Health Information

Three Tips for Nourishing Your Bones During the Dragon Boat Festival: Cultivate Health, Nurture Yang, and Enjoy Well-being

Release Date:

2023-06-22 23:07

The Dragon Boat Festival arrives in midsummer, when the days grow longer and the air grows crisp.

 

According to legend, in ancient times the fifth month of the lunar calendar was regarded as an “unlucky month,” characterized by humid, sweltering weather and a high incidence of viral epidemics; thus, it was customary to dispel damp-heat and take preventive measures against illness.

 

In early May, the Dragon Boat Festival is not only a day to commemorate the great poet Qu Yuan, but also a time for preventing and warding off illness, avoiding plagues and toxins, and praying for health and longevity.

 

How can you best nourish your health and strengthen your bones during this festival? Pay attention to the following three things!

 

① Protect Yang Qi

During the hot summer months, days are long and nights are short. To align with nature’s shift from yang dominance to yin dominance, it is advisable to go to bed later and rise earlier; however, late bedtime should be moderate, preferably no later than 11 p.m.

 

According to the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this period is characterized by relatively robust yang energy, making it the optimal time for the body to lock in yang and dispel cold. Health preservation should therefore align with the summer’s inherent characteristic of yang flourishing externally, with particular attention paid to safeguarding yang qi. As the Huangdi Neijing states: “Nurture yang in spring and summer, and yin in autumn and winter, so as to attend to the root.”

 

② Heat Prevention and Cooling

In the summer heat, the skin’s pores open and become more permeable, making one susceptible to invasion by wind-cold and damp pathogenic factors; therefore, one should avoid exposing oneself to excessively cold air while sleeping. In air-conditioned rooms, the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors should not be too great, and one should especially avoid sleeping outdoors at night.

 

The living space should be kept cool: in the morning and evening, when outdoor temperatures are low, open windows and doors to ensure proper ventilation; at noon, when outdoor temperatures exceed indoor levels, keep windows and doors closed and draw the curtains.

 

Prefer light-colored clothing, and choose cotton or linen fabrics whenever possible. In addition, because the body’s metabolism is faster during this period and it loses more moisture, it’s essential to drink plenty of water. You can also replenish fluids by eating more fruits and vegetables, which help clear heat, reduce internal fire, cool the body, and relieve summer heat.

 

③ Eat zongzi and hang mugwort.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, the customary practices of eating zongzi and hanging mugwort are, in fact, rooted in important principles of health preservation.

 

Traditional zongzi typically contain glutinous rice, red dates, bamboo leaves, and other ingredients. Consuming zongzi can help tonify qi, warm the stomach, reduce fat, and lower blood pressure. This is because zongzi has the effect of neutralizing gastric acid, which can alleviate stomach pain to a certain extent. Moreover, eating zongzi can help soften and protect blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and reduce blood lipids and cholesterol levels.

 

When it comes to disaster prevention during the Dragon Boat Festival, mugwort is the most suitable choice. Its strong aroma effectively repels mosquitoes and other insects; moreover, as a quintessentially yang herb, it was traditionally regarded as a medicinal plant that attracts good fortune and wards off evil. Hanging it above the door is believed to safeguard the health and well-being of the entire family.

 

Over the passage of time, festive customs may seem merely habitual, but in reality they are imbued with the ancient wisdom of health preservation and life.

 

If you do these three things well, you’ll enjoy a healthy and peaceful Dragon Boat Festival! The national-level intangible cultural heritage “Pingle Guo Family Orthopedic Therapy” wishes everyone a safe and healthy Dragon Boat Festival!

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