Health Preservation and Four Seasons

by Alex Yuan-Da Chen, L.Ac., O.M.D., Ph.D.

According to Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), the human body and the environment are a whole. When the nature has any changes, what follows afterward are the corresponding changes and impacts in the human body. Therefore, along with climatic fluctuations, the ways to preserve good health and prevent diseases should be also varied. The notion of 因時順養 Yin Shi Shun Yang (keeping good health based on the times and seasons), developed by the imperial doctors in their mission of preventing illness in the royal family, emphasizes the importance of changing ones living habits in order to fit the seasonal changes in the environment. In particular, they had discovered that our five internal organs function differently depending on different seasons in nature. For instance, based on the theory of Five Elements, spring belongs to wood, which corresponds with the Liver. Accordingly, during spring time when the whole earth is flourishing, it is the best time to nourish the Liver organ. When summer comes, the temperature is at its highest, representing the fire in the Five Elements; as a result, summer is the best time to nourish the Heart organ. Based on the same idea, autumn belongs to metal, which corresponds to the Lung organ; therefore, autumn is the best time to nourish and care for the Lung. Lastly, winter is the time to nourish the Kidney organ since winter belongs to water and water corresponds with the Kidney. Ideally, if we can follow the guidelines and adjust our daily life to fit these changes of four seasons, we will lead a better life with optimal health.

Now, you may start wondering what the essential guidelines are that we should follow in our life- style and diet to promote long-lasting, illness-free life. Here are some of the guidelines you can grasp to achieve the goal of 因時順養 Yin Shi Shun Yang.

SPRING: Represents the concept of birth

Key Principle of Health Preservation:
- Good time to nourish Liver

Daily Life:
- Sleep late and wake up early; sleeping too much in spring time could harm yang
- Open up your emotion; be happy and acceptable; yang is coming out little by little
- Watch out for sudden temperature drop
- Sleeping sensation is carried over from winter

Diet:
- Take more pungent, acrid, as well as sweet food (e.g., ginger, onion, chives, garlic and leeks)
- Avoid sour food or any astringent-type of food that will induce Liver fire and in turn, hurt Spleen

Herbs: Yu Jin, Yan Hu Suo, Gou Qi Zi, Ma Chi Xian, Dao Zao

SUMMER: Represents the concept of growth

Key Principle of Health Preservation:
- Good time to nourish the Heart
- Summer is the time to accumulate yang qi, increase the immune system, and be ready for winter
- Calm shen (spirit)

Daily Life:
- Sleep late and wake up early
- Good to take an hour nap, especially for elderly people
- Drink enough water (temperature between 8ºC ~ 13ºC) to compensate the loss of fluids

Diet:
- Take bitter food and food that can expel the summer heat (e.g., celery, balsam pear, lotus seed, pumpkin, and melons)
- Take food that contains a lot of vitamins (A, C, E)
- Avoid taking cold food, such as drinking cold milk or juice for breakfast, which will harm Stomach qi in the long term
- Avoid spicy and greasy food

Herbs: Xi Yang Shen

AUTUMN: Represents the concept of senility

Key Principles of Health Preservation:
- Good time to nourish the Lung and yin qi because this is the time when yin qi is growing over yang qi
- Reserving and nourishing the internal yin are the key task in this season.

Daily Life:
- Sleep early and wake up early

Diet:
- Take sour food; sour food has astringent effects on the Lung
- Avoid spicy food

Herbs:
- Use Sha Shen, Mai Dong, Bai He, Xing Ren and Chuan Bei Mu for dry cough
- To increase immune system, use Ling Zhi, Yu Ping Feng San

WINTER: Represents the concept of death

Key Principle of Health Preservation:
- Good time to nourish the Kidneys

Daily Life:
- Sleep early to nourish the yang qi and wake up late to nourishing the yin qi
- Good to wake up AFTER sun rises
- Try to conserve your essence and energy

Diet:
- Take more meat or animals' internal organs
- Avoid any cold food that could harm yang qi in the Stomach and Spleen

Herbs:
- Use Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, You Gui Wan for people with yang deficiency and frequent micturition
- Use Sha Shen, Mai Dong, Bai He, Gou Qi Zi, Qi Ju Di Huang Wan, Da Bu Yin Wan, and Zuo Gui Wan for Kidney yin deficiency

According to the Chinese medicine, these adjustments in our daily activities and diets based on the changes of the four seasons throughout the year can enhance various body functions, adjust the five internal organs in human body, build up disease-resistant ability, regulate yin-yang balance, and prolong life. This focus of advocating health preservation instead of disease treatment is one of the major distinguishing differences between Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

About the Author:

Alex Yuan-Da Chen, L.Ac., O.M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Alex Chen is a master of herbs, qi gong and tui-na. He has taught at South Baylo University, Yuin University and Royal University of America as well as teaching numerous professional and continuing education seminars in the U.S. and abroad. His love for Oriental Medicine is evident through his life-long devotion to the profession, and reflected by the passion and dedication he embodies, and the inspiration he provides to his children to pursue the same career path.

To learn more about health preservation and disease prevention, Dr. Alex Chen is speaking on the following topics for Lotus Institute. All classes are approved for 8 CEUs/PDAs by the California Acupuncture Board, Illinois Acupuncture Board, and NCCAOM.

Class by the Author:

Key Elements to Anti-Aging & Longevity

• 8/22/09 Oakland, CA