From the Start of Winter to the Start of Spring, including the six solar terms of Start of Winter, Minor Snow, Major Snow, Winter Solstice, Minor Cold, and Major Cold, this is also the coldest season of the year. The winter climate is cold, and the cold causes stagnation and contraction, which can easily lead to poor circulation of qi and blood in the human body, causing many old illnesses to recur or worsen. Especially for life-threatening diseases such as stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, and myocardial infarction, not only is the incidence rate significantly higher, but the mortality rate also rises sharply.
During Major Snow, the body's Yang energy is stored, and qi and blood tend to move inward, making it difficult for dampness to be expelled, which无形中加重了肾脏负担 (invisibly increases the burden on the kidneys) and can easily lead to diseases such as edema, nephritis, enuresis, and urinary incontinence. Winter health preservation should focus on the maintenance of the kidneys.
An important principle for health preservation during Major Snow is "nourishing the kidneys to prevent cold." The kidneys are the original driving force of life. When kidney qi is abundant, vitality is strong, and the body can adapt to the changes of severe winter. The key to ensuring abundant kidney qi is to prevent the invasion of the harsh cold. In winter, the body's Yang energy is conserved, and physiological activities also slow down. At this time, the kidneys must not only prepare sufficient energy to maintain the body's heat expenditure in winter but also store a certain amount of energy for the coming year, so nourishing the kidneys at this time is crucial.
In terms of diet, one should eat more animal-based foods and legumes to supplement vitamins and minerals. Dog meat, lamb, goose, duck, soybeans, walnuts, chestnuts, black fungus, sesame, sweet potatoes, and radishes are all foods suitable for eating more in winter. In winter, kidney function is relatively strong; eating too many salty foods can make kidney qi overly abundant, weaken the heart's function, and affect health. In winter, one should eat less salty food to prevent excessive kidney water. You can appropriately eat more bitter foods to benefit the heart and strengthen kidney function, such as vinegar, tea, betel nut, oranges, pork liver, lamb liver, and turnip.
During Major Snow, one should follow the routine of "sleeping early and rising late." It is best to get up after sunrise. Sleeping early helps preserve the body's Yang energy and maintain a warm body, while rising late can nourish the body's Yin energy. Getting up after sunrise allows one to avoid the severe cold. Do not cover your head while sleeping to stay warm. The air in the quilt is not circulating, and oxygen will decrease, which can easily cause symptoms such as chest tightness, nausea, vivid dreams, and night sweats.
Exercise during Major Snow must pay attention to sports hygiene. It is easy to catch a cold in winter. If you have a cold or fever, never engage in strenuous exercise. Otherwise, it will worsen the condition and may even induce myocardial infarction or myocarditis. Before exercising in winter, you must have a full warm-up. Because in cold conditions, the body's muscles are stiff and joint flexibility is poor, which can easily lead to muscle strains or joint contusions.
For mental conditioning in winter, one should also focus on "storing," which means keeping the spirit tranquil and preventing seasonal affective disorder. Some people experience emotional depression, laziness, and drowsiness in winter. These symptoms are mainly caused by the cold climate. The correct method is to get more sunlight. At the same time, strengthen physical exercise and try to avoid states of tension, irritability, and depression.