Seasonal Wellness Tips for Qing Ming - Clear Brightness
Qing Ming is the fifth of 24 two-week solar terms that make up the ancient Chinese agricultural calendar. It begins between April 4th and April 6th each year.
It is said that, during Qing Ming, the sun will be bright and warm with a gentle breeze. Grass will grow long, willows turn green, and blossoms fill the trees with a gentle fragrance. Birds fly, insects hum, and people feel energetic and vital.
In reality, the weather can still be changeable at this time of year, and we may experience cold snaps lasting several days, especially in northern regions. Therefore, it is essential to take care of our bodies to avoid falling ill.
Read on for my top wellbeing tips for Qing Ming.
Spring Cleaning
The first day of Qing Ming is an important festival in Chinese culture. Also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, Qing Ming festival is a day to honour one's ancestors by visiting and cleaning their graves and making offerings.
This reverence for those who came before us feels like an interesting juxtaposition to the overall energy of spring, which is one of birth, growth, and new beginnings. It reminds us that it is crucial to acknowledge the past, without becoming stuck in it, in order to progress in the future.
Therefore, Qing Ming could be an ideal time to engage in some spring cleaning, both physically and metaphorically.
While the bright sunlight shows up the dust that has gathered over winter in our homes, we might also find ourselves looking at other issues we need to deal with before we can move forward in life.
So, why not give your home a spring clean, finish that task you have been putting off, or look at whether there is any emotional baggage weighing you down and stopping you from fulfilling your potential.
Spring is a fantastic time to address these things in order to start fresh and begin new projects with a clean slate.
Extinguish Fire
Spring is a time of increasing yang qi in the natural world. Sometimes, this can collide with the yang of the body, creating pathogenic fire.
There are differences in how this fire might affect us depending on our overall constitution as well as our age. Therefore, it is best to receive a diagnosis from a Chinese medicine practitioner to ensure we get the most appropriate advice. However, some general guidelines are as follows:
Children
Children are most prone to Lung fire in spring. Due to their developing immune systems, they easily catch colds, which can progress to fever and is especially dangerous for young children.
As well as eating foods like pears and radish to cool and moisten the Lung, they should increase their overall fruit and vegetable intake and avoid overly heating foods like meat and chocolate.
Young People
Young people are most prone to Liver fire in spring. They tend to have exuberant yang qi, which is likely to clash with the increasing external yang, causing an upward surge of energy and symptoms like headaches, irritability, a bitter taste in the mouth, and constipation.
Herbal teas are a beneficial way to cool and calm the Liver, including Xia Ku Cao (selfheal), Ju Hua (chrysanthemum), and Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle). Meanwhile, it is important to avoid hot and acrid spices like chilli, very sour foods, greasy or fried food, and seafood.
Middle Age
Middle-aged people are most prone to Stomach fire in spring. Middle age is often a time of increased stress, which can impact eating habits as well as straining the digestive system directly. Stomach fire is associated with symptoms like inflamed gums, bad breath, belching, nausea, acid reflux, and constipation.
Those affected by this pattern can try eating soup or congee made with mung beans and increase their intake of green and yellow vegetables and fresh, seasonal fruit. They should avoid eating spicy and greasy foods and smoking tobacco.
Elders
Older adults are most prone to deficiency fire in spring. This is the result of naturally declining Kidney yin, which results in an imbalance between yin and yang and symptoms such as back and knee pain, sweating, and insomnia.
Using yin-nourishing ingredients like red dates and tremella fungus to make congee or drinking Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle) tea may be beneficial. It is also important to avoid stimulants like sugar and caffeine.
Menopause
Menopause is often associated with Heart fire in spring. It can lead to an unstable mood and increased vulnerability to external stressors. This is usually the result of disharmony between the yin and yang of the Heart and Kidney and can lead to symptoms like irritability, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia.
Drinking Zhu Ye (bamboo leaf) tea and eating yin-nourishing foods, such as red dates, may be especially beneficial. As with deficiency fire, it is also important to avoid stimulants.
Something Fishy
As the temperatures increase, fish become more active, and this is traditionally considered a good time of year to up our fish intake. Fish has many nutritional benefits. It is high in protein with less saturated fat than meat and is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
However, there are growing concerns over eating fish, including sustainability and the increasing amounts of pollution in our oceans.
Eating smaller fish, such as mackerel and sardines, is considered one of the best solutions. These fish are more plentiful than larger species and, because they are lower down the food chain, they accumulate fewer toxins.
You can learn more about sustainable fish choices from the Marine Conservation Society, but if you would prefer a plant-based option, there are plenty to choose from.
Flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts are all considered good sources of omega-3, and eating a variety of nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains each day can help to ensure adequate protein intake.
For more personalised seasonal wellbeing advice, you can book a holistic health coaching session via the contact page.
References
买雯婷 (2011) 第一养生药膳 - Tangmark Publishing and Distribution, Beijing