The Health Preservation Chapter of the Start of Autumn in the 24 Solar Terms

Liu Tingting: The Start of Autumn marks the end of the summer heat. The character "Chu" implies hiding or termination. As the name suggests, the Start of Autumn indicates that the summer is coming to an end. The "Explanation of the Twelve Volumes of Monthly Orders" states: "In the middle of the seventh month, 'chu' means to stop, and the summer heat comes to an end here." By this time, the three stages of summer heat have passed or are coming to an end, which is why it is said that "the summer heat has come to an end." There is also a saying all over the country that "the cold of the Start of Autumn comes", indicating that the summer heat is gradually fading away. But the weather has not yet truly turned cool in autumn. Even on a sunny afternoon, the heat is no less intense than that of summer. This is what people often say, "The autumn tiger is as venomous as a tiger." This also reminds people that there will still be hot weather in autumn, which can also be regarded as a last gasp of summer. Gu Tieqing, the author of "Qing Jia Lu", described the Start of Autumn as follows: "According to local customs, after the Start of Autumn, the weather is still warm, but it starts to cool down about another eighteen days." There is a saying: "Eighteen baths on the Start of Autumn mean bathing for eighteen days." It means that there will still be about eighteen days of sweating days. At this time, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 150 degrees. The almanac records: "When the Big Dipper points to Wu, it marks the beginning of the Start of Autumn. As the heat is about to subside, people will lie down and retreat, hence the name." From an agricultural perspective, there is a scene of autumn harvest where "grains turn yellow by the Start of Autumn" and "every household is busy harvesting rice". In addition, the continuous autumn rain after the Start of Autumn often visits us. Therefore, farmers should pay special attention to weather forecasts, seize every sunny day and make the most of the opportunity to do a good job in autumn harvest. The Start of Autumn solar term marks a period of transition from hot to cool. The Yang energy in nature tends to converge from being dispersed, and the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang within the human body also change accordingly. At this time, daily routines and rest schedules should also be adjusted accordingly. When it comes to autumn health preservation, the first thing to adjust is sleep time. Going to bed early and getting up early is a common practice for everyone. However, few people throughout history have been aware of the importance that medical experts and health preservation experts have attached to sleep health preservation. In fact, scientific health preservation and care require a comprehensive understanding of sleep patterns and methods. The sleep theory of traditional Chinese medicine starts from the materialist unity of form and spirit, holding that sleep and wakefulness are functional states of the unity of Yin and Yang, movement and stillness between the body's waking and sleeping, and are normal physiological phenomena. It includes several aspects: First, the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang during day and night determine the body's waking and sleeping. Due to the movement of celestial bodies such as the sun and the moon, nature is in a state of waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, which is manifested as the alternation of day and night, with day being Yang and night being Yin. The Yin and Yang energies in the human body also change along with their waxing and waning, thus giving rise to the alternation of day and night. Waking up belongs to Yang and is governed by Yang energy, while sleeping belongs to Yin and is governed by Yin energy. It can be said that since the existence of human beings, there has been a law of human activities - working at dawn and resting at dusk. The Ling Shu's "Ying Sheng Hui" states: "When the sun rises and the Yang energy is exhausted, the Yin energy is absorbed. At midnight, the assembly begins, and all people lie down. It is called 'He Yin'." At dawn, when the Yin is exhausted and the Yang is affected by the qi, it is like this without end, in harmony with the universe. The "Ling Shu: Kou Wen" further explains this as: "At midnight, when the Yang energy is exhausted and the Yin energy is abundant, the eyes close." When the Yin energy is exhausted and the Yang energy is abundant during the day, one will be awake. Second, the physiological basis of sleep is the circulation of qi and wei. The changes in a person's sleep and waking are based on the operation of the body's ying qi (Ying qi is the qi that circulates in the meridians and has a nourishing function) and Wei qi (Wei Qi is the qi that circulates outside the meridians and has a protective function), among which the operation of Wei qi is the most relevant. The Ling Shu: Wei Qi Xing states: "Wei Qi lasts for fifty weeks in a day and a night, travels for twenty-five weeks in the Yang at night, and for twenty-five weeks in the Yin at night." The Ling Shu's "Ying Sheng Hui" also holds the same view: "The Wei Qi travels within the twenty-five degrees of Yin and the twenty-five degrees of Yang, divided into day and night. Therefore, the qi rises when it reaches Yang and stops when it reaches Yin." Here, "qi" refers to getting up, and "zhi" means falling asleep. From this, it can be seen that when the defensive qi flows through the Yin, the Yang qi is exhausted and the Yin qi is abundant, thus the body remains still and falls asleep (the human body enters a relatively static state and is about to sleep). When the body moves in the Yang, the Yin energy is exhausted and the Yang energy is abundant, thus the body moves and wakes up (the human body enters a dynamic state and wakes up from sleep). Therefore, the sleep and wakefulness of the human body are governed by the mind. When the mind is still, one falls asleep; when the mind is active, one wakes up. When emotions reach an extreme level, it becomes difficult to fall asleep. Modern medical research divides sleep into four stages: ① the falling asleep stage, ② the light sleep stage, ③ the moderate deep sleep stage, and ④ the deep sleep stage. When you enter phases ① and ②, you are in a hazy state and easily awakened. Phases ③ and ④, on the other hand, are in a deep sleep state. Generally speaking, it is not easy to be awakened when you are in a deep sleep. The reason why autumn health