According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the secret to human health and longevity can be summarized in 20 characters: "Follow the principles of Yin and Yang, harmonize with the arts of numbers, eat with moderation, maintain a regular daily routine, and do not overexert." It is evident that diet is a crucial part of this. As spring arrives, people are particularly concerned about spring health preservation, especially dietary care. A reporter interviewed Director Li Jianjun from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University Memorial Hospital. He stated that one should pay attention to "three mores and three lesses" in their diet during spring.
More sweets: TCM believes that the spleen and stomach are the foundation of acquired health, the source of the body's Qi and blood. When the Qi of the spleen and stomach is strong, one can live a longer and healthier life. Sweet-flavored foods enter the spleen and can tonify the spleen Qi, so it is advisable to eat more of them, such as jujubes and Chinese yams.
More water: The focus of spring health preservation is on nourishing the liver. Drinking more water can increase circulating blood volume, which is beneficial for liver health and the excretion of metabolic waste, thereby reducing the liver's damage from toxins. Additionally, staying hydrated promotes the secretion of glands, especially digestive fluids like bile. Drinking tea in moderation can also refresh the mind and relieve fatigue. In spring, drinking fragrant flower tea helps expel the cold pathogens that have accumulated in the body during winter, promotes the rise of Yang energy, and alleviates stagnation.
More vegetables: After winter, most people experience a deficiency in vitamins, inorganic salts, and trace elements. For example, common spring ailments include stomatitis, angular cheilitis, glossitis, night blindness, and certain skin diseases. Therefore, eating more fresh vegetables is necessary to maintain nutritional balance and good health.
Less sour: In spring, the liver Qi is predominant. According to the Five Elements theory of TCM, the liver belongs to Wood and the spleen to Earth. Wood overacts on Earth, meaning an overactive liver can damage the spleen and affect its digestive and absorption functions. TCM also holds that the five flavors correspond to the five organs; for instance, sour flavor enters the liver, sweet flavor enters the spleen, and salty flavor enters the kidneys. Therefore, eating too many sour-flavored foods can make the already excessive liver Qi even stronger, which in turn can harm the spleen and stomach Qi.
Less greasy and stimulating food: The rich and heavy foods of winter should be replaced with light, warm, and bland fare in spring. One should eat less high-fat foods like fatty meat, as greasy food can easily cause a feeling of fullness and lead to fatigue. People with a cold stomach can often eat some ginger to dispel cold and warm the stomach; those with asthma can drink ginger and honey water to moisten dryness and calm wheezing; and people with chronic bronchitis should avoid or eat less spicy food. Others should also avoid excessive amounts of pungent, warm, and highly stimulating foods to prevent exacerbating internal heat and harming the body.
Less cold and raw food: Cold and raw foods are not suitable for consumption in spring (with the exception of special patients), especially raw and cold things like ice cream and cold drinks. Otherwise, cold will accumulate in the body, leading to a "spleen deficiency" in the summer and a series of discomforts.