🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that human qi, blood, and yin-yang fluctuate with seasonal climate changes. In spring, yang energy begins to rise, qi and blood gradually shift outward, pores open slightly, and blood flow decreases, leading to feelings of "drowsiness." In summer, yang energy flows abundantly, qi and blood circulate externally, pores open widely, and sweat increases, causing frequent "drowsiness." In autumn, yang energy begins to decline, yin energy rises, qi and blood gradually turn inward, but remain unfulfilled, hence the lingering sense of "fatigue." This explains the causes of "spring drowsiness, autumn fatigue, summer lethargy."
To address this, traditional medicine prescribes "nourish yang in spring and summer, nourish yin in autumn and winter." So, how should one specifically preserve health in spring? Professor Mao Dexi of Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine says spring health preservation should align with the upward surge of yang energy, emphasizing protection of yang and focusing on the concept of "birth."
Emotional Health Preservation
Avoid sudden anger and refrain from prolonged sadness. Maintain broad-mindedness, optimism, and inner tranquility.
Recommended: Spring Drowsiness Special Report
Dietary Health Preservation
Spring belongs to wood, corresponding to the liver. "Nourish the liver’s substance with sour flavors, soothe the liver’s qi with pungent flavors." With yang energy beginning to rise in spring, one should eat pungent, sweet, and dispersing foods—light and palatable (such as mung bean sprouts, yellow bean sprouts, citrus fruits, green onions, garlic, coriander, honey), avoiding greasy, raw, cold, or hard-to-digest foods to support the smooth rise of yang energy. Eat more fresh vegetables like bamboo shoots and spinach to compensate for the lack of fresh greens in winter and vitamin deficiencies.
Spring is the season of liver dominance. Nourishing the liver timely prevents yin deficiency in summer. Based on doctor recommendations, one may purposefully select herbs and foods that soothe and nourish the liver, such as goji berries, turmeric, salvia, or pungent-warm foods like jujubes, fermented soybean paste, green onions, coriander, and peanuts—flexibly incorporating them into meals. However, those with allergies prone to pollen allergy, hives, or skin diseases should avoid stimulating foods containing foreign proteins, such as lamb or crab.
Daily Routine Health Preservation
In spring, human qi and blood, like nature, require expansion and free flow. It is suitable to "go to bed late and rise early, walk widely in the courtyard, let hair loose, and stroll barefoot." Due to increased circulation in spring, organ load increases, triggering a sedative and hypnotic effect in the central nervous system, causing fatigue—commonly known as "spring drowsiness." To adapt, one should rise early, remove hats, loosen hair, untie clothes, stretch the body, and engage in outdoor activities to absorb nature’s vitality, aligning one’s spirit with nature for abundant energy. However, elderly or frail individuals should adjust exercise intensity according to their condition, ideally keeping maximum heart rate after activity below (180 – age).
In clothing, early spring temperatures fluctuate between warm and cold. As the body’s skin pores begin to open, cold resistance weakens. Those living in northern regions should not abruptly discard winter coats. Elderly and weak individuals should change clothes cautiously and avoid drastic reductions. *Qian Jin Yao Fang* recommends spring attire should be "thick below, thin above."
Disease Prevention and Health Care
Spring is a high-risk period for infectious diseases such as influenza, meningococcal meningitis, and mumps. To prevent outbreaks: First, eliminate sources of infection. Second, keep windows open for ventilation, ensuring fresh, sunlit air. Third, increase physical activity to boost immunity. Also, protect the mouth and nose to block pathogenic factors from invading the lungs. For exercise, movements should be gentle—suitable options include walking, jogging, spring outings, and kite flying.