In ancient times, people talked about the "Four Less" in health preservation

In his book "Thousand Gold Prescriptions", Sun Simiao, a renowned medical expert of the Tang Dynasty, pointed out that for a person to live a long life, "one must speak less, worry less, eat less, and naturally sleep less. By following these four" less ", one can become a celestial being quickly." Even to this day, these "Four Less" still have guiding significance for health preservation and care. In his "Shengyan Zhen", the ancient medical expert Li Dongyuan said, "Qi is the ancestor of the spirit, essence is the child of qi, and qi is the root of the spirit. How profound!" Harmony leads to essence, and essence accumulates to complete the spirit. One must be clear and calm, and control it with the Dao. Then one can become a celestial being. Those with the right path can achieve it. For whom? It's just a matter of being taciturn. This passage fully demonstrates that excessive talking can deplete one's vital energy, and the relationship between vital energy and essence as well as spirit is extremely close. Therefore, those who are good at health preservation should speak less to accumulate qi into essence, and then accumulate essence to invigorate the spirit. According to traditional Chinese medicine, essence, energy and spirit are the three treasures of the human body. From the perspective of the health preservation methods of Taoists and Buddhists throughout history, it is always about sitting in meditation with peace of mind, speaking less, nourishing the essence and spirit, and enjoying a long life. This is precisely the meaning. Having few things to do means having a clear mind and few desires. To maintain good health, one must first take good care of oneself. The heart that the ancients referred to is now the central nervous system of the brain. Those who have few things to do tend to think less, but this does not mean they starve themselves all day long without using their brains. Instead, it means they should not let their minds wander aimlessly or indulge in wild fantasies. Especially for the elderly, when they return from the big stage of society to the small circle of the family, they should face reality, be indifferent to fame and fortune, abandon gains and losses, and enjoy their old age with a pleasant mood. If one is constantly thinking about this and that, chasing after fame and fortune, comparing oneself with others, or even blaming fate, what follows will be excessive fatigue of the brain, mental tension, disorder of qi and blood, and dysfunction of internal organs, which is detrimental to physical and mental health and not conducive to prolonging life. Eating less and being moderate in diet have been highly praised by every health-conscious family throughout history. The classic work of traditional Chinese medicine, the Inner Classic, states: "If you double your diet, your stomach and intestines will be harmed." In "Three Essentials of Health Preservation", there is a statement that "if the internal organs and the stomach and intestines are always kept spacious and relaxed, the true qi can circulate and diseases will be fewer", and it also advocates that people "eat only eight-tenths of what they eat". The great literary figure Su Dongpo of the Song Dynasty had this experience: "Eat only when you are hungry and stop before you are full." He said this was "broadening the stomach to nourish qi", which was a very scientific statement. Because one does not overeat, the stomach and intestines are unobstructed, facilitating peristalsis and digestion. After fine processing, the nutrients are fully absorbed and nourish the human body. The digestive function of the elderly is disordered, which leads to diseases. According to traditional Chinese medicine, "prolonged lying down harms qi." The character "sleep" also includes the desire for comfort and a craving for rest. Sun Simiao said, "The way to maintain good health is to always seek light labor." Labor promotes smooth blood circulation and enhances digestive function in the human body. Sitting for a long time causes the tendons and meridians to become sluggish, while walking lazily leads to their spasms. If this continues for a long time, one is bound to walk with difficulty and show signs of aging. Lu Jiuzhi of the Qing Dynasty pointed out more clearly: "People only know that there are diseases caused by overwork, but they do not know that there are diseases caused by idleness. However, it is not uncommon for idleness to turn into diseases." Nowadays, with superior living conditions, excessive comfort, a preference for ease and aversion to work, and a lack of physical activity, it can lead to poor circulation of qi and blood in the human body, weak muscles and bones, and a decline in the functions of internal organs, which is extremely harmful. Only by persisting in exercise can one enhance the immune function of the human body, promote metabolism, delay the aging process of organs, and achieve the goal of prolonging life. (Han Bing/Text