How to "autumn freeze" for better health?
"Spring cover, autumn freeze" is a health principle summarized from traditional Chinese medicine. At the beginning of autumn, the weather is cool but not cold. Wearing thick clothes too early means the body has little contact with the "coolness," and the body's thermoregulatory center cannot adapt well. This reduces the body's ability to regulate temperature and its resistance to cold, making it harder to adapt to the cold of true winter. Therefore, a proper "freeze" can increase the skin and mucous membranes' tolerance to cold and help boost immunity.
As early as in the "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), it is clearly stated that throughout the four seasons, the natural energy (yang) is born in spring, grows in summer, harvests in autumn, and stores in winter, in a continuous cycle. The corresponding climate characteristics are spring warmth, summer heat, autumn coolness, and winter cold. If the movement and transformation of this energy are blocked at any point, it affects the whole. The changes in the human body's energy must also adapt. In autumn, as the temperature cools, the natural energy begins to store itself, and the body's energy also shifts into a state of收敛 (shou lien - gathering and storing). Only through good storage can there be a foundation for growth in the coming year. The "Huangdi Neijing" also presents another principle regarding yin and yang: "yin restrains yang." Relative to the body's energy (yang), the autumn cool climate is yin. Naturally, yin restricts yang. To a certain extent, the stronger the yin, the stronger its restraining effect on yang, and the more conducive it is to the storage of yang. The essence of "autumn freeze" is to strengthen the restraining effect of yin, and this is its health significance.
For autumn clothing, the principle of "spring cover, autumn freeze" is followed to align with the need for "yin essence to be stored internally and energy to be drawn inward." It is okay to "freeze" a little, but when the weather suddenly turns cold, it is also necessary to add appropriate layers. Adding clothing should be done so that you feel slightly cool but not cold. This means you don't need to bundle up tightly until you feel hot. If you add clothes too early and too quickly, it can lead to an excess of energy, causing excessive sweating and the depletion of yin fluids, which is not conducive to "nourishing yin in autumn and winter."
Of course, "autumn freeze" should vary from person to person. The elderly and children have relatively weaker immune systems and are not suitable for "autumn freeze." "Autumn freeze" should not be taken to extremes but should be gradual. Don't catch a cold from carelessness. For example, fashion-conscious women who are not afraid of the cold must still protect their navel, back, and feet. Getting cold in these three areas can be very harmful to the body.