When does the 2025 Dog Days period begin and end? What are the health preservati

In the traditional Chinese calendar, the "Dog Days" (San Fu Tian) represent the hottest and most humid period of the year, marking the peak of summer heat. During this time, intense sunlight and high humidity pose significant challenges to human health. So, when will the 2025 Dog Days begin and end? How can we maintain physical and mental balance and health during this special period? Let’s explore together.

1. Overview of the 2025 Dog Days Period

The Dog Days are divided into three phases: Initial Fu (Chu Fu), Middle Fu (Zhong Fu), and Final Fu (Mo Fu). Their dates are determined based on the lunar calendar and the Chinese sexagenary cycle, varying slightly each year. According to astronomical calculations, the 2025 Dog Days will follow this schedule:

Initial Fu (Chu Fu): Begins on the 22nd day of the fifth lunar month (around June 21 on the Gregorian calendar), marking the official start of the Dog Days. This phase lasts 10 days, during which temperatures gradually rise, and the summer heat begins to intensify.

Middle Fu (Zhong Fu): Follows the Initial Fu and can last either 10 or 20 days depending on the year. In 2025, the Middle Fu will last 20 days, starting the day after the Initial Fu ends and continuing until the 10th to the 29th day of the sixth lunar month (around July 11 to July 30 on the Gregorian calendar). This period is the hottest and most humid part of the Dog Days, often causing discomfort.

Final Fu (Mo Fu): Begins after the Middle Fu and lasts 10 days. In 2025, it starts on the 30th day of the sixth lunar month (around July 31) and ends on the 9th day of the seventh lunar month (around August 9). Although the Final Fu marks the end of summer, the heat does not completely dissipate, and precautions against heatstroke are still necessary.

2. Health Preservation During the Dog Days

During the Dog Days, when the yang energy of nature reaches its peak, the human body should adapt to the season by adjusting daily routines and diet to achieve internal and external harmony, enhance physical fitness, and prevent diseases.

a. Reasonable Routine and Heat Avoidance

Adjust Daily Routine: With long days and short nights, it’s important to ensure adequate sleep. A short nap during the day can help restore energy and refresh the mind.

Avoid Heat: Try to avoid outdoor activities during the peak sunlight hours. If going out is necessary, take precautions such as wearing a sun hat, light-colored clothing, and applying sunscreen. At home, use air conditioning or fans to regulate indoor temperature, but avoid direct exposure to cold air to prevent catching a cold.

b. Light Diet and Hydration

Light Diet: During the Dog Days, the digestive system is relatively weak. A light, easily digestible diet is recommended, emphasizing fresh vegetables and fruits while avoiding greasy and spicy foods to reduce gastrointestinal burden and prevent internal heat.

Hydration: Increased sweating in hot weather requires timely hydration to prevent dehydration. Drinking warm water or lightly salted water is advised, while sugary and iced beverages should be minimized to avoid irritating the stomach.

c. Moderate Exercise and Physical Fitness

Choose the Right Time: Avoid intense exercise under the scorching sun. Opt for early morning or evening when temperatures are lower. Activities like walking, jogging, or tai chi are ideal, aiming for light sweating.

Moderation: Exercise should be moderate to avoid overexertion, which can deplete yang energy. After exercise, dry off sweat promptly and change into dry clothes to prevent catching a chill.

d. Calming the Mind and Regulating Emotions

Emotional Management: High temperatures can easily cause irritability. It’s important to regulate emotions and maintain a calm mindset. Relaxation techniques such as listening to light music, reading, or meditation can help alleviate stress.

Nourishing the Heart: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) associates summer with the heart. During the Dog Days, special attention should be paid to heart health. Foods like lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and sour jujube seeds can help nourish the heart and calm the mind.

3. TCM Principles for Dog Days: Treating Winter Diseases in Summer

TCM emphasizes "nourishing yang in spring and summer, and yin in autumn and winter." The Dog Days, with their peak yang energy, are the best time to regulate the body and treat diseases that are prone to occur in winter. Methods such as warming yang, dispelling cold, and removing dampness can help prevent and treat winter-related illnesses.

Main Methods

San Fu Tie (Dog Days Acupoint Patches): Using herbs with warming and dispersing properties, patches are applied to specific acupoints to stimulate yang energy, dispel cold, and strengthen the body. This is suitable for respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and allergic rhinitis, as well as for those prone to colds.

Moxibustion: Burning moxa sticks or cones near specific acupoints to stimulate yang energy, warm the meridians, and dispel cold and dampness. It is effective for improving symptoms of cold intolerance and cold extremities.

Cupping and Gua Sha: These techniques promote local blood circulation and regulate organ functions by creating suction or scraping the skin. They are suitable for relieving pain caused by wind, cold, and dampness, such as neck, shoulder, and back pain.

Herbal Medicine: Customized herbal formulas, such as Fuzi Lizhong Tang for spleen and stomach coldness or Danggui Sini Tang for warming meridians and dispelling cold, are used for long-term management of chronic conditions like asthma and recurrent colds.

Precautions

Consult a professional TCM practitioner before undergoing treatments like moxibustion to ensure suitability.

Maintain warmth and rest during treatment to avoid catching a cold or overexertion.

Follow a light, easily digestible diet and avoid spicy or stimulating foods.

Seek medical attention if any discomfort arises after treatment.

Conclusion

The 2025 Dog Days, though intensely hot, can be managed effectively through scientific health preservation and proper daily routines. By adapting to the season and taking care of our bodies, we can maintain physical and mental health and balance. Let’s embrace the gifts of nature this summer while striving for inner and outer tranquility. Remember, the path to health lies in the details and our daily efforts.