After enduring excessive eating and irregular routines during winter, it's time to get active when spring arrives, to organize your mind and body, and prepare energy for the new year and lay a solid foundation. Regular Routine: When spring arrives, the skin expands, blood circulation to extremities increases, sweat glands become more active, and bodily organs face greater load. Meanwhile, the central nervous system experiences a calming, sleep-inducing effect, causing feelings of lethargy. Under no circumstances should you indulge in oversleeping, as this hinders the rise of yang energy. To adapt to this climate shift, maintain an early bedtime and early wake-up routine, frequently walk outdoors, along tree-lined paths or in forests, to merge with nature. Dietary Adjustment: In spring, human metabolism becomes more active. Diet should favor pungent, sweet, and slightly warm foods. Avoid greasy and cold foods; instead, consume foods rich in vitamin B and fresh vegetables. Spring is the peak season for the liver. Excessive intake of sour foods can intensify liver fire and harm the spleen. Focus on consuming sweet, neutral, protein-rich, and mineral-rich foods. Restoring Mental Energy: Mental activities must align with seasonal changes. The body is most affected by seasonal transitions, especially at the turn of winter and spring. Some people struggle to adapt to spring's climate changes, making them prone to mental health issues. Spring calls for emotional wellness—maintain a positive, cheerful mindset to ensure smooth liver qi flow and promote disease prevention and health maintenance. Exercise and Maintenance: After spring arrives, adapt to the rising yang energy by increasing physical exercise—run, practice martial arts, do exercises, or walk in fresh air. Let the body expel stale energy and absorb fresh qi, stretch the tendons and bones, laying a strong foundation for work and study throughout the year. Warmth and Disease Prevention: "Wear more clothes in spring, fewer in autumn" is a time-tested health practice. Since spring weather is highly variable, wearing light clothing can easily lead to illness and endanger health. Middle-aged and elderly individuals with hypertension or heart disease should particularly pay attention to staying warm to prevent strokes and myocardial infarction. (Author: Lin Wei)
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