An ancient saying cautions: "During White Dew, avoid exposing your body; take care in the mornings and evenings." This reminds people that while daytime temperatures remain mild, the early morning and evening air turns cool, making it easy to catch a chill if you go bare-chested.
Beware of Bronchial Asthma
Bronchial asthma incidence peaks during the White Dew season, necessitating proactive prevention. This crisp autumn weather is ideal for outdoor travel. However, many tourists experience "cold-like" symptoms during trips—which may not be colds but rather hay fever.Two fundamental factors contribute to hay fever: an individual's allergic constitution and repeated exposure to external allergens. The key to health preservation during this solar term is to strengthen physical exercise, avoid catching chills in the mornings and evenings, and actively prevent allergic diseases.
During the White Dew period, prevent nasal diseases, asthma, and bronchial conditions.Individuals prone to these conditions due to allergic constitutions should exercise particular caution in dietary adjustments. Regularly reduce or eliminate consumption of seafood, raw or cold foods, stir-fried or pickled dishes, and pungent, sour, salty, sweet, or greasy foods. Prevent Gastrointestinal Disorders The period following White Dew often brings frequent autumn winds, rains, and typhoons.During this period, the primary diseases prone to occurrence and spread are intestinal infectious diseases such as bacterial dysentery, typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, and diarrhea. This marks the second peak of intestinal infectious diseases throughout the year, with incidence rates even higher than the first peak in summer.
The folk saying "autumn melons upset the stomach" refers to the fact that continuing to consume large amounts of raw melons and fruits after the start of autumn can easily lead to gastrointestinal disorders.During summer, people often consume large quantities of raw melons and fruits to beat the heat. These "sweet" fruits are easy to eat raw, but they can hinder the digestive functions of the spleen and stomach. Continuing to eat large amounts of raw melons and fruits after the Start of Autumn inevitably promotes dampness, damages spleen yang, and leads to weakened spleen yang. This can result in acute or chronic gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery.Therefore, after the start of autumn, consumption of melons and fruits should be reduced, especially for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold.
Preventing Autumn Dryness
During the White Dew solar term, guard against autumn dryness. Dryness pathogens can deplete bodily fluids, leading to symptoms like dry mouth, lips, nose, and throat, as well as constipation and cracked skin.Numerous methods exist to prevent autumn dryness. Appropriately increasing intake of vitamin-rich foods is one approach. Alternatively, selecting Chinese herbs that promote lung function, disperse phlegm, nourish yin, and boost qi—such as ginseng and sand ginseng—can effectively alleviate autumn dryness.
Preventing Colds
After White Dew, yin energy gradually intensifies and autumn winds grow crisp. This solar term signals cooling weather. Though daytime temperatures may still reach over 30°C, nights turn noticeably cooler with significant diurnal temperature fluctuations. Rainfall further lowers temperatures, increasing susceptibility to colds.Therefore, it is crucial to add layers of clothing and bedding in the morning and evening. Avoid exposing your chest or back, and refrain from sleeping in overly cool environments. The saying "Don't expose your body during White Dew; be mindful of morning and evening" aptly captures this principle.