1 Daily Routine. In winter, go to bed early and rise late; avoid staying up late. Ensure adequate warmth and protection against cold to prevent colds. Ventilate rooms by opening windows during the day. Go to bed by 10 PM each night; it's best to soak feet in hot water and massage the Yongquan acupoint on the soles.
2 Diet.During the Minor Snow solar term, consume warming foods and kidney-nourishing ingredients. Warming foods include walnuts, grapes, chestnuts, chicken, shrimp, ginger, and pepper. Kidney-nourishing foods encompass cashews, Chinese yam, water chestnuts, purple rice porridge, ginkgo nuts, and walnuts. Additionally, prioritize dark-colored foods like black fungus, black sesame seeds, and black beans.
This means avoiding the "Three Whites": sugar, salt, and lard; while embracing the "Three Blacks": first, black fungus; second, laver (seaweed); and third, purple rice. These three dark foods are beneficial for health—a principle recommended by wellness experts as "avoid the Three Whites, embrace the Three Blacks."
3. Exercise.During the Minor Snow solar term, the weather is often cold and gloomy, with reduced green vegetation and red flowers. This can affect people's moods, making depression more likely. Therefore, it's important to adjust your mindset, stay optimistic, and regularly participate in outdoor activities to strengthen your physical condition.During Minor Snow, diseases manifesting in the meridians often involve the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin. This meridian originates at the big toe, ascends along the inner ankle's front edge, crosses the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin eight cun above the ankle, passes through the knee,encircles the genitalia, reaches the lower abdomen, enters the abdomen, runs alongside the stomach, belongs to the liver, connects to the gallbladder, ascends through the diaphragm, passes the ribs, travels along the throat, enters the nasal cavity, ascends to connect with the eye tendons, emerges at the forehead, and ascends to intersect with the Governor Vessel.A branch diverges from the ocular ligaments, descends into the cheeks, and encircles the lips. Another branch branches off from the liver, ascends through the diaphragm, enters the lungs, and connects with the Lung Meridian of the Hand Taiyin.Primary pathologies include "male scrotal swelling, female abdominal distension, severe cases presenting with dry throat, sallow complexion, and pallor... chest fullness, vomiting, hernia, urinary incontinence, and urinary retention." The methods described below primarily address such conditions. Consistent practice of the relevant exercises offers effective prevention and treatment.
(1) Mid-Winter Sitting Exercise: Between 3:00 and 7:00 AM daily, firmly press the left knee with the left hand while grasping the left elbow with the right hand and pulling forcefully to the right. Then switch to pressing the right knee with the right hand while grasping the right elbow with the left hand and pulling forcefully to the left. Repeat each direction three to five times. Follow with thirty-six tooth-clacking movements, regulate breathing, and swallow saliva into the lower abdomen nine times.This treats: elbow dislocation, rheumatic heat toxins, gynecological abdominal swelling, male hernia, enuresis, urinary retention, hematuria, testicular enlargement, testicular hernia, clubfoot, convulsions, joint swelling and pain, muscle cramps, impotence, and spasms.Fully relax the body. Rub both palms together until warm. Begin by massaging the face 64 times. Use fingers to comb the scalp 64 times from the front to the back of the head and sides, warming the scalp. Next, rub each sole of the feet 64 times with the palms. Finally, rub the front chest, abdomen, and back as if taking a dry bath until thoroughly warmed. This method is effective for preventing influenza.
(3) Knee-Hugging Guided Exercise: Specific Method: Sit upright on a chair with feet shoulder-width apart, thighs and calves at a 90-degree angle, torso straight, body relaxed, and chin slightly tucked in.Maintain full relaxation and even breathing. Keep the right foot planted on the ground. Lift the left knee, wrap both hands around the lower part of the left calf, and pull it forcefully toward the abdomen. Repeat 36 times. Then keep the left foot planted, lift the right knee, wrap both hands around the lower part of the right calf, and pull it forcefully toward the abdomen. Repeat 36 times. This promotes smooth qi and blood flow in the lower limbs and unblocks meridians.This method is suitable for lower limb pain below the knees and numbness in the lower limbs. 5. Get plenty of sun exposure and listen to music. Qing Dynasty physician Wu Shangxian stated: "For illnesses caused by emotional distress, viewing flowers to relieve boredom and listening to music to dispel sorrow can be more effective than taking medicine."
In northern latitudes, do not avoid going outdoors due to cold. Instead, step outside appropriately to bask in sunlight. Traditional Chinese medical theory highly values sunlight's role in human health, believing regular sun exposure aids the body's yang energy. This is especially true in winter when nature enters a state of "prevailing yin and declining yang." Humans, being part of nature, are no exception. Thus, winter sunbathing further strengthens yang energy and warms the meridians.
From a Western medical perspective, increased sun exposure in winter supplements vitamin D, aiding calcium absorption. Sunlight also facilitates serotonin synthesis, helping combat depression. Winter requires guarding against fear, as fear harms the kidneys. Maintain optimism and face all matters with positivity.
Additionally, Minor Snow marks early winter's chill, making warm clothing essential to prevent cold exposure.