順時而養：立春時節的中醫養生之道

People's Physician Hu Naiwen Hotline Hello listeners welcome to the Hope Radio Station 's hotline with renowned traditional Chinese physician Dr Hu Naiwen I'm your host Tang Yun and today our guest is the distinguished physician Dr The hotline will be open for our listeners Feel free to call anytime you have questions or send a text message to 888-275-1628 Next please welcome Dr Hu Hello Dr Hu welcome Hello everyone good morning Dr Hu today is February 5th Yesterday February 4th was the first solar term of the year Spring begins—really it flies by Every time spring arrives I know it's the start of the season By the way I still remember that every year as soon as spring comes Dr Hu would say "It's time for wholesale probation " didn't he I'm pretty sure I'm not mistaken Another year has come around and the wholesale suspension of probation is back making it feel like it's time to go all out again Well if that 's the case then I'll go all out So today let's hear from Dr Hu as he shares his insights—though the winter season hasn't quite arrived yet The chill hasn't fully faded yet but they always say harmony between heaven and humanity— so is the little spark of spring stirring within our bodies kindled by the arrival of spring At this time of year what should we do Especially since Dr Hu is so interesting today We Chinese have a saying: bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new usually begins with celebrating the Chinese New Year followed by the Start of Spring festival Then it's usually a few days after the second day before Lichun arrives which is often the case but this year the solar term has come forward by quite a bit—so what special precautions should we be aware of in such circumstances That's indeed a good point That's why because people in ancient times used what was called the Chinese calendar celebrating the Chinese New Year always begins with the start of the Chinese calendar and last year had a leap sixth month didn't it If it's a leap month in June then this year' s Lunar New Year will be delayed so it won't fall until the teens of February and thus the beginning of spring before this New Year will be That's right the beginning of spring falls before the Lunar New Year so that's how it is—farmers just need to start preparing a bit earlier Once spring begins they must get ready and that's when farming activities truly kick off starting with preparing to sow seeds Then let it grow until the rainy season arrives and during that rainy period is when you begin planting rice and so on that's precisely what this is Still following the same routine for this season but no matter who you are this season remains unchanged Whether it's Lunar New Year or not is just a matter of being a bit earlier or later—it's a separate issue altogether so the impact isn't really significant That's why we still follow the solar terms And as we often say spring is the time to nourish the liver right Why does spring correspond to the liver Here's why: spring summer autumn and winter align with the five elements—wood fire metal and water Since spring is associated with wood and wood relates to the liver that's why spring is the time to nourish the liver Rather than saying it's the time to nourish the liver it's actually the time to avoid harming the liver You know the old Chinese texts from ancient times are so interesting—they always emphasize not harming the liver How does one harm the liver What kinds of actions Let me briefly explain the original text from the *Huangdi Neijing* It mentions the first three months of spring This period is known as "fā chí" I won't go into that for now he said the essence of health preservation is to foster life rather than kill it to give rather than take to reward rather than punish and so on—meaning how should your mindset be You should strive to be as happy as possible and avoid holding hatred resentment or cursing and attacking others—this he said is the most important state corresponding to spring That's precisely when you should nurture the liver 's energy during spring otherwise going against it will cause harm Once you resist it—by having opposing emotions or actions —you will injure the liver He told you not to harm your liver once the liver is damaged what then It'll be terrible in summer prone to cold transformation and problems will arise—just like that So the liver is essentially an emotional barometer for a person You seem upset Yes suppressed emotions don't flow properly When the liver energy gets blocked it stagnates That's kind of the idea right Exactly Especially you mustn' t get angry recklessly So he said "To bring forth life do not kill"—meaning never recklessly commit acts of killing or harm "Give but do not take back"—once you have given to someone do not constantly demand it be returned And "reward but do not withdraw " Give people good things not bad ones So for some people making them truly not angry isn't so easy Not everyone can do it Some people just have that kind of personality—like that guy I was talking about I get upset about things so I just let it out right away—I blow off steam and get it over with rather than bottling it up inside What do you think of this way of handling it Or is it also harmful to your body Getting angry harms your body too doesn't it If you follow that line of thinking which is typical for most people then they're all telling you to just let it out—whatever anger you're holding inside I still remember reading a story when I was