Spring is a season when individuals with mental illnesses are prone to relapse. The general population may also experience emotional instability, vivid dreams, hyperactive thoughts that are difficult to concentrate, symptoms of "spring lethargy" such as drowsiness, fatigue, and low spirits. The elderly, who are often frail and in poor health, have a lower tolerance for adverse stimuli and are often prone to melancholy, sensitivity, and irritability in the spring. As noted in "Lao Lao Heng Yan": "As the elderly's liver blood gradually declines, their temperament inevitably becomes impatient." The best way to change this negative mood is to find personal elegant hobbies based on one's physical condition and interests to cultivate one's sentiment, soothe the mind, and nourish the liver and spirit. When spring is warm and flowers are in bloom, one can go on excursions with friends and family to appreciate the green willows, play with birds, or take walks and practice exercises. This is beneficial for the body to expel the old and take in the new, absorb true energy, transform it into essence and blood, and nourish the internal organs.
II. Dietary Nourishment
For dietary nourishment in spring, it is advisable to choose light, mild foods that support the body's vital energy and replenish the primordial qi. For those with a deficiency of qi, one can eat more foods that strengthen the spleen and benefit qi, such as rice porridge, sweet potatoes, Chinese yam, potatoes, eggs, quail eggs, chicken, quail, beef, lean pork, fresh fish, peanuts, sesame seeds, red dates, chestnuts, honey, and milk. For those with a deficiency of both qi and yin, one can eat more foods that benefit qi and nourish yin, such as carrots, bean sprouts, tofu, lotus root, water chestnuts, lily, tremella, mushrooms, duck eggs, duck meat, rabbit meat, frog meat, turtle meat, and soft-shelled turtle. Additionally, the spring diet should include foods that are low in fat, high in vitamins, and high in minerals, such as fresh vegetables like shepherd's purse, rapeseed, celery, spinach, Malan head, wolfberry tips, toon tips, and dandelion. For those with internal heat caused by excessive consumption of rich and heavy foods during winter, these foods can also help clear heat and detoxify, cool the blood and brighten the eyes, promote urination, and stimulate the spleen and whet the appetite.
III. Medicinal Nourishment
As for medicinal nourishment, it is for situations where the body has a clear deficiency of qi, blood, yin, or yang, and dietary adjustments can no longer correct the deficiency. Under the guidance of a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, mild and neutral tonics should be used to balance yin and yang and eliminate disease to improve health. For those who are physically weak, lethargic, short of breath, intolerant to exertion, frequently catch colds, sweat easily, or have organ prolapse, patent medicines such as Bu Zhong Yi Wan, Ren Shen Jian Pi Wan, Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan, and Yu Ping Feng San can be used as appropriate. Medicinal meals can also be chosen to supplement treatment, such as Huang Qi Dang Shen Stewed Chicken, Ren Shen Mushroom Soup, Shen Zao Rice, and Feng Li Jian Pi Geng. Furthermore, based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine such as "spring is the time to nourish yang, with emphasis on nourishing the liver," the liver's function is relatively vigorous in spring, so attention should be paid to liver nourishment. One can use Qian Shi congee to benefit essence and qi, Di Huang congee to tonify the body and prevent deficiency, Fang Feng congee to remove qi from the limbs, and use Goji berries, Huang Jing, Yu Zhu, and Sha Shen for supplementation. Foods with an opening and tonifying effect, such as Shou Wu Liver Slices, Yanzi Sea Cucumber, Ren Shen Mi Du, and Chi Jian Feng Guan, can also be selected to help the liver's qi rise and flourish.