Minor Snow begins around November 23rd or 24th when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 240°. As its name suggests, this solar term marks the beginning of the time and intensity of snowfall. An old saying goes: "Start of Winter in the tenth lunar month, followed by Minor Snow. When the Dipper points to the Si direction, the sky has already become overcast. The cold is not yet deep and the snow is not yet heavy, hence the name 'Minor Snow'. At this time, the first snow of the season appears in northern China. Although the amount is limited, it reminds us that it is time to prepare for the cold and keep warm. Therefore, during this solar term, it is essential to learn how to take care of oneself.
1. Lifestyle Regulation
During Minor Snow, the weather is cold, and one should not disturb the body's yang energy. It is advisable to sleep early and rise late, getting up with the sunrise to ensure adequate sleep, which helps the yang energy to be conserved and the yin essence to be stored. As for preventing the cold and keeping warm, it must be done appropriately. Wearing too little or too thin clothing, or keeping the room temperature too low, will deplete yang energy and make one susceptible to colds. Conversely, wearing too much or too thick clothing, or keeping the room temperature too high, will cause the pores to open, preventing yang energy from being conserved and making the body vulnerable to pathogenic cold.
2. Mental and Emotional Well-being
During the Minor Snow solar term, the weather is often overcast, cold, and gloomy, which can affect people's moods and easily trigger depression. Depression is often caused by internal factors, namely excessive emotional disturbances, which include the seven emotions: joy, anger, worry, pensiveness, sadness, fear, and fright. To avoid the negative factors that winter can bring to those prone to depression, it is important to pay attention to mental and emotional well-being during this time. One should actively regulate their mindset, maintain an optimistic outlook, moderate joy and control anger, listen to more music to add beauty to life, and participate in more recreational activities to ignite passion for life. The Qing dynasty physician Wu Shang said: "For illnesses caused by the seven emotions, one can find relief from melancholy by looking at flowers and eliminate sorrow by listening to music; this is more effective than taking medicine."
3. Dietary Regulation
For a healthy person, the diet in winter should follow the principles of "nourishing yin in autumn and winter" and "not disturbing yang." It should be neither raw and cold nor dry and hot. The most suitable diet is one that nourishes yin and secures yang, and is relatively high in calories. Specifically, this season is ideal for eating warming and nourishing foods, as well as foods that benefit the kidneys. Warming and nourishing foods include lamb, beef, chicken, dog meat, and deer antler. Foods that benefit the kidneys include cashews, Euryale ferox seeds, congee with Chinese yam, stewed chestnuts, chicken stewed with ginkgo nuts, big bone soup, and walnuts. Additionally, one should eat more black-colored foods such as black fungus, black sesame seeds, and black beans. These can not only nourish kidney qi but also resist the cold, moisten the lungs, and promote fluid production, offering excellent health benefits. Mineral intake should be maintained at normal levels or slightly higher. In particular, attention should be paid to increasing the supply of vitamins, especially vitamin C from vegetables like radishes, carrots, peppers, and potatoes, and fruits like citrus and apples. Increase intake of animal liver, lean meat, fresh fish, eggs, and legumes to ensure the body's needs for vitamins A, B1, and B2. Furthermore, during Minor Snow, it is recommended to regularly consume foods rich in folic acid, such as spinach, kiwifruit, oysters, oranges, soybeans, and dark green leafy vegetables, as they can help combat depression.
4. Exercise Regulation
The proverb, "Move a little in winter, and you'll avoid a bout of illness; be lazy in winter, and you'll have to drink a bowl of medicine," illustrates the importance of exercise in winter. Through physical activity, blood flow to the coronary arteries increases significantly, ensuring a good supply of blood and oxygen to vital organs like the brain and heart, making one feel energetic. Exercise can also alleviate tension, anxiety, and depression caused by autonomic nervous system dysfunction. During Minor Snow, one should persist in regular exercise but avoid exercising in strong winds, extreme cold, heavy snow, or fog. It is best to focus on moderate aerobic exercises.
5. Disease Prevention and Health Maintenance
During the Minor Snow solar term, it is important to prevent respiratory infections such as the flu, as well as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.