young about a barber who shaved the king and while doing so noticed the king's ears were shaped like a rabbit's—so he dared not say a word After all he's the king so he dares not speak What if he can't speak What should he do when he finally has to let it out It's precisely because he dares not speak that he finds it amusing he dares not speak And then he absolutely has to say it out loud—so he digs a hole in the ground leans over it and whispers into the pit "The king's ears are like a rabbit's " keeps repeating it like that and once he's finished he covers it back up He thought everything was fine now but unexpectedly plants started growing in that spot—especially bamboo—and when the bamboo swayed it made a creaking sound right The bamboo rustling sounded like it was saying the king's ears are those of a rabbit Well then how about this actually this is just a person that's how most people think but I really want to say something I once read a sentence in that book The Elimination of Falun Gong which said: "If there are things I don't want to say I can choose not to speak but if I do speak it must be the truth " The moment I thought of those words I immediately became alert What's wrong I don't have to say anything if I don't want to—I just held it in Well if I do speak it's the truth But the truth once spoken hurts people— it ruins their mood and makes everything seem bad Why would I do that So I choose not to say it I just keep quiet right For the sake of kindness I hold my tongue That way this is truly being good to someone Or maybe just dig a hole in your own backyard Then speak to the hole Haha that works too Okay This is a way to manage your own emotions In the end Dr Hu is simply saying that as people grow older we must gradually learn to balance our emotions Otherwise these burdens ultimately accumulate on us and in the end we'll suffer the consequences That's why it' s a lifelong lesson Some people though That's exactly right Our life's lesson—let' s not talk about a whole lifetime right now Let me just focus on doing my work well for today Okay That's what people often say Spring Begins—this season marks the transition between the cycles of nature just as the human body shifts from the autumn harvest and winter storage to the spring growth and summer flourishing a point of交接 a handover a change of guard Often you see claims like this: If you cultivate your health in a certain way at this moment you'll achieve twice the results with half the effort you'll be truly effective you'll have seized an opportunity But is that really true After our break please Dr Hu explain to all of us again—does this point really matter Our hotline is now open for listeners—call us at 888-275-1628 We welcome your health-related text messages Or call 888-275-1628 Hello listeners Welcome back for another session of the Minyi Hunan Health Hotline Our hotline number is 888-275-1628 Welcome to call our hotline or send a text if you have any questions Dr Hu is here to address your inquiry about climate convergence at this moment We have a listener with a question Let's take Mrs Zhao's call now Hello Mrs Zhao please go ahead Hello well here's the thing There's a 10-year-old boy whose fingers keep peeling What could be causing this and is there anything that can be done This child's hands often peel off skin Actually peeling can have several possible causes One is excessive moisture Just like how our hands wrinkle after swimming So when it dries that wrinkled area will start peeling off—this is one of the smaller reasons The more significant cause is likely a fungal infection That means a type of skin issue on the hands like eczema If that's the case there's a simple remedy: just soak your hands in vinegar water Take a basin of water and add a little vinegar—this makes it slightly acidic—then soak your feet in it for about 20 minutes followed by rinsing and drying thoroughly Remember this situation—keeping your hands as dry as possible is essential because doing so greatly reduces the chances of hand eczema or moisture-related issues recurring This is the simplest and most effective method If you'really struggling despite everything else then of course you should see a doctor—depending on whether they tend to prefer cold or heat and so on it'll be about assessing all aspects: cold heat deficiency and dampness The doctor will help you slowly slowly find the cause and then treat it Most of the time for most children it's very simple—just soak in vinegar water as mentioned earlier Soaking it for two or three days up to about a month should definitely help—can put it that way Okay thank you Dr Hu for your response That doctor do you think this child might be experiencing this issue due to an imbalance in bodily cold heat deficiency and dampness There's certainly that possibility Yes from a Traditional Chinese medicine perspective it's precisely an imbalance of cold heat deficiency and dampness Maybe he's just prone to dampness Perhaps due to sensitivity to wind Or maybe he's sensitive to cold Then this could be conditions like wind-fire deficiency-cold and so on These need to be carefully analyzed using traditional Chinese medicine principles But without seeing him in person We'll start with the simplest method anyone can do: soaking your hands in vinegar water then keeping them dry Good I remember last time on the show Doctor Hu also had a listener who He asked what was going on with his itchy fingers and then you said not to use those kinds of hand sanitizers