Introduction to the Winter Solstice
The time of the 2021 Winter Solstice: 23:59:09 on December 21, 2021, the 18th day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar in 2021.
The 2022 Winter Solstice time: December 22, 2022 05:48:01, the 29th day of November (small) in 2022 of the lunar calendar.
The Winter Solstice is the 22nd of the twenty-four solar terms, usually on December 21st, 22nd or 23rd every year, and is one of the most important solar terms. The winter solstice signifies the coming of cold winter. On the day of the winter solstice, the sun shines almost directly on the Tropic of Capricorn. Our northern hemisphere has the shortest day and the longest night, and begins to enter the coldest days. After the winter solstice, the direct sunlight position gradually moves northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually become longer. As the saying goes: if you eat winter solstice noodles, one day will grow longer.
The Story of the Winter Solstice
Dou Zhi Wu, at this time, the Yin Qi begins to become bright, and the Yang Qi reaches its peak, the sun reaches the south, and the day is the shortest and the night is the longest in the northern hemisphere.
The three phases of the winter solstice
The first phase is when earthworms form knots, the second phase is when beetles are dissolved, and the third phase is when water springs move.
The winter solstice ranks 22nd among the twenty-four solar terms. Around December 22 every year, the winter solstice officially arrives. At this time, the sun moves to 270° of the celestial longitude. In ancient times, the winter solstice Also known as "short day" or "short day arrival". As early as the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,700 years ago, the wise working people had used Tugui's method of observing the sun to determine the accurate time of the winter solstice. Therefore, the winter solstice is the first of the twenty-four solar terms to be "finalized".
On the winter solstice, the northern hemisphere has the longest night and the shortest day. After that, the direct sun point gradually moves northward, so the days in the northern hemisphere slowly become longer again. When the winter solstice arrives, low temperatures are common in China, especially in the northern region, where the average temperature has dropped to below minus 10°C. Even south of the Yangtze River, the average temperature is only 6°C to 8°C.
Around the cold winter solstice, the human body’s digestive and respiratory capabilities become stronger, so the demand for nutrients will also become higher. It is perfect to maintain health at this time. However, it is also reminded that health maintenance needs to be carried out in combination with the characteristics of solar terms and physical conditions to achieve significant results and achieve the purpose of longevity. What to eat during the Winter Solstice
1. This is a good time to take winter supplements. Winter supplements can be appropriately selected to prevent disease and strengthen the body, such as angelica root, rehmannia glutinosa, wolfberry, peony, atractylodes, and poria. , jujube, lotus seeds, Gorgon fruit, yam, Ligusticum chuanxiong, ginseng, Panax notoginseng, Eucommia ulmoides, Polygonum multiflorum, Purple River Chew, Cordyceps sinensis, etc. Angelica rehmannia, wolfberry, atractylodes, poria, jujube, lotus seeds, gordon yam, Chuanxiong, ginseng, field eucommia, purple henge, cordyceps 2. You should eat sesame seeds, walnuts, beef tripe, sheep tripe, sheep bones, chicken, snake meat, fish, longan, lychee, and chestnuts. , peanuts, goat milk, soy milk, etc. Sesame, beef tripe, sheep tripe, lamb bones, chicken, snake meat, fish, longan, lychee, chestnuts, peanuts, goat's milk and soy milk
1. Eat less traditional Chinese medicine with cold properties, such as honeysuckle, mint, chrysanthemum, Luo Han Guo, stout seaweed, cassia seed, and Imperata cogongrass root. wait. Honeysuckle, mint, chrysanthemum, mangosteen, stout sea cassia and Imperata cogongrass 2. Eat less cold food and cold drinks, such as clams, mussels, crabs, snails, mung beans, mung bean sprouts, raw lotus roots, raw and cold melons and fruits, ice beer, etc. River clams River clams crabs snails mung beans mung bean sprouts lotus root ice beer
◎Winter Solstice, what kind of dumplings are suitable for you
There is a saying in northern my country that "If you don't serve dumplings in the winter solstice, no one will lose their ears from the cold." The saying "Guan" shows that eating dumplings on the Winter Solstice is a long-standing traditional custom. Because the fillings of dumplings are a combination of meat and vegetables, they are rich in nutrients, and the cooking methods of steaming and boiling can also ensure that nutrients are not lost to the greatest extent. It can be said that it is a very healthy food. Here, nutritionists recommend several kinds of dumpling fillings based on the characteristics of different groups of people. You may wish to "take the right ones" and eat more dumplings before and after the winter solstice.
