Lichun, the start of the twenty-four solar terms, signifies "beginning"; Spring represents warmth and growth.

 

Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads. They are first pentad, second pentad and last pentad. Pentads in Lichun include: First pentad - Dōng Fēng Jiě Dòng (东风解冻) which literally means east wind thaw. Lü Shi Chun Qiu said that the east is associated with wood, and wood generates fire, so the air is warm and causes ice to thaw. Second pentad - zhé chóng shǐ zhèn(蛰虫始振) which means literally hibernating insects awaken. Last pentad - yú shàng bīng(鱼上冰) which literally means fish swim upward near ice. The most prominent feature at this time is that all things begin to show signs of revival.

 

As all things awaken, bacteria also proliferate. As the saying goes, "when hundreds of herbs sprout, hundred of diseases are triggered." After the beginning of spring, it is the peak period for various respiratory diseases, making daily health maintenance especially important.

 

When the body’s Yang Qi is sufficient, resistance is strong!

 

From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) health preservation, spring is the season when Yang Qi rises. As the saying goes, "If you don’t nourish your Yang Qi at the beginning of spring, your health-preservation work will be in vain all year long." Only when the body’s Yang Qi is sufficient, can resistance be strong!

 

With the initial rise of Yang Qi, one should consume more warm-natured foods. Foods such as Chinese yam and leeks are beneficial for maintaining Yang Qi and can be consumed in abundance. In daily meals, remember the following two principles:

 

[Reduce Sour Foods, Increase Sweet Foods]

 

In the relationship between the five viscera and the five flavors, sourness enters the liver and has a converging nature, which is not conducive to the rise of Yang Qi and the dispersion of liver Qi. In the early spring when Yang Qi is just born, it is advisable to appropriately reduce the intake of sour foods and correspondingly increase the consumption of sweet foods in their diet. Consume more foods that are pungent, sweet, dispersing, and warm to supplement the spleen and stomach, such as leeks and onions.

 

[Light and Balanced Diet]

 

As the temperature gradually rises in spring, to avoid excessive internal heat, it's best to maintain a light and balanced diet, reducing the intake of greasy, raw, cold, and spicy foods. Try to minimize the consumption of foods that can easily cause internal heat, such as lamb and ginseng.

 

If there are obvious symptoms of excessive internal heat, remedies like mung bean soup, honeysuckle tea, chrysanthemum tea, and lotus seed heart infusion can be used to alleviate it.

 

 

Ganoderma chrysanthemum Tea

 

Promote the rise of Yang Qi, and regulate the flow of Liver Qi.

 

In spring, all things grow, and spring corresponds with the liver. At this time, with increased rainfall, the humidity is relatively high, which can have a certain impact on the liver's function of dispersion. To gently regulate the liver Qi, one might consider skillfully utilizing Reishi mushroom.

 

 

Reishi mushroom enters the heart, lung, liver, and kidney meridians, nourishing the Qi of the five viscera. Regardless of whether the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, or kidneys are weak, it can be taken.

 

Regular consumption of Reishi mushroom not only regulates the spleen and stomach, but also helps the liver eliminate toxins, providing comprehensive protection for the liver.

 

Many pharmacological studies today have proven that the extracts of Reishi mushroom, including its polysaccharides and triterpenes, as well as Reishi spore powder, have a significant hepatoprotective effect. Clinically, it has shown significant improvement in the treatment of viral hepatitis.

 

In daily life, Reishi mushroom slices can be boiled into tea. Depending on individual constitution, red dates, goji berries, or chrysanthemums can be added, which can help regulate liver Qi and strengthen immunity.

 

Winter is at your toes, and spring is at your eyelashes. May you eat and drink well in the rejuvenating sequence of spring, quietly awaiting the warmth of the world to return!