and other products we buy off the shelves—they tend to cause allergies right Try not to use those kinds of cleansing products here's why— nowadays you can easily buy lotions or hand cleansers on the market These items are flavored with a touch of spices for better taste but some people are particularly sensitive to certain spices It's easy to experience itching dryness bleeding eczema and similar issues Now if you already know you're sensitive to this spice Then you should stop buying that brand of hand sanitizer instead go back to using the kind of soap we used before—it doesn’t have any fragrance unlike most soaps that are loaded with added scents But soap is actually quite good Indeed I've personally used this soap for decades and still do—washing not just my hands but from head to face Washing your body washing your hands and feet—using the very same bar of laundry soap—why Because this laundry soap is nothing more than the most ordinary plain soap It has no spices no additives whatsoever so I think it's relatively safe In fact many of our cleaning products —shampoo body wash hand sanitizer— The foaming agent inside it is all SLS—a surfactant with some irritancy—so many people with sensitive skin react to it We’d also like to remind our listeners that earlier this Tuesday we interviewed Dr Wang Sen a physician from our Bay Area community who kindly donated some items Free consultation vouchers are available— everyone if you truly want to understand your constitution in terms of cold heat deficiency and excess or if you need acupuncture treatment— Visit our website fm961 net — there are still a few coupons available there — and you can claim a $140 consultation voucher You'll receive a consultation lasting about an hour and if you opt for acupuncture that's included too—making it a truly substantial package Dr Wang is very down-to-earth This isn't about trying to attract people to make money or anything like that—it's really not like that at all If you're interested in traditional Chinese medicine and feel you can trust it just give it a try and see for yourself He has clinics in both SUNVILLE and FREEMONT To get this coupon visit our website which is fm961 net On the homepage you'll see the image of his clinic Click to get it for free and you'll receive a coupon worth $140 listeners in need We'd recommend you give it a try—yes this is our response to a listener's question Dr Hu as we just mentioned this refers to the period when spring transitions into winter Taking some action truly helps regulate yin energy —could it reboot our body Whether or not to do something really depends on maintaining an open mindset during spring which is the most important thing That's why the ancient text *Huangdi Neijing* says "reward rather than punish"—what it means is that you should maintain a mindset of interest in everything and always find things enjoyable And don't hate it dislike it or be troubled by it If you approach it this way then this is the most fundamental method of health preservation Health preservation is essentially about nurturing the processes of growth development storage and conservation—the very essence of life That is during the year human beings experience growth in spring followed by development in summer during this spring and summer period one must fully open their mind and heart Never carry any grudges about anything that way a person can live smoothly and happily throughout the entire year If you want to make your life even smoother Could there be a need to say regularly stimulate the liver meridian inside the thigh Or perhaps the yuan point on the sole of the foot which also corresponds to the liver meridian Is pressing this really helpful do you think Of course these are already terms we use casually being somewhat familiar with them So speaking from a more comparative standpoint now He means that before even reaching the expert level one should already be talking about this He said that if during spring one could do as just mentioned then that would be considered the way of cultivating life Keep this Dao of养生 in your heart and treasure it If you claim not to follow this path meaning you deliberately choose to harm steal take life or cause destruction then at that moment life cannot flourish That's why it's said you've damaged your liver now what is the liver Look in our body the liver governs the tendons so if the liver is affected your tendons become prone to injury A so-called muscle injury refers to this connection between bone joints known as tendons which are prone to damage if injured you'll notice how easily it affects your movement Here it aches there a muscle twitches how about over there—this situation would be problematic If you could go with the flow then you could say that the plan for the year lies in spring You could have a smooth and prosperous year ahead —so why not just go with that approach Alright let me add a bit more: for instance regarding the wholesale suspended sentence you mentioned— Or massaging the scalp—would that be okay too Yes exactly because in that case the whole person can truly feel relaxed and loosening up the hair is essentially the same as releasing tension throughout the head That's right in ancient China people used to tie their hair into a knot on top of their heads and when spring comes you see You can relax when you'ready—just let me tell you your mood will instantly feel lighter and more at ease That's right so Dr Hu emphasizes above all else: simply focus on improving