Carrot stuffing: Carrots are rich in carotene, which can play a role in digestion, elimination of stasis, and intestinal drainage, and are easily absorbed, so they are especially suitable for the elderly.
Shrimp filling: Shrimp meat is rich in protein, trace elements and unsaturated fatty acids. It has low fat content and is easy to digest. It is suitable for children, the elderly and people with dyslipidemia.
Beef and celery stuffing: Beef is rich in protein, and celery is rich in dietary fiber, which has the effect of lowering blood pressure, so this stuffing is especially suitable for patients with high blood pressure.
Mutton and cabbage stuffing: Mutton is one of the "magic weapons" for health preservation in winter. This filling is helpful to improve the body's ability to withstand cold, and is especially suitable for people with Yang deficiency during the winter solstice.
Pork and radish stuffing: It has the effects of moistening dryness and nourishing blood, promoting qi and dispersing cold, and is especially suitable for manual workers.
Leek and egg filling: rich in dietary fiber, suitable for those with light taste.
◎A chicken on the ninth day will bring good health in the coming year
Everyone knows that in winter, we should "count nine", and the winter solstice happens to be the first day of "counting nine". The so-called " "Counting nine in winter" means that starting from the winter solstice, every nine days will pass by nine, and every nine days will be nine. After 99, spring is coming. "A chicken during the ninth lunar month will bring good health in the coming year" is a popular winter nourishment method among the people. After the winter solstice, the weather is getting colder, and the human body's demand for calories and nutrients has greatly increased. At this time, eating more nutritious chicken can resist the cold, strengthen the body, and ensure that people welcome the arrival of spring healthily.
Chicken is recognized as a good winter tonic. If you choose to eat chicken to supplement your health before and after the winter solstice, the best way is to make chicken soup. Chicken soup can improve the body's immunity and help healthy people resist the invasion of influenza viruses; for people who are already suffering from the flu, drinking more chicken soup can also relieve symptoms such as nasal congestion and coughing. However, it is important to note that most of the calories and various nutrients are still "hidden" in the chicken, so you should drink soup and eat meat at the same time, so that the tonic effect will be more obvious.
The most important foods to eat during the Winter Solstice
Dog meat
Health benefits
Dog meat can replenish qi, warm the kidneys and boost yang. , is one of the best choices for winter supplements.
Picky eating standards
The skin of high-quality dog ??meat is white, the meat is bright red and the smell is relatively strong.
Eat well
First, rub the dog meat repeatedly with white wine and ginger slices, then soak the dog meat in diluted white wine for 1 to 2 hours, and finally wash the processed dog meat with clean water. Clean it, put it in a hot oil pan and fry it slightly before cooking, which can effectively reduce the fishy smell of dog meat.
Only when appropriate
50g/time.
Effective supplement
Dog meat soup with corn silk and slices
●Ingredients: 250 grams of dog meat, 50 grams of corn silk, and 10 grams of corn silk.
●Seasoning: Appropriate amounts of cooking wine, ginger slices, green onions, salt, MSG, chicken oil, and pepper.
●Method
① Boil the attached slices in water for 1 hour and take them out; wash the dog meat, blanch the blood and cut into pieces; wash the corn silk.
②Put corn silks, diced tuna, dog meat, cooking wine, ginger slices, and green onion segments into a stew pot, add 1500 ml of water, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low heat and simmer for 50 minutes, add salt, monosodium glutamate, and chicken oil , pepper can be used.
