Great Cold is the last of the 24 solar terms. Together with the Minor Cold solar term, they mark the coldest season of the year in China. How should we nourish our bodies during the final moments of winter?
Nourishing the body during the Great Cold is also the most important time for physical adjustment at the end of the year. The amount of nourishment should be gradually reduced to adapt to the seasonal changes. An old saying goes, "During Great Cold, guard against the wind and cold. Drink ginseng and yellow wine in the morning, and take Qi Ju Di Huang Wan at night." This reflects the life of ancient farmers who labored in the fields all year and, at the end of the winter when farming was idle, would nourish themselves to build up strength for the coming spring.
However, modern people often suffer from nutritional excess, consuming diets high in oil and sugar, leading to excessive calorie intake. Individuals with high blood pressure or diabetes should pay attention to their calorie intake to prevent spikes in blood pressure and blood sugar. For nourishment during Great Cold, it is advisable to appropriately incorporate foods with dispersing and ascending properties to prepare for the spring's characteristic of rising and flourishing.
"If one does not store essence in winter, one will surely suffer from warm diseases in spring." This means that metabolism slows down in the cold winter, and immunity consequently declines. It is important to practice winter health preservation, conserve essence and strength, and lay the foundation for a healthy constitution for the following year.
In terms of daily life, one should follow the principle of "going to bed early and rising late, waiting for the sunlight." For those who exercise in the morning, they should wait until the sun appears and the temperature has risen slightly before going out, ensuring they are well-protected from the cold to avoid catching a chill due to the large temperature difference, or suffering accidents like high blood pressure, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Avoid eating cold food or drinking ice-cold beverages, and do not consume too many cooling vegetables and fruits, as this can cause both the internal and external body to become cold and deplete yang energy.
In dry and cold climates, the skin's moisture and fat content decrease, making the skin dry, sensitive, and even prone to chapping. It is beneficial to eat more foods rich in mucilage, such as honey, wood ear mushrooms, sea cucumbers, and tendons. If suffering from winter itch, with red, itchy, and scaling lower legs, it is advisable to apply lotion for care.
The Great Cold period is especially when various viruses are most active and also a high-incidence time for respiratory infectious diseases like the common cold. One should appropriately eat more warm and dispersing foods to defend against the invasion of wind and cold pathogens. Commonly used foods in daily diets that have pungent and warm properties to release the exterior and dispel wind and cold include perilla leaves, ginger, green onions, chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and cassia bark.
When a cold is accompanied by a sore throat and cough, one should avoid tonics. Otherwise, the coughing will worsen, and the voice may become hoarse. "The deficient are tonified, the excess are purged." This means that tonification is suitable for those with a deficient constitution; whereas for those with an excessive constitution, characterized by great internal heat, a dry throat, a bitter taste in the mouth, mouth sores, or constipation, a method of clearing heat or using a cool-tonic approach is needed.
According to the principles of TCM differentiation, Qi-tonifying herbs include ginseng, astragalus, and white atractylodes; and nourishing yin and blood herbs include rehmannia root, donkey-hide gelatin, and angelica. Many people believe that since tonics are beneficial, more is better or that they can be taken without method, but this can反而 lead to side effects.
Although winter is harsh and the body needs more energy to resist the cold, medicinal diets should be warming and not cooling. Tonification is for those with a deficient constitution. One should tonify according to their body type, which is generally divided into two categories: hot-dry and cold-cold constitutions. For those with a hot-dry constitution who experience a dry mouth and throat after tonification, they can drink more water and have some mung bean soup or winter melon soup.
Expert advice: When nourishing the body or eating hot pot to combat the "Great Cold," one should be moderate and avoid overindulgence. Hot pot should be eaten in moderation, and one should consume some easily digestible foods like steamed buns, noodles, or vermicelli at times, while always paying attention to gastrointestinal health.