After eating spicy hotpot, one side of face swelled up
The reporter recently met Mr. Chen, who was receiving IV treatment at the emergency department of Guangzhou City Hospital. Although Mr. Chen is a native of Guangdong, he has always loved spicy food. During spring and summer, when the weather in Guangzhou is hot, he remembers his mother's advice: "The weather in Guangzhou is dry, so you easily get heat." Therefore, he avoided overly spicy foods. However, lately, as Guangzhou entered autumn and winter, various Chongqing-style hotpot and spicy hotpot started appearing. Encouraged by friends, Mr. Chen couldn't resist and ate two consecutive spicy hotpot meals. On the third day after eating, his gums began to swell and hurt, causing his entire left face to swell, making him unable to sleep, so he had to go to the hospital urgently.
According to Dr. Su Liling, head of the respiratory department at Guangzhou City Hospital, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, autumn and winter are indeed good times for tonification. However, Guangzhou's climate this year is very special. Even though winter solstice has passed, there is no sign of cold weather, and it still feels like the summer heat hasn't fully dissipated. Moreover, it hasn't rained for two months, making the weather extremely dry. The body's saliva production decreases, the respiratory tract becomes dry, and blood vessel fragility increases, making infections more likely. If you consume tonics or spicy, stimulating foods, it will accelerate blood flow, known in TCM as "blood heat running wild," spreading pathogens throughout the body and triggering symptoms such as swollen gums, nosebleeds, dry cough, and sore throat.
Therefore, Dr. Su advises that unless someone has long-term illness or weak constitution, they should avoid consuming dry tonics and especially avoid spicy, stimulating foods. The diet should be primarily clear and moist.
In interviews, the reporter found that some people, aware of the severe autumn dryness, avoid getting heat by taking excessive amounts of Ban Lan Gen, bitter melon, and cooling tea. However, those with naturally cold constitutions may experience symptoms like bland taste and dizziness if they consume too many of these cold foods, weakening their immunity and leading to repeated colds. Instead of preventing illness, they end up getting sick. Experts therefore recommend that people consult a TCM practitioner before tonifying to understand their constitution and then tailor their diet or herbal remedies accordingly.
Pears and apples make the best soup ingredients
Dr. Shen Jianhua, a renowned TCM physician from Liwan District, pointed out that Guangdong people's expertise in "cooking soup" can become an excellent way to prevent autumn dryness. Among them, pears and apples—cheap fruits—are particularly suitable for this season. The simplest method is to cook pears or apples with pork belly, which is both clear and nutritious. Additionally, the familiar "Clear Nourishment Soup" is also suitable for this weather.
Several clear and moist soups
Olive Pear and Lean Meat Soup:
Ingredients: 15 grams of olives, 50 grams of pear, 100 grams of lean meat, 1 honey date
Benefits: Clears lung heat, soothes throat, generates fluids, cools down heat, moisturizes dryness
Preparation: Wash the lean meat, blanch briefly in boiling water, cut into pieces. Place the pear, washed olives, and honey date into a steamer, add 250 ml of water, steam for 2 hours.
Recommended for: People with sore throat, hoarseness, irritability, thirst, phlegm, or dry cough due to excess heat in the lungs and stomach.
White Fungus Pear and Lean Meat Soup:
Ingredients: 3 grams of white fungus, 50 grams of pear, 100 grams of lean meat, 1 honey date
Benefits: Nourishes yin, moistens lungs, generates fluids, clears heat, calms the heart
Preparation: Wash the lean meat, blanch briefly in boiling water, cut into pieces. Add the washed white fungus, chopped pear, and honey date to a steamer, add 300 ml of water, steam for 1 hour.
Recommended for: Dry throat, dry cough, blood streaks in phlegm, restlessness, insomnia, constipation due to lung dryness.
American Ginseng Duck Soup:
Ingredients: 5 grams of American ginseng, 120 grams of duck, 1 slice of ginger
Benefits: Tonifies qi and nourishes yin, clears internal heat, nourishes stomach, tonifies qi and promotes urination
Preparation: Clean and cut the duck, blanch briefly in boiling water, wash the American ginseng, slice it, add ginger, place in a steamer, add 250 ml of water, steam for 2 hours.
Recommended for: Qi and yin deficiency, internal heat, poor sleep, afternoon fever, night sweats, edema.
Salvia and Polygonatum Mountain Fish Soup:
Ingredients: 10 grams of Salvia, 10 grams of Polygonatum, 100 grams of mountain fish
Benefits: Nourishes yin, moistens lungs, nourishes stomach, generates fluids, clears heat
Preparation: Wash the mountain fish, cut into pieces, add to a steamer with washed Salvia and Polygonatum, add 300 ml of water, steam for 2 hours.
Recommended for: Dry cough without phlegm in autumn, hoarseness, dry mouth, irritability, hot palms, recurrent oral ulcers due to yin deficiency and internal heat.
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