Grain in Ear is the ninth of the twenty-four solar terms in the Chinese calendar, indicating the arrival of the most appropriate time for sowing the seeds of Miscanthus sinensis.
During the period of Grain in Ear, it becomes increasingly rainy along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in central China. Utensils and clothes easily get mouldy because of the high temperature, humid air and suffocating weather. People generally call this period of time the plum rain season (as it also the time when the plums ripen) or the mildew rainy season. Furthermore, the amount of plum rain decides significantly whether the grain harvest be good or not.
During Grain in Ear, people should eat food that helps relieve the summer heat and strengthens their constitution. Three things are important in relation to diet: firstly, don’t eat too many rice dumplings, as the sticky rice might do harm to the spleen and stomach, resulting in abdominal swelling and diarrhea etc.; persons with high blood pressure should eat fewer rice dumplings with meat fillings; diabetic patients should eat no rice dumplings with fillings of red dates and bean paste. Secondly, a bland diet is recommended to strengthen the spleen. Since the energy of life tends to slow down after Grain in Ear, some people, especially the aged and the weak, might feel a lack of energy. So it is suggested that people eat some warming and hot food, such as dates, leeks, onions and pumpkins etc. Mild flower tea is a better option for tea lovers. Thirdly, the diet should not be too salty or sweet, salt consumption being no more than 6 grams per day. After perspiring do not only drink water.
Work and rest should also be adjusted according to the characteristics of Grain in Ear and precautions should be taken to protect against the summer heat and mosquitoes. The following aspects should be taken heed of: firstly, go to sleep at a later hour but get up earlier, have a proper midday rest and expose yourself to the sun, which do good for the circulation of qi and blood; secondly, take showers and change clothes frequently, with cotton or silk clothes with good breathability being recommended. Although frequent showering is beneficial in the period of Grain in Ear, you should guard against taking a cold water shower immediately after getting sweaty; thirdly, mosquitoes are abundant at this time, and to protect against them, you could eat some garlic or take 1-2 tablets of Vitamin B1 one hour before bed, or put some flowering jasmine, Chinese perfume plant, roses or Chinese violet, etc. in the bedroom.
To know more about common sense health maintenance during Grain in Ear, please visit the micro-lecture Maintaining Health in the Solar Term of Grain in Ear.
Course Link:
http://www.5minutes.com.cn/Web/Course/CourseDetail.aspx?id=09b91ecb-2809-4747-b265-d102deddf788
Micro-Lecture:
http://www.5minutes.com.cn/Default.aspx
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