Xiaoxue Season – Lesser Snow

Here, pouring rains meet cold weather and become light snow. The first snow in northern China reminds us of the approaching coldest time of the year.

Xiaoxue Season 小雪 is the twentieth of the  24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar and the second of the winter seasons. It continues the first month of winter, annually it begins on November 21-23 and corresponds to the second half of the month of the Pig. With the end of this season, around December 8-10, the Daxue Season, “Greater Snow” .

CLIMAT

With the arrival of the twentieth solar term of the Chinese agricultural calendar, a small amount of snow begins to fall, but it is not very cold yet. During this season, in most parts of China, the air temperature drops to 0 ℃ and below, the amount of precipitation will gradually increase, and conditions appear for the transformation of raindrops into weightless leisurely snowflakes. The amount of precipitation is small, the ground is still quite warm, so the snow lies at night, and during the day it quickly melts, which is why this solar term is called "Lesser Snow".

TRADITION

After the onset of the Xiaoxue season and the first small snowfalls, in most regions of China the air temperature drops sharply, the air humidity drops, but at the same time the weather is quite dry. Therefore, this season is considered perfect for drying meat and fish.

HEALTH

In winter, Yin prevails over Yang in nature. In order to be in harmony with nature, in winter it is desirable to be in a state of serenity, peace, modesty of desires. Winter is a time of rest and recuperation. However, do not get upset, it is important to remain optimistic, especially for people prone to melancholy. According to the doctrine of the golden middle, only those who do not go to extremes remain invincible.

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Regardless of age, starting from this small season, it is recommended to go to bed early and get up late. According to doctors of traditional Chinese medicine, even a few extra minutes of sleep also have a positive effect on health. Because early falling asleep nourishes the yang of the body, and late waking up nourishes the yin of our body. The balance between Yin and Yang in our body allows us to maintain strength, endurance, resistance to cold and various ailments, because Yin is like a material basis for Yang. That is why it is better to start an active day during this period with sunrise, and before sunrise it is better to take care of yourself with smooth movements and a minimum of emotions.

It is necessary to try to avoid hypothermia and stay in warm places and rooms. But do not hide in warm apartments from winter. Spend more time outdoors and do not neglect moderate physical activity, breathing exercises. Do not be afraid of low temperatures and cold wind. Dress according to the weather. Keep your pelvic organs warm, since according to Chinese medicine, the kidneys, bladder and bones are most vulnerable in winter. They are the easiest to catch a cold from hypothermia

DIET

In late November — early December, traditional Chinese medicine recommends refraining from eating cold and raw food. Scientists recommend using flour products and light snacks as antidepressants. Products rich in selenium, such as whole grain bread, chicken, seafood, etc., are also a perfect choice. 

At this time, it is recommended to eat lamb, beef, red meat, chicken and other warm foods. Cashew nuts, dried ripe euryale fruits with peel, Chinese yams, chestnuts, ginkgo biloba, walnuts — all these products are good for the kidneys.

Chinese medicine doctors recommend actively taking foods rich in folic acid. These are all dark green vegetables, such as spinach; fruits - kiwi, various citrus fruits, including citrus hybrids; oysters; well, and tofu, as well as nuts and legumes. Also, we must not forget about foods rich in B vitamins, these are whole grain breads, liver, fish, eggs, dairy products, fruits and greens.

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A glass of warm water in the morning on an empty stomach will help speed up metabolism and reduce blood viscosity. This glass of water will also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

From time to time, water can be replaced with decoctions and infusions. Thus, honey infusion moisturizes and removes toxins, daikon decoction reduces fever, removes inflammation, is a home diuretic that helps reduce high blood pressure, pear decoction moisturizes the lungs and stops coughing.

Bitter-tasting vegetables will be held in high esteem if you feel dry mouth and throat, dry skin. They will also be useful for the prevention of ulcerative stomatitis. These are celery, wuisong (a hybrid of celery and lettuce, Chinese 莴笋), bitter varieties of salad leaves, arugula and others.

Bananas and spinach are especially recommended during the Xiaoxue season. According to traditional Chinese medicine, bananas moisturize the lungs, stop coughing, moisturize the intestines, have a laxative effect, eliminate the feeling of heat and remove toxins. Bananas, due to the endorphins they contain, the hormones of happiness, can calm the nervous system and bring joy to people, and spinach improves mood.