Spring Tonification Is Very Effective for Irritable and Moody Individuals

Although traditional Chinese health sayings state "nourish in winter, gain strength in spring," if one nourishes wisely during spring when all life revives, the results are no less effective than winter tonification. This insight was shared recently by Dr. Zhao Zhi Fu, head of the Psychosomatic Medicine Department at Guang’an Men Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Spring tonification has unique advantages. According to the theory of spring growth, summer flourishing, autumn harvest, and winter storage, spring is when natural temperatures rise and yang energy gradually increases. Following the TCM principle of "human beings correspond with heaven and earth," human yang energy also rises and spreads outward during spring. At this time, proper tonification offers the best opportunity for bodily investment throughout the year. Furthermore, common spring illnesses—such as pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis, measles, mumps, allergic asthma, and myocardial infarction—are often linked to inadequate nourishment in winter. Timely tonification during spring thus serves as an effective "corrective measure."
Those who are "moody and repressed" or "irritable and easily angered"—two opposite temperaments—are key targets for spring tonification. Dr. Zhao explains that those who are moody and repressed are typically introverted individuals, often showing symptoms such as abdominal distension, poor digestion, emotional suppression, loss of appetite, pale tongue, and white coating—classified in TCM as "liver qi stagnation." Those who are irritable and easily angered are usually extroverted individuals, often showing symptoms like overweight body type, irritability, red tongue, yellow coating—classified in TCM as "liver fire rising." For these two groups, the preferred approach is herbal decoctions using "soothing liver and regulating qi" for the former and "calming liver and clearing heat" for the latter. Additionally, in spring dietary therapy, those who are repressed should eat aromatic, qi-moving foods like fennel, radish, and orange. They may also prepare a tea with 10g astragalus, 3 slices of ginger, and 5 jujubes. Those who are irritable should prefer bitter and sour foods like bitter melon and hawthorn. They may also prepare a tea with 10g chrysanthemum, 10g cassia seed, and 3g licorice.
TCM wisdom holds: "Spring corresponds to the liver and nourishes growth; summer to the heart and fosters flourishing; late summer to the spleen and supports transformation; autumn to the lung and nurtures harvest; winter to the kidney and preserves storage." Thus, spring tonification should center on "nourishing the liver." The primary step in liver care is emotional regulation—maintaining a cheerful mood and avoiding anger. Moreover, spring dietary therapy should follow the principle of gentle tonification. Avoid overusing warm-hot tonics, as rising spring temperatures could worsen internal heat and damage vital energy.