The autumnal climate is always marked by dryness, hence the term "autumnal dryness". The lung governs respiration, associates with the skin and hair and exterior-interiorly relates to the large intestine. Therefore, when the humidity in the air drops, the lung, large intestine, skin and hair are the first target to be affected. Pathogenic dryness injures people, consumes the human yin and body fluids easily, giving rise to the phenomenon of dryness in everything. This is the so-called "excessive dryness causing xerosis".

For example, the skin and mucosa become tight, even desquamation, rhagadia, withered and lustreless hair, increase of dandruff, dry or cracked lips, excessively dry throat, constipation, etc. may occur. Autumnal xerosis is divided into heat xerosis and cool xeroisis according to the differences of clinical manifestations. The main symptoms of the pulmonary injury due to heat xerosis include cough with scanty sputum, dry throat and nose, thirst, headache, anhidrotic fever, etc; the clinical manifestations of cool xerosis includes cough with thin sputum, dry throat and lips, nasal obstruction, anhidrosis, aversion to cold, headache, slight fever, etc. Learn more information, please read Acupuncture for angioneurotic headache.

The recuperation with the diet and drugs involves the following aspects. Firstly, drink more liquid things such as boiled water, weak tea, fruit juice beverage, soya bean milk and milk to nourish yin, moisten dryness and remedy the consumed yin and body fluids. Secondly, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, especially the ones moistening the lung and promoting the production of body fluids. For instance, pears can be eaten uncooked or cooked. Eating the ones uncooked clears away heat and promotes the production of body fluids while eating the steamed ones nourishes yin. If the conditions permit, eat some yin-nourishing and lung-moistening products like autumnal pear paste, paste of nourishing yin and clearing away heat form the lung and pear paste candy. Learn more information about Yin & Yang , please read Yin & Yang Balance Pills.

These things are all beneficial to the prevention of autumnal xerosis. Thirdly, eat gruel regularly. Rice gruel can strengthen the stomach and spleen, nourish the lung and moisten the pulmonary dryness. The rice gruel is more effective for strengthening the lung and moistening dryness if mixed with the lung-moistening drugs and food like pear, carrot, sesame and lily. Fourthly, recuperate with the medicinal diet. For instance, the medicinal diet with the traditional Chinese drugs such as Maimendong (Radix Ophiopogonis), Tianmendong (Radix Asparagi) and Shashen (Radix Glehniae) has the actions of nourishing yin, moistening dryness, promoting the production of body fluids to supplement body fluids and prevent dry cough. Besides, Yinei Lianzi Soup (Soup of Tremella and Semen Nelumbinis), Yiner Bingtan Soup (Soup of Tremella and Saccharum), etc. are the commonly-used health foods to moisten the lung and promote the production of body fluids. Learn more information, please read Radix Asparagi (Tianmendong).