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

Liu Tingting: This is a very important solar term and also the best time for people to nourish themselves. The term "Start of Winter" can be literally interpreted as: "Start means beginning, and winter means end, when all things are stored." The Start of Winter indicates the arrival of winter. As early as in the "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals: The Record of the Twelve Months", the eight solar terms of Start of Spring, Spring Equinox, Start of Summer, Summer Solstice, Start of Autumn, Autumnal Equinox, Start of Winter and Winter Solstice were established. These are the eight most important solar terms among the 24 solar terms, which clearly and accurately mark the process of the transition of the four seasons. Start of Winter, as the first solar term of winter, begins around November 8th each year when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 225 degrees. Due to the difference in latitude between the north and south of our country, the true winter is not always determined by the "Start of Winter", but by several consecutive days when the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius. However, in traditional concepts, "winter" means "end", signifying the conclusion. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the arrival of this solar term indicates that the Yang energy is in hiding, the Yin energy is at its peak, plants wither, insects hibernate, and all living things tend to cease their activities, entering a state of hibernation to conserve energy and prepare for the vigorous vitality of the coming spring. Although humans do not have the concept of hibernation, there is a folk custom of nourishing oneself after the Start of Winter. Every year on this day, people in both the north and the south nourish themselves with mountain delicacies and wild game in different ways, saying that only in this way can they resist the invasion of the cold winter. So in real life, what exactly should we pay attention to on the Start of winter? How to take care of oneself is our main topic today. In the earliest medical classic work of China, "The Great Treatise on the Regulation of the Four Seasons and the Spirit" in the "Huangdi Neijing", it is pointed out: "During the three months of winter, this is called 'closed storage'. When water freezes and the ground breaks, it does not disturb the Yang energy. One goes to bed early and gets up late, waiting for the sunlight. One's mind is kept calm and hidden. If there is any private intention, if there is something to gain, cold is dispelled and warmth is sought. The skin is not exposed, and the qi is urgently seized. This is the response to the winter qi and the way of nourishing and storing." If it goes against the trend, it will harm the kidneys. In spring, it will cause atrophy and fainting, and there will be few people who give birth. This scripture passage incisively expounds the methods of mental, daily and dietary health care, and introduces the principles of winter health preservation for the human body based on the changes in nature. It tells us that winter is a season when the sky is cold, the earth is cracked, all trees wither, and vitality lies dormant and hidden. The Yang energy of the human body also hides within along with the transformation of nature. Therefore, winter health preservation should follow the natural law of seclusion and storage, with the fundamental principle of conserving Yin and protecting Yang. In terms of mental adjustment, one should achieve "..." Strive for tranquility, control the activities of emotions, maintain the peace of the spirit and mood, keep it hidden and avoid disturbance, so that the Yang energy within the body can be concealed. The principle of daily life and health care emphasizes "not disturbing the Yang energy, going to bed early and getting up late, and waiting for the sun to come." That is to say, in the cold winter, one should not disrupt the physiological function of the body's yin-yang transformation by disturbing the Yang energy. Just as the saying goes, "In winter, the energy of heaven and earth is closed, and blood and energy are hidden. People should not work hard and sweat to release their Yang energy." Therefore, going to bed early and getting up late, and working at dawn to ensure adequate sleep, is conducive to the concealment of Yang energy and the accumulation of Yin essence. However, wearing too little or too thin clothes and having a room temperature that is too low can easily lead to a cold and consume Yang energy. Conversely, if one wears too much or too thick clothing and the room temperature is too high, 腠理 will open up, and the Yang qi cannot be hidden, making it easy for cold pathogenic factors to invade. According to traditional Chinese medicine, "Cold is a Yin pathogen that often harms Yang qi." The Yang qi in the human body is like the sun in the sky, bestowing light and warmth upon nature. Without it, all living things cannot survive. Similarly, if the human body lacks Yang qi, it will lose the vitality of metabolism. Therefore, after the Start of Winter, it is crucial to remember to "nourish and store" in daily life. Dietary adjustment should follow the ancient adage of "nourishing Yin in autumn and