Maintaining Yin and Yang Balance: The Key to Health Preservation

March 21st is the Spring Equinox in the 24 solar terms. "Spring Equinox means that yin and yang are in balance. Therefore, day and night are equal and the temperature is moderate." The word "equinox" indicates the boundaries of day and night, and the balance of temperature. At this time, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 0 degrees, and the sun is positioned above the equator. The lunar calendar states, "The handle of the Big Dipper points to the Spring Equinox, dividing the northern and southern hemispheres into equal day and night. It is also the midpoint of spring, hence the name Spring Equinox."

"The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" states, "Carefully observe and adjust according to the location of yin and yang, with balance as the goal." It means that the human body should adjust the "internal movement" of organs, qi and blood, and essence and energy according to the yin and yang conditions at different times, and harmonize it with the "external movement" of mental and physical activities and sports, in order to maintain the balance of the "supply and demand" relationship. This avoids inappropriate exercise that disrupts the balance of the internal and external environment of the body, accelerates the damage to certain organs, and disrupts the physiological functions, leading to the occurrence of diseases and shortening of life. Modern medical research has proven that during the process of human activity, due to the imbalance of metabolism, the accumulation of certain elements and the deficiency of others may occur, leading to premature aging and the occurrence of diseases. Many non-infectious diseases are related to the imbalance of elements in the human body. The occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, which currently pose the greatest threat to human health worldwide, are closely related to the imbalance of substance exchange in the body, and the ultimate cause is the imbalance of yin and yang. The theory of balanced health maintenance believes that in different stages of life, adjusting the corresponding dietary structure and supplementing necessary trace elements according to different physiological characteristics will help maintain the balance of various elements in the body and promote human health.

"The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" states, "Adjust yin and yang, supplement when deficient, drain when excessive." Traditional dietary health maintenance and traditional Chinese medicine treatment can be summarized as replenishing deficiency and draining excess. Nourishing qi, nourishing blood, nourishing yin, assisting yang, replenishing essence, and producing body fluids are ways to replenish deficiency; relieving external symptoms, clearing heat, promoting diuresis, purging, dispelling cold, eliminating wind, and drying dampness are ways to drain excess. Traditional Chinese medicine health practices have proven that regardless of replenishing or draining, adjusting yin and yang and maintaining balance is the fundamental principle of dietary health maintenance. It is only through scientific dietary health maintenance that many non-infectious diseases can be effectively prevented and treated.

The Spring Equinox is the midpoint of the 90-day spring season, and the day and night are equal in the northern and southern hemispheres. From this day on, the position of the sun gradually shifts northward, and the length of day and night in the northern and southern hemispheres also changes accordingly. The days become longer and the nights become shorter in the northern hemisphere, while the opposite is true in the southern hemisphere. With the arrival of the Spring Equinox, rainfall increases significantly, and the average temperature in China stabilizes at around 10 degrees Celsius, which is defined as the spring temperature in climatology. After the Spring Equinox, the climate becomes mild, rainfall increases, and the sunshine is bright. Winter crops in most parts of China enter the growth stage of spring, and it is also the time to sow early rice. Different regions have different sayings about the Spring Equinox: in Shandong, there is a saying, "Plant trees on the day of the Spring Equinox, if it is sunny, everything will thrive"; in Hubei, there is a saying, "Busy planting melons and beans after the Spring Equinox"; in Guangdong, there is a saying, "Before the Spring Equinox, measure rice and money." Ouyang Xiu also had a wonderful description of the Spring Equinox: "In the southern garden, it is half spring when one goes for an outing. The wind is gentle and one can hear the neighing of horses. The green plums are like beans and the willows are like eyebrows. The days are long and the butterflies are flying." Whether in the north or the south, the Spring Equinox is a wonderful time when spring is in the air, and it is the time when orchids bloom in Taiwan, China.

Due to the Spring Equinox equally dividing day and night and balancing cold and heat, people should pay attention to maintaining the balance of yin and yang in the body when it comes to health preservation. Stalin once said, "The possibility of relative stillness of an object, the possibility of temporary balance, is the fundamental condition for the differentiation of matter, and therefore the fundamental condition for life." In order to achieve this "temporary balance" and the "fundamental condition for life", it is crucial to maintain the balance of yin and yang in health preservation. This principle is important in the regulation of mental state, diet, daily routine, and in self-care and medication. How to apply the law of yin and yang balance in health preservation, coordinate the functions of the body, and achieve a balance between the internal and external environment of the body, so that the organic whole of the human body can always maintain a relatively calm and balanced state, is the fundamental principle of health preservation.

From the beginning of the solar term of the Spring Equinox to around the Qingming Festival, it is the period of plant growth and germination, and the blood in the human body is also in a vigorous period. Hormone levels are also relatively high during this time, making it prone to common non-infectious diseases such as hypertension, menstrual disorders, hemorrhoids, and allergic diseases. In the dietary regulation during this solar term, one should choose a diet that can maintain the coordination and balance of body functions according to one's own situation, and avoid the dietary misconceptions of being excessively hot, cold, ascending, or descending. For example, when cooking cold foods such as fish, shrimp, and crabs, it is necessary to add warm condiments such as onions, ginger, wine, and vinegar to prevent the dish from being excessively cold, which could damage the spleen and stomach and cause discomfort in the abdomen. Similarly, when consuming yang-enhancing foods such as leeks, garlic, and papaya, they should be paired with yin-nourishing foods such as eggs to achieve the purpose of yin-yang complementarity. In terms of mindset, one should maintain a relaxed, happy, optimistic, and positive mental state. In terms of daily routine, one should adhere to appropriate exercise, regular sleep, and regular meals, and carry out targeted health preservation in order to achieve the best results in health preservation.