Dietary health preservation

The Importance of dietary health preservation: "The way to health preservation starts with food." Dietary health preservation primarily refers to the application of the nutrients in food to prevent and treat diseases and promote health and longevity. As the saying goes, "Food therapy is better than medicine." The so-called dietary supplementation refers to nourishing the functions of internal organs by adjusting diet, promoting physical health and the recovery from diseases. At the same time, dietary supplements can achieve effects that drugs cannot. In China, the use of adjusting diet as a means of health preservation and fitness has a long history. Our ancestors recognized the importance of dietary health preservation as early as the Zhou Dynasty, which was in the slave society over 2,000 years ago. In the imperial court of the Zhou Dynasty, there were already "food doctors" specializing in the royal diet, that is, doctors who were dedicated to dietary adjustment and nourishment. During the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was already the "Food Classic", which is a classic systematically discussing the health benefits of food. Sun Simiao, a renowned physician of the Tang Dynasty, made significant contributions to dietary health preservation. He was particularly skilled in treating geriatric diseases and authored "Qian Jin Yao Fang" and "Qian Jin Yi Fang", in which a considerable portion was devoted to discussing dietary health preservation. He believes that in the treatment of diseases among the elderly, the first thing to pay attention to is diet. Because food can eliminate pathogenic factors, calm the internal organs, please the mind and invigorate the will to nourish the blood and qi, and its medicinal nature is strong, just like guarding an army, the medicinal effect is somewhat supportive, causing the internal organs to be unbalanced and making one prone to external diseases. Therefore, if food can be used to relieve illness and treat diseases according to one's nature, it is most likely to have the effect of nourishing life. Because Sun Simiao strongly advocated dietary health preservation, dietary health preservation developed greatly during the Tang Dynasty. By the time Wang Huaiyin's "Taiping Shenghui Fang" was published in the Song Dynasty, dietary health preservation had initially formed a specialized discipline. Diet is the fundamental condition for human beings to maintain life. To live a healthy, happy, energetic and wise life, one should not merely be content with having enough to eat. It is also necessary to consider the reasonable combination of diet to ensure that the intake of various nutrients needed by the human body is balanced and sufficient, and can be fully absorbed and utilized by the human body. To maintain a balanced diet, one must first develop good eating habits. One should neither starve oneself nor overeat. One should neither have a preference for any particular food nor neglect any particular one. It is also necessary to pay attention to food hygiene and avoid eating unclean or toxic food. And one should avoid certain foods based on their own physical condition. Only in this way can it be beneficial to prevent the occurrence of diseases and achieve the goal of dietary health preservation and longevity. Dietary health preservation is carried out through eating. Using daily food and adjusting it for health preservation based on different economic conditions and physiological and pathological needs can not only satisfy hunger but also supplement nutrition, be beneficial to health, prevent diseases and prolong life. It is an important health preservation method that is widely accepted by people. Wang Mengying, a renowned physician of the Qing Dynasty, said, "The qi of the Yiqi is not mysterious or profound; it is merely about controlling one's diet." That is to say, the secret to health preservation and longevity lies in adjusting one's diet, fully emphasizing the importance of dietary health preservation. The principles of dietary health preservation: As the ancients said, "The foundation of one's health must rely on food..." "Not knowing how to eat in moderation is not enough to survive." " A reasonable diet can make people strong and prolong their life. Improper diet is one of the important causes of diseases and premature aging. Therefore, ancient Chinese health preservation experts all attached great importance to the moderation of diet and, through long-term life practice, accumulated extremely rich methods and experiences of dietary health preservation. The following can be used as a reference for sustenance: 1. Eating in moderation is beneficial to health and longevity. "Eating in moderation" was one of the experiences of ancient people. More than 2,000 years ago, Guanzi once pointed out: "A good diet leads to physical health and a longer life." If one does not control their diet, they will become physically exhausted and their lifespan will be shortened. For the elderly, controlling their diet is an important measure for a healthy and long life. When entering