Using traditional Chinese medicine to supplement the deficiencies of qi, blood, yin, and yang in the elderly, prevent and treat common diseases in the elderly, and delay the aging process of the body are important components of the theory of Chinese medicine health preservation.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidneys are the foundation of congenital essence and closely related to the strength, weakness, longevity, and early death of the body. The spleen and stomach are the foundation of acquired essence and the source of qi and blood production. The strength, weakness, longevity, and early death of the body are also closely related to the function of the spleen and stomach. As the "Lao Lao Heng Yan" states: "Weak stomach yin leads to various diseases, strong spleen yang stops all evil. The spleen and stomach are the foundation of acquired essence, and it is even more important to regulate the spleen and stomach in old age." It can be seen that the kidneys and the spleen are closely related to the growth, development, and longevity of the individual.
Traditional Chinese medicine also believes that the kidneys are the source of essence and blood, and the spleen and stomach are the sea of water, grains, qi, and blood. The body and its life activities rely on the mutual support and transformation of qi and blood. Qi is the commander of blood, and blood is the mother of qi. They mutually transform and depend on each other. When qi and blood are in harmony and balanced, the spirit is vigorous, the constitution is strong, and diseases are not easily contracted. All diseases resulting from the imbalance and deficiency of organ functions or aging and death of the body are closely related to the deficiency and imbalance of qi and blood. Therefore, regulating and supplementing qi and blood is also one of the important treatment principles for anti-aging.
Principles of eating and supplementing medicine for the elderly
In the earliest and most important Chinese medicine classic "Shen Nong's Herbal Classic" in our country, most of the medicines with the effects of "anti-aging", "longevity", "increasing life span", "preventing grey hair", "improving complexion", "strengthening bones and teeth", "weight loss" are concentrated among the top-grade medicines. Among these medicines, a considerable part is regarded as food in the diet therapy, and there is no strict boundary between "food" and "medicine". This may be related to the concept that Chinese medicine and food have the same origin.
Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes both nourishing with medicine and nourishing with food, which reflects the unique aspects of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating diseases in the elderly. As stated in the "Inner Canon": "Treating diseases without toxicity, nine out of ten can be treated with food. Grains, meat, fruits, and vegetables can be used to nourish the body." The "Lao Lao Yu Bian" also states: "It is better to have a relaxed mind than a relaxed body, and food is better than medicine." "For all elderly people with illnesses, food therapy should be used first. If food therapy is not effective, then medication should be prescribed." It is believed that with a full understanding of the effects of food, "adjusting and using it is more effective than medicine". This fully affirms the outstanding therapeutic effect of diet therapy in anti-aging.
Precautions for the elderly when eating and supplementing medicine
When the elderly eat and supplement medicine, it must be done under the guidance of a doctor, tailored to the individual, the time, and the specific condition, and according to the evidence-based prescription. It is necessary to select high-quality authentic medicinal materials. When eating and supplementing medicine, it is important to avoid being overly eager for quick results, using expensive medicines, and especially when purchasing from the market or receiving them as gifts from friends and relatives, it is important to "carefully examine" the taste and the strength of the medicine, and not to blindly abuse them.
When taking medicine to supplement the body, it must be in accordance with the changes in yin and yang in the natural world throughout the day and throughout the four seasons. The book "Yin Yang Respect for Aging" provides specific arrangements for the daily medication and diet of the elderly. It advocates taking kidney-tonifying medicine in the morning, spleen and stomach-regulating medicine from 7 to 9 am, and disease-treating medicine before bedtime. In between, they should also engage in diet and physical activities, combining longevity with disease prevention, and nutrition with exercise. In terms of following the changes of yin and yang in the four seasons, the "Inner Canon" proposes the treatment principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer, nourishing yin in autumn and winter". This has a significant effect on treating chronic respiratory diseases in the elderly such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cardiopulmonary disease. In terms of following the changes of yin and yang in the four seasons, "Spring should eat pungent foods, as pungent disperses; summer should eat salty foods, as salty moistens; late summer should eat sour foods, as sour consolidates; autumn should eat bitter foods, as bitter strengthens; winter should eat sweet and fatty foods, as sweet nourishes the middle and builds muscles, and fatty can solidify the organs and nourish the middle. All of these benefit the five organs and disperse pathogenic factors." The "Yi Ling Dan" states: "Spring invigorates the organs, summer tonifies the lower abdomen, autumn warms the spleen and stomach, and winter cools and separates the upper and lower body parts." This treatment principle is based on the holistic view of "correspondence between heaven and humans" and follows the changes in the rise and fall of yin and yang in the four seasons. When eating and supplementing medicine, if one can "harmonize with the human body according to the laws of the four seasons and the five elements", satisfactory results can be achieved.
