1. Rise early and retire early to nourish the liver
The "Huangdi Neijing" (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) says: "In the spring months, this is called 'fa chen' (the beginning of growth). Heaven and Earth are both giving birth, and all things flourish. Go to bed late and rise early, walk widely in the courtyard, let down your hair and relax your body, to allow your will to be born. Give life and do not kill, give and do not take away, reward and do not punish. This is the response to the qi of spring, the way of nourishing life. To go against it injures the liver..." This means that after the beginning of spring, nature is full of life, and all things are flourishing. At this time, people should follow the vigorous scene of nature, going to bed early and rising early, taking a walk in the morning, relaxing the body, and allowing their emotions to follow the generating qi of spring without violating it. This is the method of health preservation for adapting to spring. Violating this method will damage the liver, because the liver is the foundation of growth in spring. Therefore, in spring, the method of health preservation is to relax the body and regulate the emotions.
2. Prevent the recurrence of old illnesses
An old proverb says: "When all grasses sprout, old illnesses emerge." It is clear that after the beginning of spring is a season with many diseases. The common illnesses in spring include pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis, measles, mumps, allergic asthma, myocardial infarction, and mental illness. Therefore, patients with hepatitis, allergic asthma, myocardial infarction, etc., should pay special attention to conditioning and prevention.
3. Do not reduce clothing too early
"In spring, do not reduce your clothing; in autumn, do not wear a hat." The temperature has not yet warmed up, so do not take off winter clothes too early. After wearing cotton clothes for several months in winter, the body's regulation of heat production and dissipation is in a relatively balanced state with the ambient winter temperature. Transitioning from winter to early spring, the weather is warming but still cold, with large temperature fluctuations. If you take off your winter clothes too early, you will have difficulty adapting if the temperature drops, which will reduce your body's resistance to disease. Pathogens will take advantage of this weakness to attack the body, easily causing various respiratory diseases and winter-spring infectious diseases.
4. Comb your hair a hundred times a day
The "Yang Sheng Lun" (Discourse on Nourishing Life) says: "In the spring months, comb your hair one or two hundred times every morning." Combing your hair daily in spring is a very good health-preserving method. Because spring is the season when natural yang qi begins to sprout and rise, the body's yang qi also follows nature, with a characteristic of rising upward and outward, manifested by gradually expanding pores, vigorous metabolism, and rapid growth. Therefore, combing the hair in spring conforms to this requirement of spring health preservation and has the important function of promoting stagnation, smoothing qi and blood, and activating yang qi.
5. Eat less tonic food and salt
Many people advocate for nourishing the body in winter, but tonification in spring should be moderate. The four seasons of the year have the characteristics of "spring birth, summer growth, autumn harvest, and winter storage." Humans are born from nature and should follow the laws of nature. Supplementing moderately according to individual constitution in winter conforms to the health-preserving principle of "winter storage." However, during the period after the beginning of spring, whether it is food or medicinal tonics, the amount should be gradually reduced to gradually adapt to the upcoming season's characteristics of being comfortable, rising, and unobstructed. At the same time, it is also crucial to reduce salt intake, because the salty flavor enters the kidneys, and excessive salt intake can easily damage kidney qi, which is not conducive to preserving yang qi.
6. Eat more chives and cilantro
In spring, yang qi is initially born. In addition to paying attention to promoting yang qi in diet, one should also cater to the preferences of the organs and eat some acrid and sweet foods that promote dispersal, and avoid sour and astringent flavors. Because the sour flavor enters the liver and has an astringent nature, it is not conducive to the generation of yang qi and the free flow of liver qi. Foods can be chosen from acrid and warm-dispersing foods such as scallions, cilantro, peanuts, chives, and shrimp, and eat less pungent food.
Stir-fried eggs with chives and dried shrimp is a very medicinal diet for the beginning of spring. A handful of chives, washed, 2-3 eggs, and an appropriate amount of dried shrimp. Cut the chives into small sections, and beat the eggs after cracking them. Heat a wok over a flame, add vegetable oil and heat until warm, then add the dried shrimp and stir-fry until fragrant. Then pour in the beaten eggs. After the eggs have set slightly, add the chives. Stir-fry for a while, then add salt, ginger, and MSG, and stir-fry for a while longer. Chives are acrid and warm, helping the body's yang qi to generate and flow smoothly. Eggs nourish the blood. This dish can nourish the liver and blood, generate yang qi, and is suitable for eating at the beginning of spring.
II. Spring in the North and South: Health Preservation Should Be Different
There is a huge climate difference between the north and south in China. The north is still a world of ice and snow, while the south is already warm and blooming with spring flowers. Therefore, health preservation after the beginning of spring is different in the north and south.
North: "Spring cover, autumn freeze" is very suitable
The health proverb "spring cover, autumn freeze" means that in the early spring, don't be in a hurry to take off your cotton clothes to prevent a cold snap. In spring, the weather is warm but still cold, with large temperature differences between day and night. Therefore, health preservation in spring must involve "covering," paying attention to appropriate clothing. Generally speaking, when spring arrives, there are often repeated cold spells, so clothing should be reduced gradually, and it is advisable to dress a bit warmer.
South: Strengthening exercise to prevent disease is the right time
The weather is gradually warming up, the days are getting longer, and the temperature, sunshine, and precipitation are rising and increasing, which is more obvious in southern regions. In spring, all things revive, and various germs are active. Everyone should take the following measures: first, eliminate sources of infection; second, often open windows to keep the air fresh; third, increase outdoor exercise to strengthen the body and improve its defensive and disease-resistant capabilities; fourth, eat more light foods.
III. Understand the "5-Character Secret" for Health Preservation
Clothing: After the spring equinox, you still need to "cover"
Although spring has arrived, the low temperature of winter will not rise immediately, and it takes at least 10-15 days of transition. If you take off winter clothes and switch to spring clothes too early, you can easily catch a cold due to the alternating hot and cold temperatures, leading to colds, bronchitis, arthritis, and other diseases. Therefore, after the beginning of spring, you should "cover" for at least another 10-15 days.
In early spring, you should understand the temperature changes in advance and adjust your clothing appropriately.
Food: Eat more acrid and warm foods in spring
In spring, the liver should be nourished, so it is advisable to eat more acrid and warm-dispersing foods. For example, use foods like fermented black beans, scallions, ginger, chives, and shrimp to season, which are beneficial for generating yang qi. Also, eat less sour and more sweet, and consume more slightly sweet and moistening foods such as red dates, lilies, pears, longans, tremella, and radishes.
Spicy hot pot should be eaten less, as well as mutton, dog meat, overly spicy, and fried foods, because these foods can deplete yang qi and lead to "heatiness."
Residence: Open windows often to keep the air fresh
The weather in early spring has just turned from cold to warm, and various pathogenic bacteria and viruses begin to grow and reproduce. To prevent various diseases in spring, preventive measures are essential. "In daily life, pay attention to opening windows frequently to allow indoor air to circulate and keep the air fresh." Around 8 a.m., the temperature is generally low and the air quality is better, which is a good time to open windows for ventilation. In addition, the room should also be ventilated after a noon nap and before bedtime.
Activity: Go for more walks in the countryside
It's a good idea to go for more walks in the countryside to breathe fresh air and regulate your body and mood.
Prevention: Prevent agitation and pay attention to mental health
"Spring is a time when liver yang is exuberant in the human body, and emotions are easily irritable. Therefore, every year after the beginning of spring, the number of patients with mental illnesses increases, mostly anxiety disorders, manic disorders, etc."