Do you wear shorts as soon as the snow has melted?

In the Spring and Fall, the sun often feels warm but the air is still chilly.  During this time it is important to protect yourself as this is a common time to catch a cold.  North American people can often be seen wearing shorts or sandals too soon in Spring and Fall and they do not realize that they are weakening their body.  

Exposing the skin to the cool air even though the sun is shining can let cold enter the joints (eg. the knees) and cause stiffness of the joints or arthritis, and even gynecological problems (see above topic 'Do you eat food right out of the refridgerator?').  

With regard to sandals, again the sun may be warm, but the air is still cool and the ground is cold.  The feet are especially susceptible to Cold injury because they are our contact point to the ground and the cold from the ground can pass from the feet to the abdomen via the acupuncture meridians and cause pain or discomfort far from where the cold entered the body at the other end of the meridian.  The Chinese say 'Keep the head cool, but the feet warm,' to protect the health for the long term.

TCM considers this a rather unwise way to dress in cold weather.  This is a recipe for achy knees and menstrual cramps.