winter", "not disturbing Yang", and "tonifying the weak and warming the cold", and adjust the diet according to the changes of the climate in the four seasons. The "Essentials of Diet and Drinking" written by Hu Sihui in the Yuan Dynasty states: "..." In winter, the air is cold. It is advisable to eat millet to treat the cold with its warm nature. That is to say, one should eat less raw and cold food, but also avoid being overly hot. It is advisable to consume some foods that nourish Yin and subdue Yang and are high in calories in a targeted manner. At the same time, one should eat more fresh vegetables to avoid vitamin deficiency, such as beef, mutton, black-bone chicken, and crucian carp. Drink more soy milk and milk, and eat more radishes, green vegetables, tofu, and black fungus. It should be noted here that China has a vast territory, diverse geographical environments and different lifestyles. Although both are in the winter season, the climate conditions in the northwest region and the southeast coastal areas are quite different. In the northwest region during winter, the weather is cold. For tonics, it is advisable to consume foods that are extremely warm and hot, such as beef, mutton, and dog meat. Although winter has arrived in the areas south of the Yangtze River, the temperature is much milder than that in the northwest. When taking tonics, one should choose light, sweet and warm flavors, such as chicken, duck and fish. In areas located in plateau mountainous regions with less rainfall and a dry climate, it is advisable to consume fruits, vegetables and rock sugar that are sweet and moistening and can generate saliva. In addition, it should vary from person to person. This is because food is divided into grains, meat, fruits and vegetables, people are differentiated by gender, age and body type, and there are distinctions of deficiency, excess, cold and heat. Based on the laws of human growth and the principles of traditional Chinese medicine for health preservation, it is important to focus on nourishment in youth, regulation in middle age, protection in old age and prolonging in advanced age. Therefore, when it comes to "winter tonics", one should choose light tonics, warm tonics, minor tonics or major tonics based on the actual situation in a targeted manner. One must not blindly "tonify". When it comes to the table, I have chosen a few mild and easy-to-make recipes suitable for all ages and genders 喈. Black Sesame Porridge from "Ben Cao Gang Mu" : [Ingredients] 25 grams of black sesame seeds, 50 grams of glutinous rice. [Method] Roast the black sesame seeds until fragrant and grind them into powder for later use. Wash the glutinous rice and cook it together with the black sesame seeds in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until it becomes porridge. [Functions] Tonifies the liver and kidneys, nourishes the five internal organs. Note: This formula is more suitable for middle-aged and elderly people with weak constitutions and has the effect of preventing premature aging. Steamed Old Duck with Cordyceps Sinensis from "Compendium of Materia Medica Supplement" : [Ingredients] 5 pieces of Cordyceps sinensis, 1 old male duck, an appropriate amount of yellow wine, ginger, white part of scallion, and salt. [Method] Remove the feathers and internal organs from the old duck, rinse it clean, and put it in a pot of water to boil until foam begins to form. Then take it out. Split the duck head along the neck, add Cordyceps sinensis, tie it up with a string, and place it in a large bowl. Add an appropriate amount of yellow wine, ginger, scallion white, salt and water. Put the bowl back in the pot and steam it over water for about 2 hours until the duck is cooked. (It can also be steamed in a steam pot.) [Functions] Tonifies deficiency and benefits essence, nourishes Yin and assists Yang. This formula mainly consists of Cordyceps sinensis, which helps kidney Yang and enriches essence and blood. With old ducks as a supplement, it nourishes Yin and replenishes deficiency. One of the prescriptions focuses on tonifying Yang and the other on tonifying Yin. When used together, they form an authoritative medicinal diet that nourishes deficiency, enriches essence, and nourishes Yin and assists Yang. Note: People with unresolved external infections should not consume it. Tomato and Sugar Lotus root: [Ingredients] 2 tomatoes, 1 lotus root section, and an appropriate amount of sugar. [Method] Peel the tomatoes and boil the lotus roots in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Put both in a plate and sprinkle with sugar. [Functions] Invigorating the spleen and stimulating the appetite, generating essence and quenching thirst. On the day of the Start of Winter, I hope these two dishes and one porridge can bring joy to your family life. At the same time, I also hope that more people will enhance their health awareness and remind everyone to take early preventive measures against "flu". Here I teach you a folk song called "Immortal Porridge", which is easy to learn, remember and operate. "Boil a handful of glutinous rice into a soup, add seven scallions and seven slices of ginger, simmer until cooked, then mix in half a cup of vinegar. It will keep you healthy when you have a cold or flu." " From China.org.cn