Major Cold is coming, the last solar term of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms. Cold as it is, it also happens to be the beginning of a freezing week as another round of very cold weather is ready to sweep across China starting. What should you eat to stay warm? Are there any eating taboos to help avoid the chilly weathers? Let’s hear what Chinese doctors say.

　　中國農歷的最后一個節氣，大寒到了。天氣已經相當冷了，恰逢又有新一輪冷空氣橫掃中國。那么吃點什么保暖呢？在冷天里有沒有什么飲食講究呢？讓我們來聽聽中國醫生們的建議吧。

　　Chinese yam meat balls

　　山藥肉丸子

　　First things first. For staples, you may replace or add to rice or wheaten food starchy foods that are more tonic, like the Chinese yam. It helps strengthen the spleen and reinforce deficiency, and it is best for those who have deficiency in the blood and easily feels tired, says doctor Xia Gongxu from the Nanjing Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine.

　　吃可是頭等大事。南京市中西醫結合醫院夏公旭醫師介紹說，在寒冷冬季，我們的主食可換些花樣，比如將平時吃的大米或者面食換成、或加上一些更滋補的食材，比如山藥。山藥能健脾補虛，對那些血虛體質、易疲勞的人來說有很好的補益效果。

　　Mashed potato.

　　土豆泥

　　Another staple you might consider add to your diet is potato, which helps fill you up and avoidovereating. Potatoes are low in calories and fat, and are a good staple food choice for those whowant to keep fit and stay in shape at the same time.

　　再者你可以考慮將土豆作為主食加入到你的日常飲食中，它飽腹性好，能避免過量飲食。同時土豆的熱量和脂肪都較低，對于那些希望保持健康的同時又保持體形的人來說，是主食的一個很好的選擇。

　　Angelica with beef soup

　　當歸牛肉湯

　　For the main courses, Dr. Zhang Zhongai from Nan Jing Jinlin said that nutritious food like the carp, chicken and mutton are good choices to beat the cold.

　　對于主菜的選擇，南京金陵的張中愛醫生介紹說，營養豐富的食物，如鯉魚、雞肉和羊肉都是御寒不錯的選擇。

　　Zhang also warns, however, to avoid the trap of eating high calorie food to beat the cold, as such food may accumulate excessive internal heat, which in turn may makes one irritable and fretful.So, instead of eating fried chickens, it’s better to enjoy chicken soup. Stewed mutton is betterthan mutton kababs.

　　不過，張醫生也警告說，不要為了御寒而陷入吃高熱量食物的陷阱，因為這類食物可能加重身體的內熱，讓人上火而焦躁易怒。所以不要吃炸雞，最好是喝雞湯，燉羊肉也比烤羊肉串要好。

　　Angelica with beef soup is a good choice. As it helps enrich the blood and promotes blood circulation. The soup is especially good for menstruating women.

　　當歸牛肉湯是一個很好的選擇，它能補血，促進血液循環。而且它對月經期的女性特別有益。

　　Astragalus with chicken soup

　　黃芪雞湯

　　The soup is quite nourishing in several ways. For one, the astragalus may dilate the blood vessels, and thus reduce blood pressure; for another, astragalus cooked with chicken may improve the immune system. The soup is good for the heart and it is especially suitable for those weak people, like the aged, women who just gave birth to babies,and those sweat easily.

　　這個湯非常滋補，體現在多方面，其一，黃芪可以擴張血管，從而降低血壓；其二，黃芪和雞肉搭配可以提高免疫力；其三，它對心臟有好處，尤其適合那些身體虛弱的人，比如老人，產婦，多汗的人。

　　Aside from staples and the main courses, you might want to have some soup during these cold days, as cold days are usually accompanied with chilly dry wind. Three soups are recommendedas they are conducive to enriching the blood, nourishing the lungs and invigorating the spleen.

　　因為冷天常常伴有干燥凜冽的寒風，除了這些主食和主菜，你可能還想喝些湯湯水水的。這里推薦三款能補血、潤肺、健脾的粥。

　　Blood enriching porridge

　　補血粥

　　First soak the ingredients: red dates, red beans, black rice, peanuts,rice for 40 minutes, and then boil for ten minutes. You may enjoy the porridge with brown sugarafter simmering those ingredients for about 40 minutes. The porridge is especially good for women.

　　首先浸泡原材料：紅棗，紅豆，黑米，花生，大米泡40分鐘，然后大火煮沸十分鐘，再文火慢燉40分鐘，最后加上紅糖就可以享用了。這款粥對女性特別有好處。

　　Tremella lily porridge.

　　銀耳百合粥

　　First soak the tremella and lily for about an hour, and then boil them with rice for about 10 minutes. Simmer them for about 40 minutes and add some honey to give the soup a sweet flavor before it’s served. The porridge is especially good for nourishing the lungs.

　　首先將銀耳和百合浸泡約一小時，然后加上大米煮沸約10分鐘，再文火慢燉40分鐘，然后加點蜂蜜就可以吃了。這款粥有非常好的潤肺功效。

　　Chinese yam and rice porridge

　　山藥大米粥

　　Soak the dry Chinese yam for a night and slice it. Cook the sliced Chinese yam with rice, simmer it for about 40 minutes after it comes to a boil. The porridge is ready to serve when the water gets kind of thick and white. The porridge helps invigorate the spleen.

　　把干山藥浸泡一個晚上然后切片，再加上大米，煮開后，再文火燉40分鐘左右當湯變得粘稠濃白時，粥就好了。這款粥有健脾功效。