Peanuts
Health effects
Winter Solstice health care focuses on consolidating the foundation and nourishing the yang, so nourishing the kidneys is the top priority of winter solstice health care. Heavy. Peanuts have the functions of nourishing the kidneys, moisturizing dryness and keeping out the cold, making them very suitable for consumption during the winter solstice.
Picky eating standards
High-quality peanuts are plump and the kernels are brightly colored.
Eat wisely
Boiled peanuts are easy to digest and can ensure that nutrients are not lost to the greatest extent.
Enough is enough
80~100g/time.
Effective tonic
Stewed chicken feet with cistanche and peanuts
●Ingredients: 6 chicken feet, 50 grams of peanuts.
●Seasoning: Cistanche deserticola, ginger slices, salt and rice wine in appropriate amounts.
●Method
① Wash the chicken feet, blanch them and set aside; soak the Cistanche deserticola in rice wine for a while; wash out the peanuts and soak them in cold water for a while.
②Put the chicken feet, peanuts, Cistanche deserticola, rice wine, and ginger slices into the pot, pour in an appropriate amount of cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes. After opening the lid, add an appropriate amount of salt and rice wine. Just season.
Stewed peanuts with garlic
●Ingredients: 200 grams of peanuts.
●Seasoning: 80 grams of garlic cloves, appropriate amounts of tangerine peel and salt.
●Method
① Wash the peanuts.
②Pour an appropriate amount of cold water into the pot, add garlic cloves, peanuts, and tangerine peel, and bring to a boil over high heat.
③Simmer over low heat for 1 hour and add salt to taste.
Papaya Peanut Cheese
●Ingredients: 100 grams each of cooked peanuts with skin and papaya, 50 grams each of sago and glutinous rice, and a few raisins.
●Seasoning: appropriate amount of white sugar.
●Method
①Peel, seed and dice the papaya.
② Soak sago in cold water for 2 hours, put it in a pot and cook until transparent, wash with water and drain.
③Put the cooked peanuts with skin into a grinder and beat into paste, then filter into peanut slurry.
④ Wash the glutinous rice, soak it in cold water for 2 hours, put it into a grinder and beat it into a paste, and filter it into glutinous rice slurry.
⑤Pour cold water, glutinous rice milk, peanut milk into the pot, add papaya grains and raisins, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer until thickened, add sago and white sugar, bring to a boil over high heat.
Spiced peanuts
●Ingredients: 250 grams of peanuts.
●Seasoning: appropriate amounts of salt, pepper powder, cumin, and cinnamon.
●Method
①Put peanuts, salt, pepper powder, cumin and cinnamon in a basin, add water until the peanuts are covered, stir well and marinate for about 2 days. Remove the peanuts and decant the brine and set aside.
②Put peanuts and brine into the pot, bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the peanuts and drain.
③ Let the peanuts cool or air-dry. The Fundamentals of Maintaining Health in the Winter Solstice
◎Nourish Yang during the Nine Cold Days
In the traditional Chinese theory of yin and yang and the five elements, there is a saying that "Winter Solstice generates yang and spring comes again". It can be seen that "Winter Solstice" and The relationship between "Yang Qi" is extremely close. After the winter solstice, the yang energy in the human body gradually increases and the yin energy decreases accordingly. Therefore, health preservation at this time should take into account both yin and yang, or nourish yin on top of yang, which is what Chinese medicine calls "seeking yin from yang." At the same time, since Yang Qi gradually germinates around the winter solstice, special attention must be paid to replenishing Yang Qi and strengthening the body. Only when the Yang Qi in the body is sufficient can the body be healthy and disease-free, and then be able to live longer.
