We are going into the Bai Lu (白露) solar term, which is the 15th solar term of the year. Bai Lu starts on 7 September and ends on 22 September this year (2025).
During the Bai Lu solar term, the weather will start to turn cooler (though the intensity will vary depending on which part of the world you are living in). The difference in day and night temperatures will also start to widen.
The sudden temperature shifts during this season may trigger sinus discomfort and headaches for some. People who do not take care to keep themselves warm—especially at night—may also be more susceptible to catching the flu.
Here are some simple diet and wellness tips that you can consider to help strengthen your body’s resistance to the flu and keep you healthy during this time:
Diet Recommendation
In Fuzhou, China, there is a tradition of eating longan during the Bai Lu solar term, as it is believed to offer a stronger tonic effect than drinking herbal soups.
Based on the records of the TCM herbs and foods, longan can boost blood and Qi in the body, and hence, it is a good food for boosting immunity. You can read more about the benefits of longan in this separate post (which includes a recipe for longan porridge).
Having said that, longan may not be suitable for certain individuals. For example, people who are having a sore throat, fever or flu should avoid consuming longan.
If you find longan too heaty for your body constitution, you can add some lily bulb (百合) to your longan drink. Lily bulb is cooling in nature so it can help to neutralize the heaty effect of longan.
Additionally, lily bulb helps to nourish the lungs, calm the mind, and promote better sleep, thus making it ideal for evening consumption.
You can purchase fresh lily bulb from supermarkets or the dried form from TCM retail shops. If you are using dried lily bulb, make sure to soak it in warm water for 60 minutes before you cook it (cooking it for 15 to 20 minutes will be sufficient).
General Well-Being Recommendation
As the day and night temperature gap widens, we need to take care to keep ourselves warm, especially at night.
While sleeping, do ensure that your chest and stomach areas are covered. Leaving the stomach exposed during sleep may result in diarrhea/sticky stools the next morning, especially for some people with weak spleen.
Having said that, it is also not ideal to keep yourself overly warm during this period as there is a saying, 春捂秋冻. Following this principle, it is important to ‘train’ your body to be resistant to the upcoming cooler weather as well. Thus, wearing just enough not to feel too cool is the recommended approach.
Exercising is also good for improving your resistance to cooler weather ahead. Do consider this!
I hope you find this post useful!