your mood Begin expressing yourself like all things do—does that mean your vital energy starts rising freely unobstructed Is that the idea Because in Chinese medicine this is known as spring's rising yang summer's flourishing yang autumn's gathering yang and winter's storing yang—spring summer autumn and winter represent the essence of dispersion The more you cultivate and nurture life the more you foster the vital energy that allows you to live happily and joyfully—this is the best way Alright it's time for another break Our hotline number is 888-275-1628 Listeners with questions are welcome to call in Or text 888-275-1628 Hello dear listeners welcome back to Mingyi Hunan Medical Hotline Our guest today is the renowned traditional Chinese physician Dr Hunan Wen The hotline number is 888-275-1628 You can also send a text message to this number if you have any questions Dr Hu welcomes you back How about this—let's return to the concept of wellness itself wellness means nurturing this vital essence of growth and preservation allowing it to flourish as fully as possible—that's truly ideal Dr Hu we have a message from one of our listeners: there's an elderly person who is already 90 years old and whose health has now become extremely frail to the point where they can hardly stand Need someone to help him stand — feels like his energy is really low — what should be done about this If possible regarding this situation — As people age especially reaching 80 or 90 their skin and kidneys tend to become weaker in general In Traditional Chinese medicine kidney and spleen deficiency can be addressed through certain methods such as replenishing vital energy—specifically by strengthening the spleen's qi If you find life too dull maybe consider living a life with slightly more intensity—like increasing the number of experiences you have And if you're talking about eating then Compared to other foods those that help cultivate and sustain this energy are better of course your need for protein or starch and other nutrients is also important These things are already more than enough—don 't even think about giving too much because it can't digest or absorb them properly so no matter how much you give it won't help You'd better off eating small amounts more frequently —just a little at a time many times a day—this might help a bit more especially if you also nourish yourself in ways that support overall well-being A traditional Chinese medicine formula known as Huan Shao Dan strengthens both the spleen and kidneys essentially a highly effective prescription for promoting youthful vitality—worth trying Thank you for your response So actually on our FM96 1 radio station's website—just mentioned FM96 1 net—we've carefully selected several life products for you For example there's GeneX's Western Forest Black Gold from Canada—it's cooked down into a thick paste—and another one from South Korea called the Forest Yellow Trio Inside there are pieces of Korean human tissue plus intact bodies plus whole bodies—could you please have Dr Hu also explain this briefly For example this elderly person here— I noticed she mentioned she's a woman who's very sensitive to cold in her case what kind of food would be smoother and more suitable Given her condition Using Black Gaoz might flow more smoothly especially since age makes it harder to absorb but this ointment formulation is easily absorbed and thanks to the Black Gaoz it works even better Typically a little honey or sugar is added which helps warm and nourish the spleen and stomach since it's been cooked it becomes a tonic that you're familiar with Take that liquid from above then slowly evaporate it using heat until it becomes a thicker sticky substance—this kind of material is gentle on the digestive system and doesn't harm the spleen or stomach so I think this would probably be the most suitable option Also occasionally having a bit of ginseng chicken soup is beneficial—it nourishes collagen and strengthens the spleen which is ideal Good now another product— The ginseng trio set uses Korean ginseng which also contains a type of yellow crown prince root and it's similarly cooked down into a paste -like consistency but it's Korean red ginseng Could this one be slightly warmer in nature Would that better for someone who feels cold easily Well of course—just a bit warming in nature But it should be neither too dry nor overly moist—either type of ginseng whether black ginseng or Korean ginseng works well Of course using American ginseng which is known as "Citigroup ginseng " is also fine—it's just slightly cooler in nature—but in actual practice after simmering stewing and boiling Then this one has the effect of strengthening the spleen Naturally as mentioned earlier Korean ginseng is slightly warmer in nature which makes it even better for older people Alright speaking of tonifying the body like Yellow Flag it also tonifies qi right But the way it tonifies differs from ginseng either in the specific area it targets or in the strength of its effect How people choose this is hard to say really because it's somewhat more specialized Ginseng and Huangqi for instance—Huangqi is what we typically refer to and it needs to go through certain processing steps If the yellow banner in question is made using a supplement then such a yellow banner once processed would be for example one made using honey or similar substances That yellow flag indicates more imbalance so your body appears more vulnerable on the surface— essentially