To maintain health during the winter solstice, you must first pay attention to keeping warm. In the early morning and at night when the temperature is the lowest, try not to go out. When going out during the day, you should pay attention to adding more clothes, especially your head and feet, and add an extra layer of bedding when sleeping. Secondly, we must adhere to the 20-point policy of "not walking fast, not listening too hard, not looking too hard, not sitting too long, not lying too tired" in daily life, and maintain a healthy work and rest routine. Third, we should follow the principle of eating less and more meals, and eat more warm foods to protect the spleen and kidneys.
◎Only those with deficiency symptoms need to take major supplements
As the saying goes, "If you take advantage of the severe cold in March and September, you will have no pain in the next year." The cold winter solstice is a good time to take supplements.
Due to the cold weather in winter, the human body requires more calories and nutrients than in other seasons, and the body's metabolism is relatively strong. At this time, supplements are easily absorbed.
Of course, supplementation also needs to vary from person to person. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that people with chronic diseases, the elderly, or people who are weak or sub-healthy can be called people with deficiency syndrome. People with deficiency symptoms need major supplements, while people without deficiency symptoms only need small supplements. In addition, the so-called "deficiency syndrome" is divided into Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, etc. Different tonic methods must be adopted according to different types of "deficiency syndrome" to achieve the tonic effect, otherwise it will be counterproductive.
If you often feel tired, unwilling to talk much, or have a dull complexion, or even spontaneous sweating, a pale tongue, and a weak pulse, it is a sign of Qi deficiency. You can use raw ginseng, astragalus, etc. to replenish Qi. Nourishing medicinal herbs. If you find that your limbs are cold, your face is pale, you feel tired, or you even have excessive and clear urine, loose stools, and a pale tongue with white coating, it is a sign of yin deficiency. You can use red ginseng, velvet antler, cordyceps, fairy spleen, Cistanche deserticola, Walnut meat and other yang-tonifying medicines are used for nourishing. Daily health maintenance during the Winter Solstice
◎Wrap your head and face to avoid cerebrovascular diseases
In traditional Chinese medicine, there is a saying that "the head is the meeting point of all Yangs", which means that the Yang energy of the human body can easily rise And it gathers on the head and face, and it is easiest to spread out of the body through this part. In the cold winter, if we do not pay attention to protecting the head and face and expose them to the outside for a long time, our body heat will dissipate outward from here, resulting in energy consumption and damage to Yang Qi. In addition, under the stimulation of outside cold air, the blood vessels in the head can easily contract and the muscles will become tense, which can easily cause colds, coughs, headaches, rhinitis, toothache, facial paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia and other diseases, and even induce cerebrovascular disease. Disease, which in severe cases may lead to death.
Therefore, during the winter solstice, you must pay attention to keeping your head warm and windproof. As the saying goes, "Wearing a cotton hat every day is better than wearing a cotton jacket." It is best to wear a hat, mask, etc. to protect your head and face outdoors. In particular, do not let your head be blown by the wind, and try to avoid the breeze from the aisle. Even if you are not outdoors, you should pay attention to wind protection. For example, do not open the windows wide in the car, and do not sleep in a room with open windows at night. Don't blow cold wind after sweating, and don't go outdoors immediately to avoid catching a cold. When washing your hair, the water temperature should not be lower than 35°C. After washing your hair, wait for it to dry naturally or blow dry with a hair dryer before going outdoors.
◎Ninth cold weather, antifreeze work comes first
Low temperature and cold weather can easily cause frostbite, so antifreeze work should be done during the winter solstice before the Little Big Cold. Specifically, the following three points should be done to prevent frostbite:
First, prevent coldness. When the temperature drops, you should add clothes in time. Clothes and pants should not only have good thermal insulation performance, but also be soft and loose. They should not be worn too tight to prevent poor blood flow. In addition to using masks, earmuffs, hats, etc. to protect exposed skin, you can also apply some oily skin care products to reduce skin heat dissipation.
The second is moisture-proof. Clothes, shoes and socks should be kept dry and should be replaced in time if they get wet. If your feet are prone to sweating, you can rub some boric acid or talcum powder between the dry soles and toes after washing your feet to keep them dry.
