小暑至，盛夏始！民间有“小暑大暑，上蒸下煮”的说法，小暑一到，头伏也来了！ 这也意味着一年中调养身体的黄金时间——“冬病夏治”正式拉开序幕！

Minor Heat’s here, and summer’s in full swing! As the old saying goes: "Minor Heat, Major Heat — we feel steamed and boiled!" With Minor Heat comes the first "fu" period of summer. This also marks the start of the golden time for healing — when we "treat winter ailments in summer"!

中医经典《黄帝内经》讲“春夏养阳”。小暑、三伏天，是自然界和人体阳气最旺盛的时候，全身的毛孔都张开了，这时候用温补的方法，就像借着一股强劲的东风，强壮身体的根基，等到冬天就不容易犯老毛病。

Traditional Chinese medicine classics like the Huangdi Neijing teach us to "nourish yang in spring and summer." During Minor Heat and Sanfu Days, nature and our bodies are brimming with yang energy. Our pores open wide, making it the perfect time to use warming therapies. It’s like catching a strong tailwind to strengthen your body’s foundation — so when winter comes, old health issues won’t bother you as much.

头伏养生方法多，比如“三伏贴”，把温阳药材贴在背上的穴位，能够激发身体的阳气。也可以用艾条的温热熏烤关键穴位，达到温暖经络的目的。拔罐、刮痧也能帮上忙，让气血运行更顺畅。

There are plenty of ways to stay healthy during the first fu period: For example, "sanfu patches" — herbal patches applied to acupoints on your back — help activate your body’s yang energy. You can also warm key points with moxa sticks to soothe your meridians. Cupping and guasha work great too, keeping your qi and blood flowing smoothly.

当然，小暑确实是个自然“排浊”的好时机，我们可以根据身体信号，进行针对性调理。对付“湿气重”，比如我们身体没力气，舌苔看起来又厚又腻的话，中医建议饮食上可以多吃点薏米、赤小豆、荷叶、茯苓、陈皮。如果有口干舌燥、舌尖红的信号，就要清解“暑热”，多吃苦瓜、绿豆、莲子心等，脾胃虚寒者少量食用。

Minor Heat truly is nature's perfect time for detoxing. We can tailor our self-care based on body signals. If you're dealing with heavy dampness, shown through symptoms like fatigue and a thick, greasy tongue coating, traditional Chinese medicine recommends eating more coix seed, adzuki beans, lotus leaf, poria, or dried tangerine peel. For those experiencing dry mouth and a red tongue tip, these signals indicate summer heat, so focus on cooling foods like bitter melon, mung beans, and lotus plumules, though people with weak digestion should consume these moderately.

暑气渐浓，正是调养好光景！那些冬天里的老毛病，在盛夏充沛的阳气下，迎来了化解的好时机。

Summer’s energy is peaking — make the most of it! All those wintertime aches, now’s your chance to ease them while summer’s yang energy is strong.

下个节气，咱们继续聊养生！ 感谢您的持续关注。

Next solar term, we’ll keep chatting about wellness! Thank you for your attention.