Overview of the Four Seasons of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Preservation

The core idea of the four seasons of traditional Chinese medicine is to comply with the laws of nature and adjust diet, daily life, exercise and emotions according to the characteristics of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter in order to achieve the purpose of balancing yin and yang, preventing diseases and prolonging life. Spring focuses on "hair growth", summer focuses on "growing", autumn emphasizes "convergence", and winter focuses on "storing essence". The key to maintaining health in the four seasons lies in the "correspondence between heaven and man", that is, the human body needs to change synchronously with the natural environment to avoid the invasion of external evils. The secondary content covers health maintenance methods in specific seasons, such as dietary recommendations, work and rest adjustments, and common misunderstandings.

Spring health care: generate Yang Qi, soothe the liver and regulate Qi

Spring belongs to wood and corresponds to the liver. The focus of health care is to help the growth of yang qi and the release of liver qi. The diet should be less sour and more sweet, such as yam, jujube, honey, etc., and avoid greasy and spicy foods. In daily life, you should "sleep at night and get up early", and appropriately increase outdoor activities such as walking and Tai Chi to stretch your muscles and bones. Emotionally, avoid anger, stay calm, and avoid stagnation of liver qi. Colds and allergies are prone to occur in spring, so you can drink chrysanthemum tea or mint tea appropriately to clear the liver and improve eyesight. Pay attention to the "spring cover and autumn freeze", and it is not advisable to reduce clothes too early to prevent the invasion of wind and cold.

Summer health care: clear away heat and dampness, nourish the heart and protect the yang

Summer is fire, corresponding to the heart, so it is necessary to prevent heatstroke and dampness from damaging the spleen. The diet should be light. Eat more heat-clearing foods such as mung beans, winter melon, and bitter melon, and eat less cold drinks to avoid damaging the yang energy of the spleen and stomach. In daily life, follow the "go to bed late and get up early" and take a nap at noon to nourish the mind. It is advisable to choose gentle activities such as swimming or early morning walks, and avoid strenuous activities under the hot sun. Emotionally, avoid being overjoyed or sad, and keep your mind "calm and naturally cool." Heatstroke and diarrhea are prone to occur in summer, so you can prepare Huoxiang Zhengqi water (such asTongrentangProduction) or lotus leaf porridge to reduce dampness and relieve heat.

Autumn health care: moisturizing and nourishing the lungs, astringing Yang Qi

Autumn belongs to gold, which corresponds to the lungs. Dry weather can easily damage lung yin. The diet should nourish yin and moisturize dryness, such as pears, white fungus, lily, etc., and eat less spicy food. Adjust your daily life to "go to bed early and get up early" to avoid staying up late and consuming yin. Exercises such as jogging and Baduanjin are suitable, but sweating is not recommended. To prevent sadness and sadness emotionally, you can relieve depression by climbing high and looking far away. Coughs and constipation are prone to occur in autumn, so you can eat Qiuli paste (such asKyoto Nenjianproduct) or almond tea to moisten the lungs and relieve constipation.

Health care in winter: warming, nourishing, storing essence, consolidating and protecting kidney yang

Winter is water, corresponding to the kidneys, so you need to pay attention to keeping warm and nourishing. The diet should be warm and tonic, such as mutton, walnuts, and black sesame seeds. Avoid raw and cold foods. In daily life, you should "go to bed early and get up late" and wait for activities after sunrise. Choose indoor sports such as yoga or standing postures to avoid catching the cold. Avoid fear emotionally and keep your mind calm. In winter, joint pain and chills are prone to occur, so you can take donkey hide gelatin in an appropriate amount (such asDong'e donkey-hide gelatinProduction) or angelica, ginger and mutton soup to warm and replenish qi and blood.

Summary: The key to maintaining health in the four seasons is to follow nature

The four-season health care of traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes "adapting measures to the current conditions" and achieves the harmony and unity of the human body and nature through adjustments in diet, daily life, exercise, and emotions. It soothes the liver in spring, purifies the heart in summer, moistens the lungs in autumn, and nourishes the kidneys in winter, forming a complete closed loop of health care. Be careful to avoid extreme practices such as excessive supplementation or blind dieting. Modern people can combine the theory of traditional Chinese medicine with their own physical constitution and flexibly apply the health-preserving rules of the four seasons to improve their quality of life.

Quote sources:

1. "The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic Su Wen" 2. "Compendium of Materia Medica" by Li Shizhen, a physician in the Ming Dynasty 3. "The Complete Book of Health Preservation in Four Seasons" (Author: Wang Qi), a modern Chinese medicine health book