Many elderly people suffer from various diseases to varying degrees and require assistance and medicinal diets for treatment. Generally speaking, the principles for the health-preserving medicinal diets for the elderly are as follows.
1. Appropriate Quantity and Variety
The book "Qian Jin Yi Fang: Dietary Therapy for the Elderly" states: "The way to preserve health in old age is to be cautious when it comes to the variety of food. Excessive variety will lead to the confusion of the five flavors and endless consumption, causing harm to the body. Therefore, one should reduce the consumption of fresh food and be frugal in diet. If poor taste causes excessive harm, the thin intestines and stomach of the elderly will have difficulty digesting. This will lead to shortness of breath and may result in sudden illness." These words explain the principle that food should not be excessive or too varied in a single meal. However, it should be clarified that this refers to a single meal and should not result in long-term insufficient food intake or selective eating, which may lead to inadequate or incomplete nutrition and thus affect the treatment of diseases and overall health.
In summary, medicinal diets should be appropriate. The quantity and variety of food in a single meal should not be excessive, and the diet should be diversified to ensure adequate nutrition for the recovery of diseases.
2. Adhere to Regular Eating
Medicinal diets and daily meals should be eaten at regular times, and the serving of food should be stable, avoiding irregular or inconsistent meal times. Otherwise, it may cause disturbances in bodily functions, especially the function of the spleen and stomach, leading to diseases or worsening conditions. This is particularly important for the elderly, as their organs gradually weaken. The variety of medicinal and dietary foods should be considered to avoid selective eating. However, there should also be relative regularity in the diet without frequent changes, so that the spleen and stomach can adapt. In addition, the environment during meals and activities after meals should also maintain a certain regularity. As the ancients said, "Diet should be moderate," which includes the concept of moderation, control, and rhythm in diet.
3. Protect Spleen and Stomach Function
The spleen and stomach are the foundation of acquired constitution, the origin of the five viscera, and the vital energy of the four viscera. Food enters the stomach and relies on the function of the spleen and stomach to transform it into vital energy and blood to nourish the five viscera. If the diet is improper, it will affect the entire body. Therefore, maintaining the function of the spleen and stomach is crucial. This is especially important for the elderly, as their spleen and stomach are already weakened. Generally, fatty and greasy foods, fried and hard foods, raw and cold foods, and foods that are difficult to digest should be consumed in small quantities or avoided to protect the spleen and stomach. As mentioned in the book "Bai Bing Wen Dui Bian Yi": "When treating the elderly, it is necessary to protect the spleen and stomach. Even if there are other symptoms, they can be resolved by doing so... From now on, when encountering various symptoms, the first step is to nourish the spleen and stomach, as it is the foundation of treatment." This is also the principle of medicinal diet treatment. In addition, for elderly people with loose or missing teeth and difficulty chewing, it is advisable to consume soft and juicy foods. When diagnosing diseases, it is common to use porridge made from ingredients such as jujube, coix seed, lotus seed, mung bean, scallion, Chinese yam, and lily to assist the spleen and stomach.
4. Pay Attention to Nourishing Kidney Qi
The process of human growth, development, and aging is a process of the kidney qi transitioning from weakness to strength and then to weakness again. Many aging phenomena and the occurrence or progression of many elderly diseases are mainly due to kidney qi deficiency and weakness. Therefore, nourishing kidney qi is the key to preventing aging and treating diseases. Both meat and poultry in food can nourish the kidneys, and seafood such as scallops, sea cucumbers, clams, shrimp, abalone, and sea cucumber are all good for kidney nourishment. Dried and fresh fruits such as mulberries, sesame, chestnuts, walnuts, and lotus seeds can also nourish the kidneys. They have a mild nature and can be frequently used to cook porridge or make pastes for consumption. Long-term consumption will bring benefits. In addition, excessive salt can harm the blood and kidneys. For the elderly, a mild diet is preferable in medicinal diets, avoiding excessive salt intake to prevent damage to kidney qi.
5. Emphasize Syndrome Differentiation in Dietary Prescription
Syndrome differentiation and treatment is a basic principle of traditional Chinese medicine. It requires a comprehensive analysis based on different conditions, taking into account a patient's mental state, physical condition, and environmental factors, among others, to accurately identify different "syndromes" and provide appropriate treatment to achieve the goal of curing diseases. This principle should also be applied to the medicinal diet treatment of elderly diseases.
