Today is Grain in Ear | No matter how busy you are, don’t forget to read these health tips →

"When it rains continuously, you don't know that spring is gone; when it clears up, you realize that summer is deep." The Grain in Ear solar term arrived at 12:10 on June 5, Beijing time. At this time, the land in the north is golden, and the plums in the south of the Yangtze River are ripe in the misty rain. There is a poem that says, "From now on, you will not see the guest, and the plum rains are all over Jiangdong in the wheat harvest."

Grain in Ear, the official start of midsummer, marks the beginning of a busy farming season in southern China, where farmers harvest wheat and sow summer crops. Grain in Ear is not only a harvest season, but also a season for sowing hope.

The Origin of Grain in Ear

Grain in Ear is the ninth solar term in the twenty-four solar terms of the lunar calendar and the third solar term in summer. It usually falls around June 6, marking the official start of midsummer. Grain in Ear begins when the sun reaches 75° of the ecliptic longitude.

"Collected Explanations of the Seventy-two Marquises of the Lunar Calendar" states: "The fifth month festival means that the awned wheat can be planted." The "awn" in Mangzhong refers to the harvest of awned plants such as wheat, and the "seed" in Mangzhong refers to the season for sowing millet crops. "The awned wheat is ready to be harvested, and the awned rice can be planted." "Mangzhong" is also called "busy planting", and farmers also call it "busy planting". The arrival of "Mangzhong" indicates that farmers have begun their busy field life. Mang is the needle-shaped object at the top of the grass, and seed means sowing. Therefore, the meaning of "Mangzhong" is explained as "the awned wheat is ready to be harvested, and the awned rice can be planted." It involves both rice sowing in the south and wheat harvesting in the north.

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Grain in Ear needs attention

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1. Heatstroke It is summer now. In hot weather, the liver qi of the human body becomes weak and the heart fire becomes strong. At this time, coupled with high temperature and strong sunlight, it is very likely to cause heatstroke. Therefore, you should pay attention to avoiding the heat and drink more water.

2. Eczema: In summer, the rainfall increases and the humidity becomes high, which is easy to cause eczema. You need to try to keep the environment dry and clean, and pay attention to spicy and stimulating food, and eat less oily food.

3. Damage to the spleen . When the weather is hot, people often like to cool down with cold drinks. This will make the body become cold and damage the spleen and stomach, so you should try to eat less cold drinks.

In the hot summer, we will use air conditioners or fans to cool down when we get home. It is easier to catch a cold at this time. We need to be careful not to be too cool and do not let the fan or air conditioner blow directly on the body when sleeping. Keep warm on rainy days.

4. Colds In the hot summer, we will use air conditioners or fans to cool down when we get home. It is easier to catch a cold at this time. Be careful not to be too cool and do not let the fan or air conditioner blow directly on your body when you sleep. Keep warm on rainy days.

Key points of health preservation in Grain in Ear

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1. Keep a regular schedule and take a nap at noon

The period from Grain in Ear to Summer Solstice is the stage in the year when Yang energy gradually becomes stronger and Yin energy becomes hidden. It is important to pay attention to taking a nap in your daily life.

During the midnight hour (23:00-1:00 at night), Yin energy is at its strongest and Yang energy is weak. This is the time when the Liver Meridian circulates. Sleeping at this time can best nourish Yin and provide the best sleeping effect.

During noon (11:00-1:00 am), Yang energy is at its strongest and Yin energy is weak. This is the time when Qi and blood flow through the Heart Meridian. Sleeping at this time is the best way to nourish Yang.

Although it is necessary to go to bed late and get up early in summer, the sleeping time at night should not exceed 23:00. A short nap is suitable between 11:00 and 13:00 in the afternoon.

2. In the bitter summer season, eat bitter and drink sour food appropriately

The weather is hot during Grain in Ear, which consumes Qi and hurts body fluids. People often feel irritable and have poor appetite. This is called "bitter summer". We should focus on clearing away heat and purging fire, nourishing Yin and promoting body fluids. Therefore, the diet should be light, and avoid fatty and sweet foods to avoid "adding fuel to the fire".

Eating some bitter foods appropriately, such as bitter gourd, lotus seeds, kale, buckwheat, lettuce, etc., can clear away heart fire, relieve restlessness and calm the mind.

At the same time, you can drink sour plum soup, mung bean soup and other cooling drinks, as well as eat some sour and sweet seasonal fruits such as cherries, green plums, mulberries, etc., which can not only stimulate the appetite and strengthen the spleen, but also have the sour and sweet effect to restrain yin and avoid excessive sweat loss.

However, it is worth noting that bitter tastes are mostly cold, and most fruits are cold in nature. People with weak spleen and stomach should not eat too much of them. Such patients are advised to consult a professional doctor to reasonably adjust their health diet.

3. Calm your mind and don’t be greedy for coolness

During the Grain in Ear period, the weather is hot and the heart fire is rising. The main manifestations are as follows: "The tongue is the seedling of the heart", sores in the mouth and tongue may be caused by the heart fire rising; shallow sleep and irritability; yellow urine, or even dripping and painful. At this time, you should "calm your mind and cool down naturally", regulate your emotions, avoid being too excited, develop good sleeping habits, drink more water, and avoid "getting angry" due to excessive sweating and insufficient intake.

If you experience uncontrollable insomnia, emotional problems, mouth ulcers, etc., consult a professional doctor for treatment in a timely manner.

4. When dampness strikes, strengthen the spleen and remove dampness

There is abundant rainfall during the Grain in Ear season. The hot weather plus the abundant rainfall make the heat press down, the ground wet and the sky steaming, with alternating rain and clear weather, making people feel "suffocated". Man and nature are in harmony and unity. When nature is hot and humid, the human body will also be hot and humid, and symptoms such as fatigue, chest tightness and abdominal distension, heavy head and body sleepiness, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and increased vaginal discharge will easily occur.

We should focus on regulating the spleen and stomach, removing dampness and promoting good digestion.

It is recommended that you eat some foods that have the effect of removing dampness, such as: coix seed which can promote diuresis and eliminate dampness, strengthen the spleen and stop diarrhea, lentils which can strengthen the spleen and harmonize the middle, eliminate heat and dampness, winter melon which can clear away heat and promote diuresis, reduce swelling and detoxify, promote body fluid and relieve restlessness, and cucumber which can clear away heat and promote diuresis.

You can also do some health-preserving exercises to help the spleen and stomach function properly, such as Ba Duan Jin and Wu Qin Xi. For patients with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, you can seek acupuncture, ginger moxibustion and other treatments to warm the yang and strengthen the spleen, regulate the middle burner, enable the middle burner to play its hub role, and promote the function of water and grain in the whole body, and metabolize moisture in the body.

Source: Chongqing Tianji Network Co., Ltd.

Source: Comprehensive from Zhongliangda University of Science and Technology, Fuhe Health, Cangzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital

Audit expert: Li Zhigao

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