old age, with the increase of age, physiological functions gradually decline, the metabolic level of the body gradually weakens, and in addition, the amount of activity decreases, the energy substances needed by the body also gradually decrease. Therefore, the intake of high-energy foods in the three meals a day should also be reduced, so as to better maintain the metabolic balance of energy in the body. If one's appetite remains the same as it was in old age and they consume too much energy-rich food, it will inevitably lead to an excess of energy in the body. The extra energy will be converted into fat, causing weight gain and affecting heart function. This is also the main cause of inducing cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Therefore, the elderly should appropriately control their diet to maintain the balance of energy metabolism in their bodies. Ancient Chinese health preservation experts believed that if the energy of grains was superior to that of vital energy, the person would be fat but not live long. If one's vital energy exceeds that of grains, they will be thin and live a long life. The art of health preservation often leads to a deficiency of grain energy, and then diseases will not occur. The "Suwen" section of the "Huangdi Neijing" states: "Double your own diet; intestinal fatigue leads to injury." The "Guanzi: Form" chapter also states: "When one eats and drinks, one's body will be healthy and one's life will be prolonged." If one does not control their diet, they will become physically exhausted and their life will be shortened. Modern medicine also holds that overeating is a major enemy of the elderly. Therefore, the diet of the elderly should be light but refined, nutritious and easy to digest. They should eat more fresh vegetables and fruits and limit the intake of high-fat and high-calorie foods. The amount of food for each meal should be moderate. It is generally advisable to stop when you are about 70% to 80% full. 2. Eat at regular times and have different meals. As the saying goes, "Have a full breakfast, a good lunch and a light dinner." In the "New Book on Longevity and Elderly Care", great emphasis is placed on the amount of food consumed at dinner: "Lose one bite at night and live to be ninety-nine." A large number of experiments have shown that paying attention to the reasonable arrangement of three meals a day is of great benefit to health preservation and longevity. When it comes to food choices, breakfast should consist of small-sized and high-calorie foods, lunch should be rich in high-quality protein, and dinner should be low-calorie and easily digestible. A large number of experiments have shown that consuming 2,000 calories of food once in the morning has little impact on weight, while the same amount of food consumed in the evening leads to a significant increase in weight. This is because various physiological functions and metabolic changes in the human body follow certain regularities. Generally, the basal metabolism is more vigorous during the day than at night. The brain is in an excited state, and the secretion of digestive enzymes and digestive juices by various digestive glands increases. At the same time, the demand for food and the digestive and absorptive functions are also relatively strong. There is less activity in the evening and less energy consumption. If there is too much heat in the body, it will be synthesized into fat under the action of insulin, causing people to gain weight. Therefore, the reasonable arrangement of three meals a day is very important, and the distribution ratio should be 3:4:3. Some people are accustomed to having very little or no breakfast for breakfast and a lot for dinner, which is harmful to health. Especially the elderly should develop the habit of having a light and light dinner. 3. Make reasonable combinations and avoid favoritism. The human body has diverse nutritional requirements. A balanced diet can ensure that the body needs all kinds of nutrients. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid picky eating and monotonous diet, otherwise a series of adverse consequences will occur. If one has a preference for sweet foods, especially the elderly, it can lead to hypercholesterolemia and even induce diabetes. If one has a preference for fatty meat and other meaty foods, it can cause weight gain and lead to hyperlipidemia and arteriosclerosis. If the food is overly refined and lacks dietary fiber, constipation, obesity, cholelithiasis and other conditions are likely to occur. If dietary fiber is too low, the incidence of colorectal cancer will increase. Therefore, to achieve a balanced diet, it is mainly necessary to mix coarse and fine grains, refine coarse grains, and combine dry and liquid foods. It is best to have a balanced diet of meat and vegetables for side dishes. The Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor states, "Grains are the nourishment, fruits are the assistance, livestock are the benefit, and vegetables are the filling." This still holds certain guiding significance for modern dietary health preservation. