Welcome everyone to the second solar term of the Summer season. Many of you may have noticed the increase in temperature and in rainfall, which is why there’s that stuffy feeling. As the humidity is on the rise in the atmosphere, the body starts to accumulate dampness inside as well. Therefore, during the Small Full period, being only the start of the dampness built up, it is good to strengthen the Spleen so it can properly perform its task of removing dampness from the body.
How to Maintain -- Removing Spleen Dampness
The Spleen is in charge of regulating the quantity and quality of blood and circulation. It also coordinates with the kidneys to control fluid balance in the body. Removing dampness requires strong Yang energy, and during this time period (as well as the next solar term time frame) is when the Yang energy is the most abundant.
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Diet
It’s recommended to consume foods that are light, refreshing, and easy to digest. Foods that are of sweet-cold properties such as bitter melon, cucumber, bamboo shoots, etc to help get rid of summer heat. If your body constitution is more cold, it will be good to consume some mildly warm or hot property foods to balance the body.
Can use corn silk, winter melon, lotus root, poria, ginger, etc. It’s also good to cook up a pot of mung bean barley soup to enjoy (it can help with clearing heat and dampness).
Best to avoid foods that are too greasy/oily and heavy on dressing/sauces, for they will add too much burden to the digestive system. If the spleen and the stomach are dysfunctional, the dampness in the body will not be able to be expelled. This makes it more likely to cause symptoms such as heavy limbs, fatigue, insomnia, decreased appetite, nausea, and dizziness.
**Simple Cooking - Shredded Burdock Salad**
- 250g burdock
- 10 g goji berries
- 5g Sesame (white)
- 15g Salt
- 15ml vegetable oil (of any kind you prefer)
- 15g Sugar
- 15ml Mirin
- 15ml Vinegar
- 10ml Soy sauce
- 5ml Sesame oil
- Peel and shred the burdock, wash and soak in water for later use
- Boil a pot of 600ml boiling water, add salt and vegetable oil, add the burdock shreds and cook for 10 minutes. Pick up the shredded burdocks with a strainer and put on the side.
- Can put the goji berries through the hot water quickly as well.
- Put the burdock shreds into a mixing bowl, add sugar, mirin, vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir evenly, and add sesame oil. Slight mix it up a bit more.
- After platting the burdock shreds, sprinkle with goji berries and sesame seeds and let cool
Lifestyle
When the weather is humid and stuffy, it is easy to cause skin problems. Therefore, you should carefully dry your body and hair after taking a shower. Try to avoid seeking quick pleasure of coolness by standing in front of the fan/A.C. or consuming a large amount of cold beverage or food; it may cause diarrhea. It is also important to maintain an adequate amount of sleep.
Essential Oil Blend -- Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian
Cinnamon bark (3 drops)
[Siberian] Fir needle (15 drops)
Magnolia (3 drops)
Red Mandarin (15 drops)
[Arabian] Jasmine (1 drop)
Sea buckthorn (1 drop)
Cold-pressed sesame oil (30ml)
Like the name of this blend has already hinted, it is to be used along the Spleen Meridian. Apply this blend along the Spleen Meridian, starting from the big toe all the way to the inner thigh. Perform this massage at least three times per week.
In the morning and before sleep, continue to perform the stomach massage for 3 minutes using the Stomach Meridian and Spleen Meridian blend as well as the breathing exercise.
This sums up Xiao Man. Hope you all enjoyed it and find it beneficial. With the temperature on the rise, remember to stay hydrated. Continue to eat light, eat healthy and massage your Stomach and Spleen meridians to help you turn all those foods into energy for your body and "dry up" your body by getting rid of all the dampness.
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Once again I would like to thank Yu Wei Huang L.Ac for designing the character for Small Full (Xiao Man) and providing all of the great suggestions for this time period.
The essential oil blends are based off of the book "Four Seasons of Aromatherapy" by Elizabeth S.
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小滿相較於立夏的變化在於氣溫明顯升高、雨量增多、所以天氣將會變得更悶熱。在此時節依然會建議大家多活動身體，增加體內的陽氣。適時午睡，可以保持充足的體力。但是需避免劇烈運動，防止過度出汗而損傷陰液。
小滿的保養重點：健脾祛溼，清利暑氣
日用飲食:
飲食方面以清淡、清爽、好消化為主，並可以適當攝取一些屬性甘寒、或是甘涼的食物，例如苦瓜、竹筍、白蘿蔔、扁豆、黃瓜、青椒、牛蒡等等，以祛夏季暑氣。如果原本身體體質偏寒的人，則注意多選取一些性溫或性熱的食物來調整體質。
茶飲可用玉米鬚、冬瓜、蓮藕、茯苓、生薑等。炎熱的夏季，飲用涼爽的綠豆薏仁湯也是清熱利濕的好的選擇。
忌吃：油膩及重口味的食物會加重腸胃負擔。若脾胃運化功能失調，體內濕氣無法排出，則容易引起四肢沉重、疲勞、失眠、食欲下降、噁心、頭暈等症狀。
節氣食譜－涼拌牛蒡絲
材料：
牛蒡 250克
枸杞 10克
芝麻 5克
鹽 15克
食用油 15ml
糖 15克
味醂 15ml
醋 15ml
醬油 10ml
香油 5ml
牛蒡去皮切絲後洗淨泡水備用
煮一鍋約600ml滾水加入鹽和食用油，放入牛蒡絲煮10分鐘，待牛蒡絲撈起後，可將枸杞過水備用
將牛蒡絲撈起裝入攪拌盆中，加入糖、味醂、醋、醬油攪拌均勻，最後淋上香油再稍微攪拌一下
牛蒡絲盛盤後，撒上枸杞和芝麻放涼即可
生活習慣：天氣潮濕悶熱的時候容易因為濕氣會有皮膚問題產生，所以洗完澡之後要仔細擦乾身體及頭髮，應避免貪圖涼快而對著風扇直吹而感冒受涼，吃喝大量冰水冰淇淋則容易造成腹瀉。另外很重要的就是要保持充足的睡眠。
精油配方 - 足太陰脾經
中國肉桂 (3滴)
西伯利亞冷杉 (15滴)
厚朴 (3滴)
紅橘 (15滴)
阿拉伯茉莉 (1滴)
沙棘油 (1滴)
冷壓芝麻油 (30ml)
順著足太陰脾經, 從大腳指的隱白穴開始一直到腹股溝， 塗上精油配方， 用按摩器（撥經板/刮痧版等）或手指按摩。 每週至少按摩三次 。
早晚還是繼續腹部的按摩， 腹式呼吸和熱敷。 也可以繼續胃經的按摩。
以上就是這次關於【小滿】的養生建議，希望大家可以利用這段時間來保養，加強脾胃的功能。 我們下次【芒種】見啦！
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非常感謝中醫師黃昱瑋所提供有關【小滿】時期的養生方法還有可愛的插畫。
精油配方是來自沈莉莎的24節氣經絡芳療自療全書
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