Folk Prescriptions Library

🤧 Common Cold 😷 Cough 🤕 Headache 🍲 Stomachache 😴 Insomnia ❤️ Hypertension

7000+

Total Prescriptions

9

Languages

24/7

24/7 Access

⚡ Quick Access

Quick links for common symptoms

🌱 Common Cold 🌱 Cough 🌱 Headache 🌱 Stomachache 🌱 Insomnia 🌱 Constipation 🌱 Hypertension 🌱 Diabetes

24 Solar Terms: Health Preservation During the Start of Spring

🔑 Keywords: Traditional Chinese Medicine Cuisine · "The tender, golden, silk-like willow buds, the grass sprouting eagerly from the soil, awaiting 'spring breeze brings new life,' while 'the cycle returns, ice and frost diminish, spring arrives and plants know.' This vividly captures the natural characteristics of the Start of Spring. With the arrival of Spring, people clearly feel longer days and warmer sunshine. Temperature, sunlight, and precipitation gradually rise and increase. Traditionally, people begin welcoming spring. In Taiwan, the Start of Spring is even designated as "Farmers' Day"—the final day of rest after the winter farming break. Folk wisdom says: 'Start of Spring brings rain, rise early and sleep late.' Agricultural activities begin now. People step outdoors to enjoy spring outings, experiencing the subtlest and most magical signs of spring.<br>Spring health preservation should align with the rising yang energy and the beginning of life in nature, protecting yang energy and focusing on the concept of "birth." According to natural attributes, spring belongs to wood, corresponding to the liver. (This is based on the Five Elements theory, where the characteristics of the elements explain the physiological functions of the five zang organs. For example, the liver prefers smoothness and has a function of free flow, just as wood has a property of growth—thus the liver is associated with "wood.") The liver’s physiological feature is free flow (shu xie), associated with anger, dislikes depression but enjoys smoothness. In mental health preservation during spring, avoid rage and prevent sorrow and worry. Maintain an open mind, remain optimistic, and keep a tranquil, joyful mindset. Simultaneously, fully utilize and cherish the "renewal" period of spring, taking advantage of the rising yang energy, the flourishing of all things, and the heightened metabolic activity in the human body. Through proper regulation, allow the spring yang energy to flourish and ensure normal metabolic function.<br>Spring weather fluctuates greatly—alternating between cold and warm spells. As the body’s pores begin to open, resistance to cold pathogens weakens. Therefore, especially in northern regions, do not abruptly remove winter clothing. Elderly and frail individuals should be particularly cautious about changing clothes and avoid sudden reductions. *Qian Jin Yao Fang* advises that spring attire should be "thick below, thin above." *Lao Lao Heng Yan* also states: "In early spring, when ice begins to melt, lower body should stay warm, upper body may slightly reduce warmth—this nurtures the vital yang energy of spring." In terms of daily routines, human blood and qi, like nature, should be expansive and unimpeded. This requires going to bed late and rising early, loosening hair, removing hats, untying clothes, stretching the body, and engaging in outdoor activities to overcome lethargy and drowsiness. Align one’s mental state with nature to achieve harmony between body and mind, ensuring vitality and energy.<br>Dietary adjustment should consider the initial rise of yang energy in spring. Favor pungent, sweet, and dispersing foods, avoiding sour and astringent tastes. *Su Wen·Zang Qi Fa Shi Lun* states: "The liver governs spring... The liver dislikes tension; to relieve it, sweet flavors should be consumed. The liver desires dispersion; to achieve this, pungent flavors should be eaten. Use pungent flavors to supplement, sour flavors to drain." In the relationship between the five zang organs and the five tastes, sour enters the liver and has astringent properties, which hinder the generation of yang energy and the free flow of liver qi. Dietary adjustment should cater to organ preferences: "Disregarding its nature causes distress; following its nature satisfies desire. Desire is what the organ’s spirit naturally likes—this is supplementation. Distress is what the organ’s spirit dislikes—this is drainage." Understanding this relationship enables targeted selection of herbs and foods that soothe the liver, nourish liver blood, and regulate qi—such as goji berries, curcuma, salvia, and Corydalis. Choose pungent, warming, dispersing foods like jujube, fermented bean paste, scallions, coriander, and peanuts, flexibly combining them into recipes.