Niu Xueen, chief physician of the Department of Hepatobiliary, Spleen and Stomach Diseases of Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, believes that these living habits of Zheng Banqiao fully embody the ways of "protecting the spleen and stomach" and "nourishing the heart", which is also the key to his health and longevity.
Eat rice porridge at dawn
There are three important factors: dawn, getting up and eating rice porridge, which contains the traditional Chinese medicine thought of correspondence between man and nature. When the sun is about to rise and the yang of nature and human body begins to move, people also start to get up. The season of stomach meridian (7-9 am) is the best time to digest food. Rice porridge, also known as rice porridge. According to the theory of five elements, rice and other grains belong to soil, and so does the spleen and stomach. Grains enter the stomach and are easy to digest and absorb, so they can nourish the stomach and quickly provide sufficient qi and blood for physiological activities of the whole body. We eat rice porridge because it is the easiest to digest and absorb, and it is suitable for eating in the morning.
Take a walk after dinner.
There is a folk saying that "you can live ninety-nine if you walk a hundred steps after a meal." In fact, whether it is a hundred steps or a thousand steps, it is an approximate number, and the details vary from person to person.
Proper exercise after meals is beneficial to the smooth flow of qi and blood and can promote the transport and transformation of spleen and stomach. But if you exercise too much, it will affect the blood supply of gastrointestinal tract and hinder the digestion and absorption of food. Moreover, in the undigested stage of food in the stomach, a lot of exercise, its gravity effect is also easy to cause gastroptosis. It is emphasized in Huangdi Neijing that "micro-motion warming of limbs" after a meal means stretching your arms and lifting your legs after a meal, and reaching the "degree" of activity when the whole body is slightly hot.
Sit in meditation regularly every day.
There are three realms of health preservation: nourishing the body first, then nourishing qi and blood, and the highest realm is nourishing the heart. There is such a passage in Huangdi Neijing: "Blood is visible in the liver, which is sufficient for blood, and blood can be held in the palm, which means blood can be absorbed." The meaning of this passage is that all kinds of physiological functions of the human body can function normally only when the qi and blood are sufficient. But on the other hand, when we look at things, listen to sounds, walk, take things, etc. We all consume blood and gas. If we are too happy because of watching, listening and doing activities, we will be sad, and these places will consume too much blood and blood to protect our minds. Therefore, it is helpful to get rid of distractions regularly every day and sit quietly with your eyes closed.
You can choose to sit still for about 10 minutes in the morning and evening, and then press Taichong point (the depression in front of the big toe and the second toe joint on the dorsum of the foot), which is also helpful to relieve visual fatigue.
Don't worry if you are "confused"
Niu Xueen said that more than 90% of gastrointestinal diseases in the outpatient department of gastroenterology are caused by mental and psychological factors. Excessive depression and anxiety lead to stagnation of liver qi. Long-term depression and excessive thinking tend to consume sad spirit. Excessive mental stress leads to poor circulation of qi and blood, which leads to liver qi invading the stomach, hurting the spleen and stomach and hindering the normal function of the spleen and stomach. At this time, digestive diseases are easy to find you.
Therefore, spleen and stomach health care, mental care and relaxation are all emphasized, which is similar to Zheng Banqiao's philosophy of life.
"Confusion" is not really stupid, but a wise move to understand the world and avoid unnecessary mental and psychological pressure. Do what you can, let nature take its course, bear and let go when things happen, which is helpful to physical and mental health.
Clear your mind before going to bed.
Chinese medicine believes that when the yang enters the yin, people will sleep, and when the yang exits the yin, people will wake up. Many patients suffer from insomnia, mainly because they think too much, which disturbs Yang Qi. Listening to soft music in bed before going to bed, relaxing the whole body, calming the mind and removing distractions will help you fall asleep faster. Insomnia patients can massage Sanyinjiao (the point from the tip of the medial malleolus to the four fingers), Taichong, or Yongquan in the center of the sole of the foot after washing their feet with hot water, which is very helpful for sleep.
In addition, the elderly are short of qi and blood, which is easy to cause insomnia because the yang fails to enter the yin. At this time, under the guidance of doctors, drugs and acupuncture can replenish qi and blood, thus improving insomnia.