After a person enters old age, they usually experience decline in energy, weakened resistance, and decreased physical strength. Therefore, many elderly people pay special attention to diet therapy, and Chinese medicine advises the elderly to pay more attention to the following three time periods when maintaining health.
Early nourishment of the stomach 7-9 a.m. is the most yang qi of the day. A nutritious breakfast can provide the stomach with abundant raw materials, thus exerting the function of “acceptance and decomposing water.” But need to pay attention to the following 3 points: 1. Eat hot food for breakfast. The body’s intake of cold food will make the blood and qi become poor, “internally injure the spleen and stomach, and cause all diseases.” 2. Reasonable collocation. There must be dry and rare, including cereals, eggs, soy products, lean meat, fruits and vegetables. 3. Avoid greasy. Eating too much meat or greasy food will increase the gastrointestinal burden. Choose porridge, soy milk, oatmeal, sesame paste, etc.
Noon to nourish the heart from 11 to 13 o’clock is the time when the human body alternates between yin and yang and exchanges qi and blood. There are two ways: 1. Sleep. Take a short break after lunch and sleep for about 30 minutes during this time. 2. Knock on the Heart Sutra. The pericardial meridian starts from the periphery of the heart, reaches three inches below the armpit, and ends at the middle finger along the inner midline of the arm. Frequent tapping of the pericardium meridian can relieve depression and decompression. In addition, the heart meridian should not be too “excited” by caring for the heart meridian. Drinking tea, coffee, and wine should be appropriate; patients with obesity and hypertension should eat less high-sugar and high-fat foods.
Nourish the pulse and go to sleep at 21 to 23 o’clock in the evening, and the pulse will be nourished, and it will be energetic the next day. There are three things you can do before going to bed: 1. Use ten fingers as a comb and comb your hair for more than 3 minutes to improve blood circulation in the head. 2. Soak your feet in warm water to nourish the kidney. 3. Ask your family to help gently pat your back at a speed of 60 to 80 times per minute, within 20 minutes each time.
