Seasonal Wellness for Weight Management: A Guide to Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Care for Hypertension Sufferers

"The Three Highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol) go against the seasons, having the greatest impact.

The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic) also states: Going against the spring qi prevents the growth of Shaoyang, leading to internal stagnation of liver qi. Going against the summer qi prevents the growth of Taiyang, leading to internal deficiency of heart qi. Going against the autumn qi prevents the harvest of Taiyin, leading to scorched and distended lung qi. Going against the winter qi prevents the storage of Shaoyin, leading to the sinking of kidney qi. The yin and yang of the four seasons are the foundation of all things. Therefore, the sages nourish yang in spring and summer, and nourish yin in autumn and winter, following their roots; thus, they rise and fall with all things at the gate of growth. Going against the root is to cut off the foundation and destroy its true nature.

This means that going against the spring qi prevents the growth of Shaoyang, leading to internal stagnation of liver qi and disease. Going against the summer qi prevents the growth of Taiyang, leading to internal deficiency of heart qi. Going against the autumn qi prevents the harvest of Taiyin, leading to scorched and distended lung qi. Going against the winter qi prevents the storage of Shaoyin, leading to the sinking of kidney qi and diseases such as diarrhea.

The changes of Yin and Yang in the four seasons are fundamental to the life of all things. Therefore, sages nourish Yang energy in spring and summer to meet the needs of growth, and nourish Yin energy in autumn and winter to meet the needs of storage. By following the fundamental laws of life development, one can move and develop like all things in the process of birth, growth, harvest, and storage. If this law is violated, vitality will be damaged and the vital energy will be destroyed. Therefore, Yin and Yang and the four seasons are the end of all things, the foundation of prosperity, decline, survival, and extinction. Violating them will bring disaster, while following them will prevent serious illness. This is what it means to understand the way of health preservation. Sages can practice the way of health preservation, while fools often violate it.

What are the different health preservation principles for hypertension patients in different seasons? Hypertension patients need different health preservation methods in spring, summer, autumn, and winter to adjust their blood pressure levels: Spring has the most unpredictable climate of the four seasons, with the largest temperature difference between day and night, which can cause vasoconstriction and a significant increase or fluctuation in blood pressure; Spring is windy, and wind belongs to the liver, which can easily cause liver Yang hyperactivity and increase blood pressure. Therefore, the frequent occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is not surprising. Thus, it is especially important for hypertensive patients to regulate and stabilize their blood pressure and comprehensively protect their blood pressure health in spring.

Spring Health Preservation: Blood Pressure Lowering Principles
A light diet, low in greasy food and salt, is the basic principle for preventing and controlling hypertension in spring. Guided by this principle, hypertensive patients should eat less acidic food and more foods that nourish the spleen and stomach, such as poultry, eggs, lean meat, fruits, dates, and dried fruits; eat more fresh vegetables such as spinach, leeks, shepherd's purse, and onions, which can effectively lower cholesterol and reduce cholesterol deposition on blood vessel walls, thus facilitating blood pressure regulation; eat more sweet and warm foods, such as dates, corn, peanuts, and soy milk. In short, one should eat a varied diet, with a reasonable combination of staple foods, side dishes, refined grains, and meat and vegetables to achieve a balanced diet.

Eliminating Spring Fatigue and Relieving Fatigue for Better Blood Pressure Control
Hypertensive patients should go to bed early and get up early in spring to ensure sufficient sleep. However, one shouldn't get up too early. The ancient saying "rise at the crowing of the rooster" is no longer advisable. Instead, one should strive for daily progress, aligning with the rising Yang energy of nature to strengthen the body. Maintaining fresh indoor air and frequent ventilation are very beneficial for combating spring fatigue. A half-hour nap each day can also alleviate spring fatigue. Sufficient sleep is essential for blood pressure regulation and preventing stroke.

Springtime metabolism is rapid; replenishing water increases blood volume. Many nutrients must dissolve in water to be absorbed, and many metabolic products must also be excreted through the intestines and kidneys via water. Springtime is often windy and dry, leading to dehydration, which can thicken blood, increase vascular resistance, increase the burden on the heart, and raise blood pressure, potentially causing myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. Therefore, hypertensive patients should drink at least 2500mL of water daily to prevent the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Keeping warm in spring helps prevent spring chills; high blood pressure is not a problem. Given the existence of "late spring cold snaps," keeping warm in spring is essential. Hypertensive patients should especially dress warmly in spring to help regulate blood pressure. If you don't dress warmly enough, you'll catch a cold, which is like adding insult to injury for people with high blood pressure. However, dressing warmly should be moderate and timely, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. For the elderly and people with high blood pressure who have poorer regulatory abilities, clothing should not be simply about covering up, but rather should be added or removed according to the weather. In particular, wear a hat to protect your head, a vest to protect your back, and loose shoes and socks to protect your feet—that is, "take care of the head and back, and the middle."

Summer Health Preservation: Blood Pressure Lowering Principles

In the hot summer, people with high blood pressure often feel dizzy and have a headache, and some are even prone to strokes and heart disease due to the heat. People with high blood pressure should pay attention to summer health preservation to safely get through the summer.

Frequent Hydration in Summer to Prevent Qi and Yin from Leaving with Sweat

Because of increased sweating in summer, the blood becomes concentrated, and under conditions of slow blood flow, such as sleep or rest, blood clots are more likely to form. Therefore, it's important to ensure that hypertensive patients stay adequately hydrated in summer. Even when not feeling particularly hot, they should drink water frequently, especially when sweating heavily. Hypertensive patients with diabetes should primarily drink cool boiled water or light tea, while those without diabetes can increase their intake of fresh fruit.

Summer heat and low air conditioning temperatures can trigger illness.

Many hypertensive patients who normally control their blood pressure experience instability in summer, which is related to improper use of air conditioning. Some family members of hypertensive patients like to set the air conditioning very low, especially when returning home from outside, hoping to cool their family members down quickly. For hypertensive patients, this sudden change from hot to cold causes blood vessels to constrict abruptly, setting the stage for further increases in blood pressure. Furthermore, prolonged stays in air-conditioned rooms followed by the immediate heat outside cause blood vessels to dilate again, leading to constant fluctuations in blood pressure, which is detrimental to stabilizing the condition.

Sufficient sleep in summer is crucial for maintaining internal organ stability.

Blood pressure only decreases during sleep. In summer, when hypertensive patients experience decreased sleep quality, their nighttime blood pressure may rise, exacerbating damage to the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. Therefore, it is essential to prepare for heatstroke prevention and cooling measures for hypertensive patients to ensure normal and sufficient sleep. Simultaneously, in summer, long-acting physiological antihypertensive drugs that have minimal impact on normal blood pressure can be used to ensure normal nighttime blood pressure, thereby protecting the health of the heart, brain, and kidneys.