meaning weaker immunity—making you prone to catching colds or developing skin-related issues In that case it's better to use raw yellow flags if your condition is more internal especially in older individuals then you should use the processed kind Honey-processed yellow flag is somewhat better the same applies to ginseng which comes in both raw and processed forms with the processed version being less common Herbs that undergo more processing have different effects accordingly Thank you Dr Hu for your insightful explanation For the average person There's no need yet to take such strong qi- tonifying herbs in spring are there any practical and suitable foods we can choose that you think are particularly appropriate for this season Spring is ideal for nourishing health so it's best to focus on foods that promote vitality and renewal—such as spring rolls which Chinese tradition particularly emphasizes during this season How about this spring roll A spring roll is made by wrapping ingredients in a spring roll wrapper such as bean sprouts leeks celery and so on all of which are relatively easy to grow Foods that grow more quickly are included in this and while we refer to this as folk tradition it actually incorporates the principles of health preservation which is why many people enjoy it at this time Eat some greens like chives or bean sprouts to boost your body's vital energy for growth Good Now regarding the five flavors generally speaking Sourness corresponds to the Liver in the Five Elements so shouldn't we reduce sour foods in spring That's correct The Five Elements—Wood Fire Earth Metal and Water—correspond to sour bitter sweet pungent and salty tastes respectively Eating it in moderation is beneficial but consuming too much causes the acidity to constrict and block which then hinders the practice of healthy living You want it to grow upward after all But if you're overly critical and keep pushing it down that's counterproductive However if you offer it just the right amount in moderation that's actually beneficial not harmful So you see when we Chinese eat food—whether it's dumplings or noodles—we often add just a little bit of vinegar but if you add too much it's not good right Just the right amount So for things that are slightly spicy or have a hint of heat like onions green onions scallions or other pungent ingredients with a sharp flavor Would it better for spring It should be fine— because gathering in your vital energy early and then releasing it later isn't inherently bad but in the end whether it's sour bitter or fresh it's all the same Moderation is key Alright so this is spring—here are some dietary considerations to keep in mind Doctor Hou if you're feeling like you still want to nourish yourself as if it were winter Then you might feel like spring is stirring again so if you'd like to refresh your diet—say have a nourishing soup—do you have any classic recipes to recommend It's more appropriate at this point in time this season is also the most suitable as previously mentioned—spring brings growth summer sees it flourish autumn is for harvest and winter is for rest What's good to grow in spring You know like bean sprouts Bean sprouts can be stir-fried or used in soups—they're both delicious This seems to be something the Koreans understand best This kind of bean sprout soup or kelp soup well there's certainly some logic to it so you might as well give the kelp sprout soup or this so-called bean sprout soup a try Bean sprouts mung bean sprouts—any kind will do Chinese New Year is just around the corner Everyone's busy stocking up on New Year supplies So whenever the Lunar New Year comes around You inevitably end up eating some heavier richer foods foods that are more greasy and heavy Do you have any advice on this Dr Hou Honestly I don't have any particular thoughts on this matter Because during the Lunar New Year period people typically revisit the activities done in winter specifically during the twelfth lunar month such as making dried meat dried sausages and various other preserved foods Now's a good time to properly nourish your five organs Still it's best to practice moderation Don't eat too much just because it's delicious After all no matter how good it is it's still the first choice It must contain a bit more salt than usual and possibly some other additives too—like preservatives or similar substances —so be careful That's right—moderation is still the old saying Good point Dr Hou A listener asked a question but we're out of time Let me briefly mention it please address it next time He asked "Doctor Hou many traditional Chinese medicines contain sulfur and similar substances—what kind of technical processes are involved How can we avoid them What about traditional Chinese medicines in Taiwan Could you briefly answer that in one sentence " It's really hard to tell why— if it's been treated with sulfur when you buy it just smell it and you'll immediately notice that sour odor then go check out another store Is there a better option But without adding sulfur or similar additives Then what about it We' re worried it might contain other preservatives instead Still maybe it's acceptable But regardless proceed with caution—better to take less medication than risk harm When you need to take medication go to a pharmacy you deeply trust—one that offers products free from preservatives sulfur and similar additives Alright we'll have Dr Hou return next time to discuss this in more detail How to choose medication in Taiwan