Nurturing Health Based on Physical Constitution: A Guide for Spring Thunder Season

Spring Thunder, the third solar term of the year. According to the lunar calendar, it is recorded as "The Dipper points to the Ding, known as the Spring Thunder when thunder roars and hibernating insects wake up." The Dipper refers to the three stars Ke, Heng, and Shao in the Big Dipper. As they move with the celestial bodies, the direction and position pointed by the Dipper represent the corresponding month. In the Gregorian calendar, when the Dipper points to the Ding, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 345 degrees.

Spring Thunder is the time when the weather becomes warmer after the "Beginning of Spring" and the first thunder wakes up various insects hibernating in the soil. At this time, the overwintering eggs also start to hatch. It can be seen that Spring Thunder is a solar term that reflects natural phenological phenomena. However, it is not the thunder that really wakes up hibernating animals from the ground, but the temperature in the soil when the temperature rises to a certain degree. During the Spring Thunder season, some areas in China are already filled with peach blossoms and white plum blossoms, and it is the season when the orioles sing and the swallows fly. Most areas have entered the spring plowing season.

The health preservation during the Spring Thunder season should also be based on natural phenological phenomena and individual differences in physical constitution, and reasonable adjustments in spiritual well-being, daily routines, and diet. The difference in physical constitution actually refers to one aspect of the individual's health preservation. Due to the influence of various factors in growth, development, and aging, the human body forms relatively stable characteristics in terms of psychology and physiological functions, which often determine the susceptibility to certain pathogenic factors and the tendency of disease processes. Therefore, health preservation should be tailored to individuals and cannot be generalized.

The concept of physical constitution in traditional Chinese medicine is different from temperament. Temperament refers to the overall psychological function such as spiritual appearance, character, and behavior formed by the human body under the influence of acquired factors, that is, the characteristics of "spirit". Physical constitution is a comprehensive reflection of form and spirit. The two are inseparably linked. That is, physical constitution can include temperament, but temperament is not equal to physical constitution.

In the early medical works of China, "Ling Shu • Yin Yang Twenty-Five People" classified physical constitution into five types: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, based on differences in body shape, skin color, cognitive ability, emotional reflection, willpower, temperament, and adaptability to seasonal climates. Each type is further divided into five categories based on the physiological characteristics reflected by the meridians and Qi blood in the head, face, and limbs. These are the "Yin Yang Twenty-Five People" mentioned in Ling Shu. Traditional Chinese medicine can provide effective clinical guidance and health rehabilitation practices for individual physical constitution.

"The Essential Questions • Differentiation of Disease Factors and Appropriate Treatments" points out: "The five directions of east, west, south, north, and central have different geographical and climatic environments, and the habits of residents also form different physical constitutions and susceptibility to different diseases. Therefore, the treatment methods vary accordingly." Zhu Danxi's "Ge Zhi Yu Lun" says: "The shape of a person may be long or short, big or small, fat or thin. The complexion of a person may be white or black, tender or dark. In addition, fat individuals tend to be damp, thin individuals tend to have heat; white individuals have weak lung qi, black individuals have insufficient kidney qi. Different shapes and complexions correspond to different organs and viscera, and although the external manifestations may be the same, the treatment methods are different." In the "Essentials of Medical Science • After Awakening from the Pillory," it is stated: "To know that wind is a disease, the surface qi is deficient; to be susceptible to cold as a disease, the yang qi is weak; to be susceptible to heat as a disease, the yin qi is declining; to be susceptible to food injury, the spleen and stomach must be deficient; to be susceptible to aging and injury, the middle qi must be weakened." From this, we can see that the main cause of human illness depends on the different physical constitutions, that is, the constitution determines the susceptibility to certain pathogenic factors. How to change unfavorable physical constitution is a question we should pay attention to.

Here I want to say that physical constitution is not fixed and unchangeable. Even in the same environment, as long as we adopt a positive attitude towards life and take proactive health measures, it is possible to correct the biases in physical constitution and achieve the goal of prolonging life.

