Food is the first necessity of the people, and diet is the most important aspect of spring health preservation. Diet is essential for health and wellness, and one should choose different foods in different seasons to better maintain physical health. Here, let's explore which foods are suitable for eating in spring.
Dietary Recommendations for Spring
In spring, it is important to maintain a relative balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, prevent overeating and excessive consumption, and avoid causing liver dysfunction and abnormal bile secretion. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), nourishing the body's yang in spring focuses on nourishing the liver. According to the Five Elements theory, the liver belongs to wood, which corresponds to spring, governs rising and growth, and sprouts and grows in this season. Therefore, people with hypertension and coronary heart disease should pay special attention to nourishing yang in spring.
Spring is the season when the climate transitions from cold to warm, with significant temperature changes. Bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms begin to reappear and become more active, easily invading the body and causing diseases, such as the common spring conditions of angular cheilitis, glossitis, night blindness, and certain skin diseases. These are mostly caused by nutritional deficiencies from a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. Therefore, the diet should appropriately increase the proportion of fruits and vegetables to intake sufficient vitamins and inorganic salts.
Spring is the peak season for the breeding and proliferation of bacteria and viruses. The liver, which has the functions of detoxification and excretion, bears the heaviest burden. Furthermore, due to the rising of liver qi, old illnesses can relapse. For example, an increase in liver fire in spring can further weaken the already deficient lung yin, making it easier for tuberculosis to take advantage of the weakened body. TCM believes that in the human body, spring corresponds to the liver, and liver qi naturally flourishes in spring. Improper health preservation in spring can easily damage liver qi. To adapt to seasonal changes and maintain health, dietary conditioning should prioritize nourishing the liver.
In spring, liver qi is predominant. According to TCM's Five Elements theory, the liver belongs to wood, and the spleen belongs to earth. Wood and earth have a mutual control relationship, meaning an excessive liver can damage the spleen, affecting its digestive function. Moreover, TCM holds that the five flavors enter the five organs, with sour flavor entering the liver and sweet flavor entering the spleen. Therefore, consuming too many sour-flavored foods can enhance liver function, making the already excessive liver qi even more rampant, which in turn can harm the spleen and stomach qi.