Chinese medicine seasonal health (winter)

The cold wind is bitterly cold, and autumn is coming to winter. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine says: “In the month of March, sleep early and get up late, must wait for daylight, this winter gas should be the way to nourish and hide.” Appropriate early to bed and late to rise in winter to ensure adequate sleep, is conducive to nourishing the Yin and hide the spirit. In particular, elderly patients with cardiovascular disease, should not be too early morning exercise, so as not to cold stimulate vasoconstriction, blood pressure fluctuations and cause accidents. In winter, the weather is cold and the doors and windows are closed for a long time, resulting in heavy indoor air pollution, so we should pay attention to ventilation to refresh the brain. Generally choose noon and other relatively high temperature period to open the doors and windows, half an hour or so is appropriate. Winter cold is the focus of warmth, cold will induce stroke, myocardial infarction, respiratory infections, aggravating chronic bronchitis and other diseases, but should not be warm sweat; drinking alcohol to cold is also undesirable, after drinking alcohol to speed up peripheral blood circulation and temporarily produce the phenomenon of body warmth, but also intensify heat dissipation instead of cold. The four seasons of heaven and earth, spring and summer are the main drainage, autumn and winter are the main collection, winter is the season of “essence hidden in the kidneys”, so winter tonic cream is very representative. According to the basic theory of Chinese medicine, poultice is a Chinese medicine preparation with both tonic and therapeutic effects tailored for each person. It is suitable for patients with chronic diseases, the elderly and frail, and subhealthy people. It is a semi-fluid preparation made by decocting a large compound of Chinese medicine with water, removing the residue and concentrating it, and refining it with gum, tortoise shell gum and rock sugar. It can be taken after the winter solstice and before the spring, one spoonful per day, either with water or in water, or after steaming and closing. The prepared poultice should be stored at low temperature, and it is not necessary to change the spoon every day to avoid bringing in water and causing mold and deterioration when taking it. In case of cold and fever, diarrhea, etc., it is advisable to suspend taking it and continue taking it after it is cured. A good dose of poultice is like “refueling” and “recharging” the body through evidence-based supplementation, which will enrich the kidney essence, strengthen the physique and improve the condition.