As the Minor Cold arrives, how can patients with blood diseases stay healthy during the winter? Don’t miss this guide!

The Minor Cold solar term is approaching, which means the weather is about to enter the coldest "freezing mode" of the year.

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine states that "in spring and summer, nourish yang, and in autumn and winter, nourish yin". During the Lesser Cold season, nourishing yin and consolidating yang are key. For patients with blood diseases, this is a period that requires special care to prevent the condition from getting worse or causing new health problems.

How can patients with blood diseases take care of themselves scientifically during the Minor Cold season? Wang Hang, head of the Department of Hematology at Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine) , reveals the secrets for you.

1. Keep warm and prevent cold, the first line of defense for health

During the Minor Cold season, the temperature drops sharply, and the human body is easily stimulated by the cold, which leads to a decrease in immunity. For patients with blood diseases who are relatively weak, they need to pay extra attention.

Patients with blood diseases are advised to wear warm and comfortable clothing, especially to keep their head, neck, back and feet warm. They can wear hats, scarves and gloves when going out. At the same time, they should avoid prolonged exposure to cold environments and reduce the number of times they go out. If they need to go out, they should choose a warmer weather period and pay attention to non-slip to prevent falling and causing internal bleeding.

2. Indoor ventilation allows the air to “breathe”

Although winter is cold, indoor ventilation is equally important. Closing doors and windows can easily lead to poor air circulation, increasing the risk of bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with blood diseases open windows regularly every day to ventilate indoors to keep the air fresh. At the same time, pay attention to personal hygiene and wash hands frequently to reduce the chance of infection.

3. Work and rest properly to let your body enjoy "deep sleep"

Good work and rest habits help improve the body's immunity. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine advocates "sleeping early and getting up late, and waiting for the sun to come out." It recommends that patients follow the trend of the yang energy being hidden in nature, maintain a work and rest routine of going to bed early and getting up late, and allow the body to get enough rest and recovery.

4. Diet adjustment, both warming and tonifying and balanced

During the Lesser Cold season, the diet should be mainly warming and nourishing, and people should eat moderate amounts of foods that have the effect of warming and nourishing Yang, such as mutton, chicken, walnuts, sesame seeds, etc.; people with Qi deficiency should eat Qi-tonifying foods such as red ginseng and red dates; people with blood deficiency should eat blood-tonifying foods such as angelica and rehmannia.

At the same time, vegetables and fruits should be matched to maintain a balanced nutrition. For patients with blood diseases, excessive nourishment and overeating should be avoided to avoid adding burden to the body. When choosing ingredients, it is also necessary to combine them with one's own condition and gastrointestinal reactions and make reasonable combinations under the guidance of a doctor.

5. Exercise moderately to enhance physical fitness

Although winter is cold, moderate exercise is still necessary. Patients with blood diseases can choose to do gentle exercises indoors, such as walking, yoga, etc., to promote blood circulation and strengthen physical fitness. When exercising, you should be careful to avoid excessive fatigue and excessive sweating to avoid damaging the yang energy.

6. Keep a calm mind and avoid emotional fluctuations

During the Minor Cold season, the winter weather is gloomy and everything withers, which can easily make people feel depressed and anxious. Therefore, we should pay attention to regulating our emotions, keep our mood calm and happy, and avoid excessive mood swings.

Experts advise

Wang Hang, head of the Department of Hematology at Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (affiliated hospital of Hunan Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine), said: The Minor Cold solar term is a period that requires special attention for patients with blood diseases. At the same time, it is also recommended that patients with blood diseases go to the hospital for regular examinations and follow-ups in order to detect and deal with changes in their condition in a timely manner.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Zuo Xiaolan, Department of Hematology, Hunan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

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(Edited by YT)