<br>Another aspect of spring health preservation is disease prevention. Especially in early spring, as weather shifts from cold to warm, bacteria and viruses proliferate. Warm-toxic pathogens become active. Diseases such as influenza, meningitis, measles, scarlet fever, and pneumonia commonly occur and spread. To prevent spring illnesses, first eliminate infection sources; second, keep windows open for fresh air circulation; third, strengthen physical exercise to boost immunity. Additionally, protect nasal and oral health to block the entry of warm pathogens through the lungs.<br>For the Start of Spring, dietary therapy should focus on "ascending and tonifying." Recommended options include:<br>He Shou Wu Liver Slices:<br>[Ingredients] He Shou Wu liquid 20 ml, fresh pork liver 250 g, soaked black fungus 25 g, a few leaves of green vegetables, Shao wine, vinegar, salt, starch, clear broth, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, garlic, oil as needed.<br>[Preparation] Decoct He Shou Wu into a concentrated liquid, reserve 20 ml. Clean and slice pork liver, wash scallions, ginger, and garlic—cut scallions and ginger into strips, garlic into slices. Wash and drain green vegetables.<br>Soak pork liver slices in He Shou Wu juice (use half of the juice), add a little salt, mix with starch. Reserve the remaining juice, combine with soy sauce, Shao wine, vinegar, wet starch, and clear broth to make a sauce.<br>Heat a wok over high flame, add oil, once hot, quickly fry the marinated pork liver until translucent. Drain excess oil with a slotted spoon. Leave a small amount of oil in the pan, add garlic slices and ginger bits, briefly stir-fry to release aroma. Add pork liver and soaked black fungus, stir-fry rapidly for several minutes. Add green vegetables, stir-fry a few times. When nearly done, pour in the sauce, stir well, add scallion strips, stir briefly, then serve immediately.<br>[Efficacy] Tonifies liver and kidneys, enriches essence and blood, benefits hair and eyesight. (He Shou Wu protects the liver, lowers lipids and blood pressure; black fungus promotes blood circulation—regular consumption aids health and longevity.)<br><br>Shrimp and Leek Stir-Fry:<br>[Ingredients] Dried shrimp 30 g, leeks 250 g, one egg, salt, soy sauce, starch, vegetable oil, sesame oil as needed.<br>[Preparation] Soak dried shrimp in water for about 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Wash and cut leeks into 3 cm segments. Break egg into a bowl, beat thoroughly, add starch and sesame oil to form a batter. Mix in dried shrimp.<br>Heat a wok, add vegetable oil, once hot, stir-fry dried shrimp until the batter sets. Add leeks, stir-fry until cooked. Add salt, drizzle sesame oil, mix well, and serve.<br>[Efficacy] Tonifies kidney yang, consolidates kidney qi, promotes lactation. (Leeks contain abundant coarse fiber, stimulating intestinal walls and enhancing peristalsis—ideal for habitual constipation patients.)<br><br>Pearl Three Delicacies Soup:<br>[Ingredients] Chicken breast 50 g, peas 50 g, one tomato, one egg white, 25 g milk, 25 g starch, cooking wine, salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), clear broth, sesame oil as needed.<br>[Preparation] Remove tendons from chicken, clean, chop finely. Mix 5 g starch with milk. Separate egg white from yolk. Combine these three ingredients in a bowl, mix into chicken paste.<br>Wash tomato, blanch in boiling water to peel, then dice. Wash peas and set aside.<br>Place wok over high flame, add clear broth, bring to boil with salt and cooking wine. Add peas and tomato cubes, boil again, then reduce heat. Use chopsticks or a small spoon to shape chicken paste into pearl-sized balls, drop into the pot. Increase heat to boil, add starch slurry, boil again, then add MSG and sesame oil. Serve immediately.<br>[Efficacy] Warms the center, strengthens qi, nourishes marrow, clears heat and calms agitation.<br><br>Foods to Avoid:<br>Pork liver should not be eaten with soybeans or tofu (may cause chronic illness); avoid eating with fish (causes mental fatigue).

No detailed content available

◀ Previous 24 Solar Terms: Health Preservation During the Beginning of Spring 24 Solar Terms: Health Preservation During the Start of Summer Next ▶

📖 How to Use

Enter disease name or symptom in search box
Click search button to find related remedies
Browse results and click on remedy name
Read the detailed formula and instructions
Consult a physician before use

⚠️ Important Notice: Remedies are for reference only. Consult a physician before use.