preservation emphasizes ensuring adequate sleep time is that sleep has a very good health-preserving effect. The medical book "Ten Questions" unearthed from Mawangdui states: "The act of a man lying down is not merely about the survival of the people. For instance, wild geese, 粛 frost (鹔鹴), snake eels, fish and soft-shelled turtles, and 耎 (creeping) creatures, if they eat them, they will come to life by lying down..." . Therefore, "If one does not sleep once in the evening, one will not return for a hundred days." This shows that not only do humans need sleep, but no living being can do without it. That is to say, without normal sleep, one cannot maintain normal life activities well. The functions of sleep include five aspects: First, eliminating fatigue. During sleep, the essence, energy and spirit of a person are all internally stored in the five internal organs. If the five internal organs are at ease, the qi and blood will be in harmony, and body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate will relatively decrease. Respiration and endocrine will also significantly reduce, lowering the metabolic rate and restoring physical strength. Second, protecting the brain: The oxygen consumption of the brain during sleep is significantly reduced. Adequate sleep is conducive to the storage of energy in brain cells, helps restore energy, and enhances brainpower efficiency. Third, enhancing immunity: Sleep is not only a process of recreating intelligence and physical strength, but also an important means of disease recovery. More antigens and antibodies can be produced during sleep, enhancing the body's resistance. Therefore, modern medicine often uses sleep as a therapeutic method to treat intractable pain and mental disorders. Fourth, promoting development Sleep is closely related to children's growth and development. Children's growth rate increases during sleep, so ensuring sufficient sleep time is one of the conditions for children's height growth. Five. Beneficial for beauty sleep has a significant impact on skin fitness. This is because during sleep, the secretion and clearance processes on the skin surface intensify, and the circulation of capillaries increases, accelerating the regeneration of the skin. As a result, the haggard complexion and fine wrinkles on the skin caused by overwork can be restored during sleep. So, sleep is also a fundamental guarantee for skin beauty. Here, it is particularly important to remind elderly friends that as they age, their qi, blood, Yin and Yang become deficient, which may lead to insomnia characterized by lack of energy during the day and poor sleep at night. Ancient health preservation experts said, "Insomnia is a major problem for the elderly." The "Ancient and Modern Aphorisms" hold that the elderly should "use a pillow whenever they feel sleepy." This is in line with the perspective of health preservation. In addition, ancient people also emphasized the importance of sleeping at the hour of Zi and noon (that is, falling asleep at the hour of Zi and noon every day) in their sleep health preservation methods. They believed that at this time, Yin and Yang are in a state of transition, reaching their peak and then declining, and the body's qi, blood, Yin and Yang are out of balance. Therefore, one must lie still to wait for the qi to recover. Modern research has found that from 0 to 4 o 'clock at night, the functions of all organs in the body drop to their lowest point. From 12 to 1 p.m., the sympathetic nerve of the human body is most fatigued. Statistics show that taking naps at noon and in the morning can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among the elderly. Therefore, the "Zi Wu Sleep" not only has the significance of disease prevention and health preservation, but also conforms to the principles of health preservation. If you can enter the fourth sleep stage normally, your brain will get a good rest and ensure the best mental state the next day. This is what we hope for and also one of the important methods of health preservation in autumn. During the Start of Autumn solar term, it is advisable to consume foods that clear heat and calm the mind, such as silver ear fungus, lily bulb, lotus seed, honey, yellow croaker, dried scallops, kelp, jellyfish, celery, spinach, glutinous rice, sesame, beans and dairy products. Reference recipe: Sesame Spinach: [Ingredients] 500g fresh spinach, 15g roasted sesame seeds, salt, sesame oil, and monosodium glutamate to taste. [Method] Wash the spinach, remove the roots, blanch it in boiling water, then take it out and immerse it in cold water. After it cools down, drain the water, cut it into sections, place them in a plate, add salt, monosodium glutamate and sesame oil respectively, stir well, and then sprinkle sesame seeds on the spinach. [Functions] Tonifies the liver and kidneys, opens the chest and moistens dryness. Green pepper and Tofu Salad: [Ingredients] 1 block of tofu, 3 green peppers, 10g coriander, an appropriate amount of sesame oil, salt and monosodium glutamate. [Method] Blanch the tofu thoroughly in boiling water, remove it, let it cool down, and then cut it into 1-centimeter-square cubes. Blanch the green peppers in boiling water, then chop them up and mince the coriander. Stir the tofu, green peppers, coriander, sesame oil, salt, monosodium glutamate, etc. evenly and serve in a plate. [Functions] Tonifies qi and widens the middle, generates body fluids and moistens dryness, clears heat and detoxifies. It is especially suitable for those who have a poor appetite and lack of appetite. Lily Bulb and Lotus Seed Soup: [Ingredients] 100 grams of dried lily bulbs, 75 grams of dried lotus seeds, 75 grams of rock sugar. [Method] Soak the lily bulbs in water overnight and then rinse them clean. Soak the lotus seeds for 4 hours and then rinse them clean. Put the lily bulbs and lotus seeds in a pot of clear water. After boiling over high heat, add rock sugar, then simmer over low heat for 40 minutes. It's ready to eat. [Functions] Calm the mind and nourish the heart, strengthen the spleen and harmonize the stomach. Lily bulb preserves: [Ingredients] 60 grams of raw lily bulbs, 2 tablespoons of honey. [Method] Wash the lily bulbs thoroughly with clean water, put them in a bowl, pour honey over them, and steam in a steamer for 30 minutes before taking them out. You can either dry them in a dryer or air dry them. Take it seven times before going to bed. [Function] Clearing the mind and calming the spirit. It is suitable for those who have restless sleep, palpitations and are prone to waking up. From China.org.cn