The third is to prevent static. Exercise appropriately and avoid standing still for long periods of time, especially in cold outdoors. Less activity can easily lead to poor blood circulation, which can lead to a drop in body temperature. In addition, be careful not to squat for too long to avoid poor blood return.
These three points have a very good preventive effect on frostbite and severe frostbite. In addition, you can also use ginger slices to rub the skin areas that are prone to frostbite. Rubbing it twice a day can effectively prevent or reduce frostbite. The winter solstice regulates the mind and maintains health
◎The "four methods" for middle-aged and elderly people to maintain their mind
The winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night in the whole year in the northern hemisphere. After the winter solstice, it enters a period of The coldest phase of the year. Therefore, in order to strengthen their bodies and cultivate their moral character, middle-aged and elderly people should pay attention to resting their minds during the winter solstice. However, due to differences in age and mental state, middle-aged and elderly people’s methods of resting their minds are not exactly the same.
The "four ways" for middle-aged people to rest their minds:
Method 1: Stay objective. Be optimistic and open-minded, indifferent to fame and fortune, and don't care about trivial matters.
Method 2: Use your brain scientifically. Properly arrange things in your career and life, pay attention to the balance between work and rest, and give your brain a proper rest, so as to improve work efficiency.
Method 3: Appreciate others. Be good at discovering and learning the strengths of others, improving yourself, and looking at others with appreciation will make you more confident and happier.
Method 4: Listen to more music. Listen to music more in your spare time, and you will find that life is so beautiful, and a positive attitude will make you full of energy.
The "four ways" for the elderly to rest their minds:
Method 1: Be modest and open-minded. Elderly people should be open-minded and kind to others, so that they can feel comfortable and create a relaxed and cheerful living atmosphere.
Method 2: Love family. Elderly couples have been together for many years and have gone through the ups and downs of life. Therefore, they must understand and care for each other, and communicate more with younger generations to make family life more harmonious and happy.
Method 3: Be confident and self-reliant. The elderly should not only know that they are getting older and need to take good care of themselves, but at the same time they should maintain a young mentality, enrich their lives, and enrich their spiritual world.
Method 4: Be good at learning. The elderly should be exposed to and learn new things as much as possible. As the saying goes, "live until you are old and learn", and do not fall behind the times.
◎ "Stop with contentment" can make men live longer
As the saying goes, "Stop with contentment, so you can live forever", which refers to those who are not greedy and can do well. People who control their desires often live a long and healthy life. This recent study supports this idea.
This survey involved more than 20,000 adult men. The results showed that the higher the satisfaction with life, the easier it is for men to live longer. Scientists point out that the so-called life satisfaction refers to a person's overall satisfaction with life and career. This includes not only whether specific personal hobbies or interests can be fully satisfied, but also whether under certain circumstances it can produce A sense of happiness or frustration. Research shows that men who are not satisfied with life are twice as likely to die as men who are highly satisfied with their lives. They also have good social relationships such as a harmonious family, harmonious interpersonal relationships, regular physical exercise, and no addiction to tobacco and alcohol. Conditions and lifestyle habits can help men live longer. Winter solstice exercise to maintain health
◎Qin, chess, calligraphy and painting are also good for health
The winter solstice is a very important solar term, because on this day the yin and yang change, the yang energy in the human body begins to rise. At this time, extra care must be taken Yang Qi in the body. To protect the sun and strengthen the body, we must exercise. Therefore, even if the weather is cold, we must exercise appropriately so that our bodies can better adapt to climate changes. However, winter sports are about quietness, and it is not advisable to exercise too much, so playing the piano and playing chess indoors, or playing with ink are good choices for cultivating your body and soul in winter.
In ancient China, there were “Four Elegances”, namely piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting. These four activities accounted for a large proportion in traditional Chinese culture. They can not only cultivate noble sentiments, but also benefit people. Physical and mental health.