In the Spring Thunder season, I want to focus on introducing the health preservation methods for four common types of physical constitution:

1. Yin Deficiency Constitution: People with this constitution are usually thin, feel heat in their hands and feet, easily get annoyed, sleep little, have dry stools, yellow urine, and cannot tolerate spring and summer. They often like cold drinks.
Health preservation methods:
1. Mental adjustment: People with yin deficiency constitution tend to be irritable and easily get angry. This is due to excessive yang and disturbance of the mind. They should follow the health preservation method of "cultivating tranquility and emptiness, keeping the mind inward". Strengthen self-cultivation and develop a calm and composed habit. Participate less in competitive entertainment activities and practice moderation in sexual life.
2. Environmental adjustment: People with yin deficiency are intolerant to heat and prefer cold. In spring and summer, if conditions permit, they can go to the seaside, forest areas, and mountains for vacations. It is best to choose a quiet living environment with rooms facing north and south.
3. Dietary adjustment: The principle is to nourish yin and suppress yang. Eat more light foods such as glutinous rice, sesame, honey, dairy products, tofu, fish, vegetables, and sugarcane. If conditions permit, you can eat some sea cucumber, turtle meat, crab meat, tremella, male duck, and Cordyceps sinensis. Avoid eating spicy and pungent foods.
4. Physical exercise: Avoid excessive activities and focus on nourishing the liver and kidneys. Tai Chi is a suitable exercise for this constitution.

2. Yang Deficiency Constitution: People with this constitution are usually slightly overweight with pale complexion, cold hands and feet, frequent clear urination, and loose stools. They are afraid of cold and prefer warmth.
Health preservation methods:
1. Mental adjustment: People with yang deficiency often have a bad mood and are prone to fear or sadness. They should be good at regulating their emotions and listen to more music and make more friends.
2. Environmental adjustment: People with yang deficiency have poor adaptability to the climate. In winter, they should avoid cold and keep warm. In spring and summer, they should pay attention to nourishing yang. Follow the principle of "not being tired of the sun" and bask in the sun for no less than fifteen to twenty minutes each time. This can greatly improve the ability to withstand cold in winter.
3. Physical exercise: People with yang deficiency should strengthen physical exercise in spring, summer, and autumn. They can take walks, jog, practice Tai Chi, and play ball games. Sunbathing and air baths are essential methods to strengthen the yang.
4. Dietary adjustment: Eat more foods that can tonify yang, such as lamb, dog meat, chicken meat, deer meat, etc. According to the principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer," especially during the three periods of hot summer days, eat "Aconite Porridge" (10g of aconite, first decoct for 30 minutes, add 150g of glutinous rice and cook until done) or mutton aconite soup (15g of aconite, first decoct for 30 minutes, add 500g of blanched mutton, stew until done, and add an appropriate amount of salt). These should be consumed in conjunction with the prosperous yang of heaven and earth to strengthen the body's yang qi.

3. Phlegm Dampness Constitution: People with this constitution are usually obese, with loose muscles, fond of fatty and sweet foods, and often feel heavy and tired.
Health preservation methods:
1. Environmental adjustment: Avoid dampness in rainy seasons and avoid living in cold and damp environments.
2. Dietary adjustment: Eat more foods that invigorate the spleen and eliminate dampness, such as white radish, lentils, cabbage, broad beans, onions, seaweed, jellyfish, water chestnuts, ginkgo, loquat, jujube, coix seed, red beans, etc. Eat less fatty and sweet foods, beverages, and alcoholic drinks, and do not overeat at each meal.
3. Physical exercise: People with phlegm dampness constitution are often obese and easily tired. Therefore, they should persist in activities such as walking, jogging, various dances, and ball games. The amount of exercise should gradually increase, allowing loose skin to gradually transform into firm and dense muscles.

In summary, no matter what type of physical constitution you have, as long as you adhere to purposeful health preservation and continuously improve your quality of life, I believe that everyone can prolong their life and become a healthy and long-lived individual.

4. Blood Stasis Constitution: Those with blood stasis constitution usually have dull complexion, dark lips, dry skin, and dark eye sockets.
Health preservation methods:
1. Physical exercise: Engage in activities beneficial to the heart and blood vessels, such as social dancing, Tai Chi, and health massage, which can activate various parts of the body and promote the circulation of qi and blood.
2. Mental adjustment: People with blood stasis constitution often have qi stagnation symptoms. It is essential to cultivate a positive mood. A happy spirit promotes smooth circulation of qi and blood in the meridians, which is beneficial for changing blood stasis constitution. Conversely, being miserable and depressed will aggravate the tendency of blood stasis.
3. Dietary adjustment: Eat foods that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, such as peach kernels, black beans, rapeseed, water chestnuts, sea tangle, jellyfish, ginkgo, hawthorn, jujube, coix seed, and meat stew.