Expert Tip: Eat more lamb and nuts during Li Dong
Experts remind that according to folk customs, one should "tonify" the body on the day of "Li Dong" to enhance physical strength, so that one will not feel cold during the harsh winter. People can maintain health through diet therapy.
Keeping the back warm helps store Yang Qi
Wang Guowei, Director of Internal Medicine at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, pointed out that the lunar calendar customarily regards Li Dong as the beginning of winter. After entering this season, the activities of all things in nature tend to cease, preparing to hibernate for the winter. The natural world also shows a dominance of Yin and a decline of Yang. After this, the temperature drops, the cold air is biting, Yang Qi is hidden, and Yin Qi flourishes. Moreover, the human body's Yang Qi is easily damaged, so it is important to protect Yang Qi after Li Dong. At the same time, "Li Dong" is also the best period of the year for people to "tonify" their bodies, which is a good time to nourish essence and store strength for the following year.
Experts point out that health preservation during Li Dong should be achieved by keeping the spirit quiet, being open-minded and optimistic in spirit, using the brain reasonably, and maintaining a good mindset. It is important to protect Yang Qi and not excessively consume Yin essence. In terms of daily routine, one should have regular habits, go to bed early and get up late, ensure sufficient sleep, avoid overexertion, and pay attention to keeping the back warm to facilitate the storage of Yang Qi. At the same time, moderate exercise, such as doing exercises or walking, is also necessary. One should moderate desires to preserve essence and reduce sexual activity.
Eat more beef and lamb, and less seafood
After Li Dong, people should still follow the principle of "nourishing Yin in autumn and winter" in their diet, consuming some foods that nourish Yin and潜阳 (subdue Yang), such as mulberries, longans, soft-shelled turtles, and black fungus. The diet should be light, eat more high-calorie foods, eat more fresh vegetables to avoid vitamin deficiency, and eat more foods rich in protein, vitamins, and fiber. Beef, lamb, black-bone chicken, soy milk, milk, radish, green vegetables, fungus, tofu, celery, white radish, potatoes, Chinese cabbage, spinach, apples, and longans are all suitable foods for consumption after Li Dong.
In addition, for winter health preservation, one can eat more nuts. Nuts are oily seed foods, such as peanuts, walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds.
At the same time, one should eat less seafood and other cold-natured foods, avoid greasy or overly salty foods, and eat less foods high in fat and sugar. Experts also introduced that for diet therapy, one can eat black sesame porridge, cordyceps duck soup, etc., to nourish the liver and kidneys, and to nourish Yin and assist Yang. (Reporter Yang Fengli)