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that: "Carefully regulate the five flavors, keep the bones straight and the tendons supple, and ensure the smooth flow of qi and blood to make 腠理 dense." In classical medical books, it is said that "If one eats too much salty food, the pulse will become congealed and the complexion will change." If one eats too much bitterness, one's skin will become dull and one's hair will be plucked. Eating too much spicy food will cause the tendons to become tight and the claws to become dry. Eating too much sour food will cause the skin to become wrinkled and the lips to peel off. If one drinks too much sweet food, toothache and hair loss will occur. All these tell people that picky eating and preference for certain foods are harmful to the human body. 4. The diet should be light and avoid being too salty. Ancient medical experts and health preservation experts all emphasized that the diet should be light and not too salty. As stated in the "Five Flavors" chapter of the Ling Shu: "Salt promotes blood circulation; excessive consumption causes thirst." " The Inner Classic states: "If the taste is too salty, the bones will be large, the qi will be weak, the muscles will be short, and the heart qi will be depressed." The Medical Treatise also states that the diet of the elderly should "avoid greasy and rich foods and limit sour and salty ones." If one's diet is too salty and excessive salt intake occurs, it can lead to hypertension, which in turn affects the functions of the heart and kidneys. It is reported that the incidence of hypertension among those who consume more than 15 grams of salt daily is about 10%. A normal person should generally limit their daily salt intake to less than 10 grams. For those with hypertension, coronary heart disease or arteriosclerosis, the weight must be controlled under 5 grams. However, in the height of summer, due to excessive sweating, the human body may lose too much salt, so it is important to replenish it in time. 5. Pay attention to food hygiene and develop good habits. One should chew food thoroughly and not gobble it up. Chewing thoroughly is the first step in digestion. The finer you chew, the more conducive it is to digestion and absorption. ② Don't be distracted while eating. Eating requires concentration. Don't think about other things, read books or watch TV while eating. This not only affects your appetite but also the secretion of digestive juices. Over time, it may lead to stomach problems. So, over 2,000 years ago, Confucius advocated that "one should not talk while eating or sleeping." ③ I'm very thirsty but don't drink much. If one drinks too much water at one time, the water will quickly enter the bloodstream, increasing the burden on the heart and kidneys. If you drink a lot of water before meals, it will also dilute gastric juice and affect the digestion of food. ④ In a fit of rage, one refuses to eat. When having meals, one should maintain a pleasant mood to promote the secretion of gastric juice and facilitate the digestion of food. If one forces oneself to eat in a fit of rage, it can cause bloating or even pain in the stomach. Sun Simiao said, "When one should eat, one must get rid of worries." The ancients also said, "One should not get angry immediately after eating, and one should not eat immediately after getting angry." It also tells people that when eating, one should keep a calm and concentrated mind, which is conducive to the digestion and absorption of the spleen and stomach. ⑤ Do not lie down or engage in vigorous exercise after meals. Traditional Chinese medicine points out: After eating, one should hesitate to walk... Eating and then lying down leads to all kinds of diseases. After a full meal, one should not walk fast or climb high and take risks, for fear that the qi will be full and agitated, causing damage to the internal organs. As the saying goes, "If you walk a hundred steps after a meal, you will live to be ninety-nine." It is also said that taking a walk after a meal helps promote digestion and is beneficial to the body. Elderly people or those with weak constitutions should be cautious when taking a walk after meals. ⑥ Rinse your mouth and brush your teeth after meals. Brushing and rinsing your mouth after meals is beneficial for maintaining oral cleanliness and dental health. Sun Simiao said in his "Thousand Gold Prescriptions" : "After eating, rinse your mouth with dirt to keep your teeth healthy and your mouth fragrant." Rinsing the mouth after meals is a good hygiene habit. After meals, food residues adhering to the mouth and between teeth, under the action of bacteria and biological enzymes in the mouth, produce substances such as protein, wheat, and nitrite, which are harmful to health. Therefore, the ancients had the saying, "If you want to have a healthy mouth and teeth, rinse your mouth with tea and water after meals." These dietary health preservation principles of the ancients not only offer us enlightenment but have also been proven by modern science to be effective remedies for health preservation and longevity.