Winter Solstice Health Preservation: Avoid the Cold, Warm the Kidneys and Strengthen the Spleen…

December 22nd is the winter solstice, and the day of the winter solstice is also the first day of “Jinjiu”. There is a folk saying that “the winter solstice is as big as the New Year”. On this day, there is a custom of eating dumplings in the north and rice dumplings in the south. Wang Jingui, dean of the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qihuang scholar, gave some health tips to citizens.

Keep warm and avoid the cold

The temperature is low during the winter solstice, and the human body is extremely susceptible to cold and illness. Therefore, the core of health care before and after the winter solstice is to stay away from the cold. We must do a good job in preventing colds, especially people with low resistance, such as people with underlying diseases, infants, and middle-aged and elderly people. They need to keep warm to avoid cold damage to yang energy and the occurrence of influenza. It is advisable to ventilate the room during the day when the sun is shining and there is no strong wind, and to avoid heat loss at night. Pay attention to indoor humidification and moisturizing.

In terms of daily life, it is recommended to go to bed early and get up late, chase sunlight and get enough sleep. At noon, you can choose to go outdoors to a sunny and sheltered place, bask in the back, pat your waist and knees, and do some physical activities. At night, you can bathe your feet with pepper water and mugwort water, or rub the Yongquan point on the soles of your feet vigorously to relieve fatigue and promote sleep. Winter is the time for hibernation and hiding. In order to ensure the balance and harmony of yin and yang in the human body, it is necessary to maintain mental peace and emotional stability. Do not be overjoyed or sad, do not disturb the yang energy, and recharge your batteries in a hibernating state to prepare for the vitality of the coming spring. Prepare.

Warm the kidneys and strengthen the spleen to prevent influenza

The climate is cold during the winter solstice, the human body’s Yang Qi is restrained, and the Wei Qi is weak. When external cold invades the human body, influenza is likely to occur. Symptoms include high fever, fatigue, headache, cough, and body muscle aches. Elderly people with weak spleen and kidney yang who get typhoid fever are prone to direct Shaoyin infection and become seriously ill with influenza. During the season of high influenza incidence, the elderly and children with poor immunity must protect their own health. For this group of people, it is recommended that the diet should focus on warming and nourishing the spleen and kidneys. On the one hand, it can drive away cold, on the other hand, it can replenish the deficiency of yang energy and protect the body’s function of defending against external evils. At this time, you can eat mutton, beef, ginger, leeks, longan, walnut kernels, etc. appropriately, and try to avoid raw and cold foods.

Professor Wang Jingui recommends a solar term meal to the public: mutton porridge. 150 to 250 grams of mutton, blanch in boiling water to remove blood, take out and let cool, then cut into thin slices. Add 100 grams of japonica rice, 30 grams of yam and appropriate amount of water to the pot, add mutton slices and ginger slices, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for an hour until the mutton is cooked. Finally add chopped green onions and salt to taste. Mutton can warm and nourish qi and blood; japonica rice is mild in nature and sweet in taste, and has the functions of nourishing yin and promoting fluid, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and nourishing lung qi; yam nourishes qi and nourishes yin, nourishing the lungs, spleen and kidneys; pungent and warm dried ginger warms the spleen and lungs. Transform into drink; green onions are pungent and warm in nature and can dispel cold and relieve yang. Eating these ingredients together can warm and nourish the body.

self massage

During the winter solstice, influenza and post-influenza gastrointestinal diseases are highly prevalent. Professor Wang Jingui recommends some massage methods to the public to regulate the body.

Moguanyuan point: Located in the lower abdomen, on the front midline, 10 cm below the middle of the navel. Use your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger to massage the Guanyuan point. The intensity of the massage should be even and gentle. It is better if the Guanyuan point is slightly red and warm. Massage for 2 to 3 minutes each time, once in the morning and once in the evening. Moguanyuan can not only improve the ability to resist evil, but also regulate the spleen and stomach.

Massage Zusanli: located on the outside of the calf, 10 cm below the calf’s nose, on the line connecting the calf’s nose and Jiexi River. Sit with your knees straight and massage the Zusanli point with your thumb pads. Massage evenly and gently until there is soreness. Do it once in the morning and once in the evening, for about 2 to 3 minutes each time, and operate alternately on both sides. Regular massage of Zusanli can assist in the treatment of acute and chronic gastroenteritis, loss of appetite, diarrhea and other digestive system diseases. In winter, when lung diseases are most common, massaging the Zusanli point can replenish lung qi. Many people have symptoms of coughing up phlegm after influenza. Massaging the Zusanli point can strengthen the spleen and resolve phlegm, and play a role in disease prevention and health care.