the total calorie demand is the highest. Therefore, you should eat more foods rich in protein and fat, such as beef, mutton, dog meat, fish, dairy and soy products. The climate in winter is dry and prone to cheilitis, angular stomatitis and skin It is dry, so it is necessary to eat foods rich in vitamin B?2 such as pork liver, eggs, beans, etc. in winter. On the contrary, in the hot summer, people sweat a lot, causing a large amount of potassium and sodium loss, resulting in inorganic salt metabolism disorders and a deep decrease in serum potassium, and a large amount of water-soluble vitamins are lost. Therefore, in summer, it is advisable to eat more potassium-rich soybeans, mung beans, black beans, cucumbers and potatoes, and often eat mung bean porridge, sour plum soup, watermelon and other foods that relieve heat and promote body fluids.

　　Generally speaking, different nourishing methods are adopted according to the different seasons. In spring, when all things grow and grow, you can use ascending tonic; in summer, when it is hot and scorching, people like to cool off, so it is better to use clear tonic; in autumn, when the climate is cool, it is suitable to use flat tonic; in winter, when the climate is cold, it is suitable to nourish; and in all seasons, it is suitable to use tonic.

　　Food suitable for nourishing the four seasons. In spring, you can eat pork liver, pork, egg , beans and soy products. Fresh vegetables such as leeks, spring bamboo shoots, pea shoots and fresh crucian carp can replenish qi, clear the spleen and stomach, and benefit the large intestine. It is advisable to eat more in moderation; in summer, you can choose to eat mung bean soup, lotus leaf porridge, cold bean sprouts, sugar-coated tomatoes, and lilies. Red date soup, watermelon and lychee; in autumn, you should eat more white fungus, dates, honey, right kernels, walnuts, lotus seeds, longan, etc.; in winter, you can choose beef, mutton, dog meat, chicken, fish, walnuts, brown sugar and other warm foods. Seasonal tonic is a tonic method that can be named regardless of the season. It should be gentle and mild. Commonly used foods include adzuki beans, lentils, black beans, peas, yams, loofah, fungus, mushrooms, potatoes, dates, carp, eggs, etc. You can choose foods in all seasons.