Supporting the body's deficiencies and preventing aging is a natural physiological phenomenon that occurs with the increase in age and the gradual decline of organ functions and the body's ability to resist diseases. By supplementing with food and medicine, we can delay the decline of organ functions, improve the body's ability to resist diseases, and achieve the goal of extending life. This is an important and commonly used effective measure in anti-aging and prevention of decline.
Supplementing deficiencies and strengthening bones are all "broad-spectrum" tonifying effects. Among them, replenishing the spleen and kidneys is particularly important. By warming and tonifying the yang of the spleen and kidneys and promoting the function of qi transformation, it can promote the production of essence and blood, generate form from formlessness, and play a role in anti-aging and extending life. As stated in the "Outer Secret of the Platform": "Since aging is mostly due to yang deficiency in old age, the main use of medicine is to warm and tonify, and often use slow-release pills. The duration of medication should be appropriately extended to avoid damaging the body's righteous qi and eliminating the root cause of the disease." Zhang Jingyue said: "Strong yang leads to longevity." Of course, the warm yang and tonifying qi method has an effect on extending life and promoting health in the overall situation of the elderly. Traditional Chinese medicine also needs to adjust the proportion and dosage of yin-tonifying and yang-tonifying medicines according to individual conditions to avoid the problem of "excessive yang increase" caused by a single smell. Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty paid great attention to health and beauty. According to her medical records, when Empress Dowager Cixi was 60 years old, her complexion was still youthful, and she looked like she was 40 years old. The health and beauty regimens she used included more than 30 categories of formulas. These formulas are mainly focused on tonifying the spleen and kidneys. This shows that the relationship between the spleen, kidneys, and anti-aging is crucial. Supplementing the deficiencies and preventing aging requires a comprehensive approach. The author of the "Holy Relief General Record" pays attention to the characteristic of elderly people being deficient and stagnant, and widely uses blood-activating and stasis-dissolving herbal medicines to treat various elderly diseases. This also indicates that the elderly cannot solely rely on tonifying, but must have a comprehensive approach that includes promoting circulation and balancing, in order to achieve remarkable effects.
Commonly used medicinal formulas for the elderly
Most elderly diseases are rooted in deficiencies and accompanied by excess. Therefore, medications for the elderly should focus on replenishing deficiencies and dispelling pathogens. Commonly used herbs include Lingzhi, Huang Jing, Shan Yu Rou, Gou Qi Zi, Tu Si Zi, Di Huang, Yu Zhu, He Shou Wu, Rou Cong Rong, Xian Mao, Xian Ling Pi, Bu Gu Zhi, Ci Wu Jia, Nv Zhen Zi, Han Lian Cao, Ba Ji Tian, Hai Ma, Ge Jie, Sang Shen, Sang Ji Sheng, Huai Shi, Rou Gui, Fu Zi, Lu Rong, Zi He Che, Shan Yao, Yun Ling, Bai Zhu, Ren Shen, Huang Qi, etc. These can be taken under the guidance of a physician, and can also be cooked into soups or consumed as teas.
Commonly used proprietary Chinese medicines for supplementing the elderly include decoctions, pills, powders, ointments, dan pills, and medicated wines. Traditional tonic formulas that have been widely circulated among the general public and proven to be effective are generally divided into two categories: tonifying the spleen and tonifying the kidneys. Examples include Shiquan Dabu Wan, Renshen Guipi Wan, Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Jinkui Shenqi Wan, Zuogui Wan, Yougui Wan, Tianwang Buxin Dan, Huanshao Dan, Qibao Meiran Dan, Wuzi Yanzong Wan, Renshen Zaizao Wan, Heche Dazao Wan, Renshen Gejie San, etc. These Chinese patent medicines have been proven effective in preventing diseases and extending life over the centuries. However, it is best to take them under the guidance of a doctor, select the appropriate formula and purchase the medicine according to the specific condition, and avoid excessive and inappropriate use. Otherwise, it will not benefit the condition and may cause harm.