Qin ranks first among the "Four Elegant Musics", which is enough to show that music was highly valued by people in ancient times. The so-called qin mainly refers to playing the guqin. Elegant and beautiful music can not only bring happiness to people, but also have a positive physiological impact on the human body. Melody, rhythm, tone, etc. can stimulate the human body to regulate the brain and nervous system, thereby coordinating the normal operation of human organs and systems. Therefore, listening to more pleasant music can not only relax people's spirit, but also smooth their blood vessels, which is very beneficial to people's health and longevity.
Chess is highly praised by health experts because of its unique characteristic of "seeking movement in silence". They believe that playing chess can cultivate one's moral character. When playing chess, both players sit on one side of the chessboard. Their body movements are very small, but their thinking is extremely active. Playing chess requires players to be highly focused and eliminate distracting thoughts. Therefore, playing chess can make people forget their worries and relieve stress.
Moreover, playing chess is a sport full of wisdom. Playing chess regularly can also exercise people's thinking ability and make people better at thinking. Studies using ultrasonic measurement have found that people with active thinking have easier blood vessels to stretch, which can better maintain brain nerve cells, thereby improving thinking ability and memory, and delaying brain aging.
Calligraphy and painting can also cultivate people's sentiments well, and can also take care of the body, and truly play a role in making people healthy and longevity. The characteristic of calligraphy and painting is that it combines mental work with physical work, and "movement and stillness" complement each other, so as to achieve the purpose of maintaining health. When writing and painting, the author must keep his body upright, and flexibly use his hands, wrists, arms and other body parts to control the pen on the paper. At the same time, he must be fully focused and free from distractions. Therefore, every calligraphy and painting work is the author's wisdom and wisdom. The crystallization of calligraphy and painting skills. Moreover, calligraphy and painting emphasize the unity of the pen and the mind. After the author calms down, he quickly enters a relaxed state. When the work is completed, the author feels even more comfortable. If you persist in this way, you can not only improve your calligraphy and painting skills and gain a sense of accomplishment from creation, but also refine your mentality and make people detached and open-minded. The famous calligrapher Sun Mofo is 107 years old. He said: "Writing and painting are just an activity. Once you have it in your hand, all thoughts will disappear." With such a detached mentality, how can you not live longer!
Tips:
The activities that can help us cultivate our character and prolong our lives are far more than the four mentioned above: listening to music, playing chess, writing, and painting. Everyone should follow their own interests. , find activities you like and are willing to participate in, such as flower gardening, fishing, traveling, etc. Only by finding your own interests and doing things you like can you make your hobbies a means of maintaining your health.
◎ Regulate the spleen and nourish the heart
Efficacy: It has the effect of massaging internal organs and regulating the function of the spleen and stomach. It can prevent and assist in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system and cardiovascular system.
Method
1. Take a comfortable sitting position, straighten your legs forward, place your hands on both sides of your body, and breathe naturally. Stretch your arms forward, parallel to the ground, and interlock your fingers.
2. Keep your waist still, keep your arms horizontal, and lean forward.
3. In a clockwise direction, the arms drive the body to make a circular horizontal movement, simulating the posture of pushing a stone mill, and rotate about 10 times. Then do the counterclockwise grinding motion in the same way and turn it about 10 times.
◎ Whole body relaxation exercises
Effect: The body can get comprehensive rest and relaxation, and the emotions can be relaxed and peaceful.
Method
1. Lie prone, turn your head to the right, interlock your fingers and place them under your head. Bend your right leg away from the knee and keep your knee as close to your chest as possible. Move your arms with your left elbow pointing forward, your right elbow on your right thigh, and your head resting on the bend of your left arm. Breathe naturally and stay in this position for as long as possible.
2. Return to prone position, place your arms by your sides, palms upward, and feet comfortably apart. Close your eyes, relax your whole body, and breathe naturally and rhythmically.
Reminder
When doing this exercise, do the same number of times on both sides. 24 solar term table