Spring is the season when all things grow and the world renews itself. The "Suwen" (Basic Questions) section of the "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: "In the first three months of spring, all things are renewed; heaven and earth are both generating, and all things flourish." This means that during the spring months, all living things push out the old and bring in the new, brimming with vitality. A person should adapt to the seasons, nurture their vital energy, and unify the body with the external environment. This is called "the way of health preservation corresponding to the spring qi." For the elderly, it is especially important to pay attention to dietary regulation in the spring to ensure health and longevity.
In the early spring, the temperature is still relatively cold, and the body consumes a certain amount of energy to maintain its core body temperature to keep warm. Therefore, the nutritional composition during early spring should be based on high-calorie foods. In addition to grain products, foods such as soybeans, sesame seeds, peanuts, and walnuts should be chosen to replenish energy substances in a timely manner. Due to the stimulation of cold, the body's protein decomposition can accelerate, leading to a decrease in resistance and making one susceptible to illness. Therefore, during early spring, it is also necessary to supplement with high-quality protein foods, such as eggs, fish, shrimp, beef, chicken, rabbit meat, and bean products. These foods are rich in methionine, which has the function of enhancing the body's cold tolerance.
Spring is also the season when the climate changes from cold to warm, with significant temperature fluctuations. Bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms begin to multiply and become more active, easily invading the human body and causing disease. Therefore, in terms of diet, one should consume sufficient vitamins and inorganic salts. Fresh vegetables such as bok choy, rapeseed, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and fruits such as citrus and lemons are rich in vitamin C and have antiviral effects; yellow-green vegetables such as carrots and amaranth are rich in vitamin A, which can protect and strengthen the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and the epithelial cells of respiratory organs, thereby resisting the invasion of various pathogenic factors; foods rich in vitamin E should also be consumed to improve the body's immune function and enhance its disease resistance. These foods include sesame seeds, green cabbage, and cauliflower.
Traditional Chinese medicine also believes that "in spring, it is advisable to reduce sour foods and increase sweet ones to nourish the spleen." This is because spring is when the liver is in its prime, and when liver qi is excessive, it affects the spleen. Therefore, it is common to have symptoms of a weak spleen and stomach in spring. Eating more sour foods can make liver function overly active. Therefore, for dietary regulation in spring, it is advisable to choose pungent, sweet, and warm foods, and avoid sour and astringent ones. The diet should be light and palatable, avoiding greasy, raw, cold, and irritating foods. In addition, spring is the off-season for vegetables, but wild vegetables and mountain greens grow earlier than ordinary vegetables and are rich in vitamins. They can be picked and eaten to supplement the lack of ordinary vegetables.