The bustling Spring Festival holiday leaves us exhausted—tired from talking, eating, walking, and emotional strain—draining our health reserves. As the saying goes, "The year's plan begins in spring." Now is the time to start rebuilding our health. We've invited several experts to recommend a simple early spring wellness regimen. With knowledge and action, a long and healthy life is within reach.
Early Spring's First Supplement:Black Chicken and White Phoenix Pills for Both Men and Women
Aligning with the four seasons is the foremost principle of wellness. Expert Fan Zhenglun often states: "Harmony with the seasons brings life; defiance brings demise."
Harmony with the seasons means adjusting your life according to spring's birth, summer's growth, autumn's harvest, and winter's storage. Spring energy resonates with liver energy. As spring arrives, qi and blood flow outward from within, primarily functioning through the liver.
Some people notice that after sleeping soundly for a while, they suddenly struggle to fall asleep in spring. Professor Fan explains this occurs because qi and blood move outward from the internal organs during spring. Human yang energy circulates externally during the day and returns inward at night, settling in the liver. When sleeping, yang energy retreats. If liver blood is abundant and yin-yang harmony is maintained, sleep comes naturally.If qi and blood are deficient, the yang qi cannot return properly, leading to sleeplessness with eyes wide open.
Therefore, the primary focus of early spring tonification should be on nourishing the liver. Fan Zhenglun recommends that both men and women consume some Wu Ji Bai Feng Wan during spring. "It's an excellent formula, proven effective through over a century of practice," he states.
Many men might wonder: Why should we take a formula considered a gynecological panacea? Professor Fan clarifies that this is not the case. Wujibaifeng Pills replenish qi and blood. While women, whose health is more blood-dependent, use it more frequently, men also experience liver yin deficiency in spring, leading to fatigue. They too can benefit from taking Wujibaifeng Pills to nourish the liver.
Early Spring's Top Food: One-Inch Soybean Sprouts Pack the Most Nutrition
When it comes to the first food of early spring, Sun Shuxia, President of the Food Nutrition and Safety Committee of the China Health Care Association, recommends soybean sprouts. He notes that soybean sprouts contain higher levels of trace elements than mung bean sprouts and other sprouted vegetables, making them the premier early spring vegetable.
Soybean sprouts reign supreme among "living vegetables." Classical texts rank them first among longevity foods, while mung bean sprouts come in sixth. Li Shizhen described them in his Compendium of Materia Medica: "These sprouts stand apart for their pure whiteness and beauty. Consumed, they clear the mind and nourish the body, possessing the power to 'dispel alcohol toxins and heat toxins, and benefit the triple energizer.'"
Sun Shuxia recommends sprouting beans at home to control the "timing" precisely, as larger sprouts aren't necessarily better—"about an inch long is optimal." He explains this is when sprouts are most nutrient-dense, containing higher levels of trace elements than their "brother" mung bean sprouts and other sprouted vegetables.
Soybean sprouts contain 1-2 times more beta-carotene than whole soybeans, 2-4 times more vitamin B2, and a staggering 10 times more vitamin B12.Additionally, they are rich in vitamin E. While soybean seeds lack vitamin C, the sprouts contain substantial amounts—20 to 30 milligrams per 100 grams. Amino acids and minerals are also released during the sprouting process.
Especially for growing children, early spring offers limited vegetable variety. Increasing bean sprout intake provides abundant nutrition, particularly the significantly elevated folate and riboflavin essential for childhood development. For adults, consuming more soybean sprouts helps reduce acidic buildup in the body and alleviates fatigue. Those who experience bloating from soy milk may find sprouts a more suitable alternative.
Early Spring's First Move: Join the Walking Commuter Crew for Easy Control
After the Spring Festival, you'll notice gyms are nearly empty, and few people are pedaling hard on the streets. Most prefer to move their bodies at a leisurely, unhurried pace. Zhao Jisheng, Associate Professor at Beijing Normal University's School of Physical Education, says, "That's exactly right."
In early spring, when the weather is still quite cold, the best exercise choice is a "light, leisurely, and enjoyable" activity. It's not intense, easy to control, relatively relaxed and pleasant, yet still achieves fitness goals.
Zhao Jisheng notes that many of his friends choose to walk to work during this early spring period. By the time they arrive at the office, they're just slightly sweaty—perfect.
Pay attention to small details while walking: maintain a slightly brisk pace. If you're not out of breath, the intensity is just right. Some find adjusting clothing tricky—this is where scarves and hats come in handy. They're easy to put on or take off, much safer than unbuttoning layers.
The First Joy of Early Spring: Daydreaming Indoors to Quiet the Mind
The true first joy of early spring lies in shifting to a better mindset. Shen Yanying, a featured expert on Beijing TV's "Health Pavilion," recommends taking time to daydream.
After the bustling Spring Festival holiday leaves us physically and mentally exhausted, the first step when life returns to normal is to quiet the mind and calm the heart.Find a quiet spot daily to let your mind wander—just half an hour can reset your emotions.
Shen also recommends stepping outside for some sun after your indoor daydreaming session. One Spring Festival, she visited Phuket Island. There, fair-haired, fair-skinned foreigners basked on the beach;while Chinese people with dark hair and yellow skin were all under umbrellas, wearing sun hats, seeking shade wherever they could find it. In fact, sunlight helps replenish calcium, kills germs, and can soothe anxiety.
If daydreaming is like clearing out mental clutter, then sunbathing is like giving your mind calcium supplements and a recharge. The first joy of early spring is to daydream and soak up the sun.