In Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is the season for the growth of Yang Qi. Therefore, people should adapt to the changes of the seasons, nourish Yang Qi through diet to maintain health. The general principles of dietary health are:
1. Choose high-calorie staple foods; 2. Ensure sufficient high-quality protein; 3. Ensure sufficient vitamins.
So-called high-calorie foods refer to moderately adding high-calorie foods such as beans, peanuts, etc., in addition to staple foods like rice, flour, and grains. So-called high-quality protein refers to dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, and lean meats like pork, beef, and mutton. Vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins. For example, tomatoes and green peppers contain a lot of Vitamin C, which is an important substance for enhancing the constitution and resisting diseases.
The dietary conditioning in spring can be divided into three periods:
In the early spring period, which is the transition from winter to spring, the temperature is still cold, and the body consumes more heat. Therefore, it is advisable to eat foods that are relatively warm. The dietary principle is to choose staple foods with high calories and pay attention to supplementing enough protein. In addition to rice, flour, and grains, you can add some beans, peanuts, dairy products, etc. For example, breakfast: 1 bag of milk (about 250 ml), 100g of staple food, and an appropriate amount of small dishes. Lunch: 150g of staple food, 50g of lean pork, beef, or mutton (or soy products), 200g of vegetables, and an appropriate amount of egg soup or meat soup. Dinner: 100g of staple food, 50g of egg, fish, or meat (or soy products), 200g of vegetables, and 1 bowl of bean porridge.
In the mid-spring period, the weather changes greatly, with temperatures fluctuating between cold and hot. You can refer to the diet of the early spring period. When the temperature is higher, you can increase the amount of vegetables and reduce the consumption of meat.
In the late spring period, which is the transition from spring to summer, the temperature is relatively warm. Therefore, it is advisable to eat light foods. The dietary principle is to choose light foods and pay attention to supplementing enough vitamins, such as appropriately increasing vegetables in the diet. For example, breakfast: 250 ml of soy milk, 100g of staple food, and an appropriate amount of small dishes. Lunch: 150g of staple food, 50g of fish, eggs, or meat (or soy products), 250g of vegetables, and an appropriate amount of vegetable soup. Dinner: 100g of staple food, 200g of vegetables, and 1 bowl of rice porridge.
In addition to the three daily meals, you should also eat more fruits, because the vitamins and minerals contained in fruits are beneficial for enhancing the constitution. The spring diet should avoid raw, cold, and greasy foods. Traditional medicine also believes that spring is the time when liver Qi is prosperous. Eating too many sour foods will make the liver Qi excessive and damage the spleen and stomach, so sour foods should be eaten less.