The small cold season mostly comes from January 5th to 7th every year, which marks the arrival of the cold winter wax moon. During this period, the focus of health preservation is to maintain and accumulate yang energy in the body. How? Let's take a look.
In traditional Chinese beliefs, Xiaohan does not mean extreme cold, although there is a saying that "counting nine cold days, cold is in three nine". The small cold period is usually around the "39" period, which is one of the lowest temperatures in the year, and is often described as: "small cold and big cold, cold into ice masses".
As a sign of the end of winter, this solar term also means that spring is approaching. During the cold season, the focus of health preservation is to maintain and accumulate yang energy in the body, as well as to nourish the kidneys by keeping warm from the cold.
Meet Laba Festival and enjoy Laba porridge
In addition, the arrival of Xiaohan also coincides with the traditional Laba Festival. In the cycle from Xiaohan to Dahan, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month every year, people will make Laba porridge, which is not only a commemoration of ancestors and worship of the god of agriculture, but also a thank you for the hard work of the year.
The hot Laba congee brings warmth to people in winter and protects them from the cold. In northern China, on the day of the Laba Festival, people also have the Xi of soaking Laba garlic, that is, soaking the peeled garlic in rice vinegar and eating it after it turns green, and the soaked garlic vinegar is also commonly used as a dipping sauce for food.
Home health: room temperature is moderate, regular ventilation
In terms of adjusting the home environment, reasonable control of indoor temperature and maintaining air circulation are the keys in winter. Most modern homes are equipped with heating or air conditioning, but in winter, the indoor temperature should not be too high to avoid excessive temperature differences from the cold environment. This temperature difference can make people feel uncomfortable when moving in and out of the room, increasing the risk of colds, myocardial infarction and other diseases.
Winter climates are usually dry, and the air humidity is not ideal for both indoor and outdoor air, which can lead to dry skin and irritated breathing. To improve this condition, spray a suitable amount of water mist or use a humidifier while maintaining a suitable room temperature, which can effectively improve air quality and benefit skin maintenance.
In winter, doors and windows are often closed, resulting in poor indoor air circulation, which not only accumulates dust, but also may cause air pollution, resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, and especially serious health effects on children, the elderly and pregnant women. Therefore, it is recommended to open windows for ventilation at least twice a day, morning and evening for half an hour to keep the indoor air fresh.
In addition, opening windows at the right time to let in fresh air can also help lift the mind and relieve fatigue and drowsiness. Standing by the window and enjoying the scenery outside is a boost to both physical and mental health.
Emotional health: calm the mind and avoid fear of hurting the kidneys
According to the Yellow Emperor's Neijing, fear has a damaging effect on the kidneys, which play an important physiological role in traditional Chinese medicine. Especially in winter, the body's kidney qi is particularly sensitive, once the kidney qi is damaged, it will not only affect the normal function of the kidneys, but also may lead to a deficiency of kidney essence, which will affect the health status of the next spring.
Therefore, the cultivation of psychological quality should be strengthened in daily life, especially for those who suffer from hypertension, anxiety, insomnia and other diseases, and it is necessary to avoid factors that may cause shock, so as to protect kidney qi.
In the fast-paced life of today, people are facing increasing pressure to live and work. Winter itself can easily trigger depressive moods and may make the emotional state even more depressed. In this case, it is crucial to adjust your desires reasonably and maintain a peaceful mind. Maintaining emotional stability and avoiding excessive mood swings is the key to protecting your physical and mental health.
At the same time, enjoying the sun at the right time to enhance the yang energy in the body is also an important measure for winter health. Even when there is no sunlight, try to keep the room ventilated and get fresh air.
Winter is also a good time for physical exercise. Proper exercise not only boosts metabolism, but also helps to improve one's mental state and make one feel happy. Excessive panic can lead to uncomfortable symptoms in the body, such as spermatozoa, slippery sperm, and stool disorders. Therefore, it is especially necessary to take care to avoid frightening and maintain peace of mind during the winter months.
Sports health: Skipping rope helps yang qi to grow
During the winter months, proper exercise is an important way to maintain good health. There is a proverb that says: "If you move in winter, you will be less sick, and if you are lazy in winter, you will drink more medicine." "If you stay still for a long time, your limbs will become stiff and cold, which may lead to health problems such as joints. Choosing an exercise that suits your physical condition can effectively dispel the cold and enhance your physical fitness.
Jumping rope is a suitable winter sport, it is not limited by the venue, and it requires the whole body to coordinate the movement. When jumping rope, the brain needs to coordinate and command, the lower limbs need to bounce vigorously, the waist is involved in twisting, and the upper arms are responsible for swinging the rope. This not only boosts immunity, but also improves the vitality of nerve cells in the brain.
Before starting to jump rope, you should choose comfortable and suitable clothing and sports shoes, and do a good warm-up exercise to prevent limb injuries caused by sudden movements. When jumping rope, you should keep the rhythm smooth and orderly, and try to avoid breathing through your mouth. In terms of movements, you should go from slow to fast, from simple to complex, and avoid being too violent, so as not to hurt the yang energy by sweating a lot.
It is recommended to jump rope 2 to 3 times a day for 10 to 15 minutes each time. Before and after exercise, you should also pay attention to keeping warm, especially after exercising, you should add clothes in time to prevent the sweaty body from being attacked by the cold. It should be noted that skipping rope requires high flexibility of the body, and it should not be carried out within half an hour before and after meals, so as not to cause damage to the stomach and intestines.
When jumping rope, keeping the center of gravity of the body stable, the rhythm from slow to fast, and the movements from simple and gradual to complex are the key to this exercise.
Dietary health: radish tofu mutton soup awakens the yang energy in the body
In the cold season of Xiaohan, a warm and healthy radish tofu mutton soup is an excellent dietary choice. As the saying goes: "Three nines make up for one winter, and there will be no pain in the coming year", this soup can not only warm the body, but also replenish kidney yang and enhance the body's resistance.
Ingredients include: 500 grams of brine tofu, 250 grams of mutton, 200 grams of white radish, and an appropriate amount of chopped green onions, salt, pepper and ginger slices.
The steps are as follows:
1. Wash the lamb and white radish and cut them into cubes, and the brine tofu is also washed and cut into cubes.
2. Blanch the lamb pieces in a pot.
3. Add water to another pot, add the blanched lamb pieces, sliced white radish pieces, tofu pieces and ginger slices together, and simmer over low heat until the meat is soft and rotten.
4. Season the soup with salt and pepper when it's about to cook, and sprinkle with chopped green onions.
This radish tofu mutton soup can not only dispel cold in warmth, sweat and relieve the surface, but also suitable for eating in winter to ward off cold and appetize, strengthen the kidneys and replenish deficiency. In addition, the white radish itself also has the effect of improving immunity and widening the qi, which is a good product for winter health.