Three Key Points for Spring Health Preservation: Regulating Spirit, Physical Activity, and Body Relaxation
TCM holds that humans are closely connected to nature. As stated in *Suwen: The Theory of Preserving Life and Completing Form*: "Humans are born from the qi of heaven and earth, shaped by the laws of the four seasons." In *The Great Treatise on Adjusting the Four Qi*, it says: "The four seasons’ yin and yang are the foundation of all things. Thus sages nourish yang in spring and summer, and yin in autumn and winter, following their roots, so they can grow and flourish with all living beings." To live well in nature, one must understand the seasonal patterns of yin and yang, employing appropriate health practices to maintain and strengthen internal yin-yang balance.
Among the four seasons, the climate shifts clearly: warm in spring, hot in summer, cool in autumn, cold in winter. Humans should adapt accordingly, thus adopting different health preservation methods for each season. With spring arriving, the season is characterized by "renewal" — a time when all things flourish and thrive. Wang Bing noted: "In spring, yang energy rises, subtly dispersing to nurture countless life forms, revealing their vitality; hence it is called 'renewal.'" Therefore, spring health preservation should focus on three main aspects:
Regulate the Spirit – Promote Mental Vitality
"Will" refers to intention and mental state. During spring, one’s spirit should align with the rising energy of renewal—be mentally relaxed, emotionally clear, broad-minded, and free from anger. Especially middle-aged and elderly individuals who avoid frequent irritation and resentment, maintaining optimism, will preserve vital essence, prevent organ aging, avoid physical decline, and thereby enhance longevity and disease prevention.
Physical Activity – Invigorate Vitality
Life lies in movement. Movement nourishes the body, and activity promotes blood circulation. Regular, moderate exercise is the secret to longevity throughout history. However, "movement" can be active or passive. To match spring’s vibrant energy, active, sustained exercise is preferred. For example, walking or jogging outdoors early in the morning, as recommended in *The Inner Canon*: "In spring, one should go to bed late and rise early, strolling widely in the courtyard." Ancient longevity physician Sun Simiao emphasized: "The way of health preservation is to always engage in slight exertion." Avoid excessive activity, which may cause excessive sweating and damage the body’s yang energy, contradicting the principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer."
Loosen the Body – Facilitate Renewal
With winter ending and spring beginning, yang energy ascends, and heaven and earth both come alive, with all things flourishing. Similarly, the human body experiences liver yang rising, improved blood flow, and heightened alertness, enabling renewal and continuous nourishment, ensuring perpetual function. Thus, to follow spring’s energy, one must loosen the body—"loosen hair and clothing" (as stated in *The Inner Canon*). This allows the body to relax, prevents stagnation of qi and blood, and ensures normal operation of internal organs.
In summary, spring health preservation should follow these principles: encourage growth and avoid suppression, give generously without taking, reward rather than punish. This is the essence of spring health preservation.