People’s attention to health preservation is growing day by day. They pursue delaying aging, preventing diseases, and spare no expense on buying expensive health products. However, the core essence of traditional health preservation lies in practicing six simple principles that can effectively enhance physical functions and prevent disease and prolong life.
The fast pace of modern life keeps people extremely busy, often neglecting the importance of tranquility and rest, or immersing themselves in busyness due to fear of loneliness, with a jam-packed schedule. This seemingly fulfilling lifestyle may actually hide potential health risks. The “Plain Questions · Theory of Nurturing the Nature” advocates “tranquility and emptiness, true energy follows it,” encouraging moderate slowing down of life pace, enjoying tranquility, reducing excessive mental and physical consumption, especially protecting the internal “energy,” achieving energy conservation, strengthening the body, and prolonging life.
Since ancient times, using tonics to regulate qi and blood, balance yin and yang, and nourish the organs has been a common means of health preservation. Traditional Chinese medicine theory believes that food serves both therapeutic and nourishing functions, namely, “the five flavors nourish the five organs, the five colors nourish the five organs.” Proper health preservation should begin with treatment and diagnosis based on medical advice, followed by diet therapy, combined with supplementation and purgation when necessary, in order to maintain health.
The human body changes like the natural cycle of the four seasons, so living habits, diet should follow the seasonal characteristics of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. For example, nurturing yang is suitable in spring and summer, while nurturing yin predominates in autumn and winter, following the seasonal rules for health preservation.
“Regulation” involves physical and mental conditioning, emotional management, and breathing regulation. Faced with excessive fatigue, malnutrition, or external pathogenic factors, adjusting breathing and practicing breathing techniques are crucial and can significantly enhance the effects of health preservation.
“Cultivation” emphasizes the cultivation of body and mind, broadening the mind, being open-minded in dealing with the world not only reduces worries but also promotes physical health and prolongs life. Conversely, being overly concerned, having a narrow mindset can harm the heart and is not conducive to life cultivation.
“Consolidation” covers the consolidation of essence, energy, and spirit from three aspects. Consolidating essence implies preserving kidney essence through abstinence; consolidating energy requires reducing internal consumption, moderate sun exposure, a regular lifestyle, moderate exercise, and dietary supplementation; consolidating spirit necessitates maintaining emotional balance, avoiding extreme emotional fluctuations to preserve health.
In conclusion, through lifestyle adjustments guided by these principles, truly embody the wisdom of traditional health preservation, and promote physical and mental health.
