Age-specific health preservation

Most people believe that health preservation should mainly focus on middle-aged and elderly people. However, this is not the case. According to the different physiological and pathological characteristics of the human body at different ages, health preservation should follow a "three-step" approach for the young, middle-aged and elderly, that is, age-specific health preservation. From childhood to adulthood, people are in a continuous process of growth and development. Their physiological characteristics are mainly manifested as "tender internal organs, incomplete physical and mental energy, strong constitution, and weak blood and qi", and their bodies and functions are relatively fragile. Poor resistance to diseases, inability to adjust cold and warmth by oneself, and difficulty in self-digestion of milk and food, coupled with parents' excessive love for their children and their overindulgence in refined foods such as high-fat, high-protein, and high-calorie grains, all lead to disorders of the spleen and stomach and inadequate care. Reasonable care and maintenance is an important link in promoting the healthy growth of children. In daily care, one must not indulge or be picky about food, which may lead to an imbalance in the nutritional ratio. Teenagers should be cautious about taking tonics. Excessive use of tonics is bound to leave problems and lay hidden dangers for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes and other diseases in adulthood. In childhood, the key to health preservation lies in regulating the spleen and stomach. Once the spleen and stomach are diseased, all kinds of diseases will arise. In daily care and maintenance, it is advisable to take into account the characteristic that "Yang is often in excess and Yin is often insufficient", and adopt the method of "promoting circulation as a supplement" in a timely manner. This helps to clear and purge accumulated and turbid substances, accelerate the cycle of "expelling the old and taking in the new" and metabolism. As the saying goes, "Be healthy in youth, strong in middle age and long in old age." From this perspective, health preservation during childhood is the foundation for prolonging life. To protect the "three treasures" of "essence, energy and spirit" in middle age, it is first necessary to pay attention to reasonable nutrition. Secondly, one should control sexual activity to nourish the essence and protect the vital energy. Third, flirt and enjoy your sex. When people enter middle age, their qi and blood are vigorous and their fiery nature rises. Even the slightest dissatisfaction can lead to depression and stagnation of qi in the chest at the least, and in severe cases, rage can damage the liver. This is truly a major harm caused by emotional disorders. At this stage of health preservation, the focus should be on regulating the mind, having a broad mind and being magnanimous. In old age, the functions of the internal organs gradually decline, and the transformation of qi, blood, body fluids and other refined substances in the body also decreases accordingly, leading to symptoms of decline such as slow movement, blurred vision, sparse teeth and hair. Based on this series of physiological change characteristics, one should follow the twelve-character formula: eat soft food, be cautious of cold wind, exercise regularly, and keep a cheerful heart. At the age of sixty, teeth become sparse and the chewing function declines day by day. The spleen and stomach functions are weakened. One should avoid eating hard, sticky and slippery foods that are difficult to digest to prevent food stagnation in the epigastrium. Eating thin porridge frequently and supplementing it with sweet and nourishing herbs is indeed the best way to nourish the stomach qi. It should be known that rice soup has the effect of nourishing the five internal organs and quenching thirst. Zhang Zhongjing, the medical sage, often enjoyed having porridge to nourish his stomach and enhance the efficacy of medicine. Red date porridge can tonify the middle and benefit qi, nourish qi and enrich blood. Walnut meat porridge can tonify the kidney, regulate qi, relieve asthma and enhance sexual function. Lotus seed porridge nourishes the heart and strengthens the spleen, promotes diuresis and calms the mind. Lily porridge nourishes Yin and moistens the lungs. Almond porridge can ward off the cold and expel evil. Ginger porridge promotes the circulation of Yin and qi, warms the stomach and dispels cold. Lamb bone porridge strengthens muscles and bones, and warms and unblocks blood vessels. In conclusion, there are many ways to make medicinal porridge. According to the needs of different constitutions, the required herbs should be combined to achieve a complementary effect. Be cautious of wind and cold - In old age, one's vital energy gradually declines, making them vulnerable to the six exogenous pathogenic factors, with wind and cold being the most severe. Cold can directly or indirectly cause a variety of diseases, especially aggravating senile asthma, emphysema, pneumosis and so on. Cold can also alter the resistance and elasticity of peripheral blood vessels, increase blood viscosity and the fragility of microvessels, and promote the recurrence of heart disease. Therefore, preventing diseases before they occur and maintaining warmth in winter and heat in summer is an important principle for the elderly to keep healthy. Regular exercise - Life lies in movement, which is endless. Metabolism is the foundation for maintaining life activities. Physical exercise can regulate the internal organs, unblock the meridians, promote the circulation of qi and blood, relax the muscles and bones, and balance Yin and Yang. It is a good prescription and friend for the elderly to prolong their lives. "Running water never goes bad, and a door hinge never rots." One should act within one's capacity and must not exceed one's Yin degree. One should persist in appropriate physical exercise, mainly including jingqigong, 八卦掌, tai chi, etc., supplemented by massage and guiding exercises. One should achieve a balance between movement and stillness, and stillness and movement, combining hardness and softness, so that the qi and blood of the five internal organs and six viscera flow like sweet spring water into all the meridians. This is an important method for health preservation. A cheerful mood is one of the factors contributing to good health and longevity. Depression, panic, fear and anxiety can disrupt the body's physiological functions and lead to premature aging. In ancient times, medical practitioners, Taoists and Buddhas all emphasized that "nothing is better than cultivating one's nature for health preservation". By "cultivating one's nature", it means to regulate the spirit and attach importance to mental health. By adopting reasonable health care methods according to different age stages, the goal of delaying aging and prolonging life can be achieved.