Ten Numbers to Keep the Elderly Healthy (Part 1)
According to the recently revised "Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly," this year's "Double Ninth Festival" has a new "identity" - Elderly Day. How to be a healthy and happy elderly person? The Life Times interviewed Professor Yang Li from the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Honorary Director Fu Jinru of the Tianjin Nutrition Society, and Director Li Juan of the Center for Geriatric Psychology Research at the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Combined with the latest research abroad, a health plan for the elderly is listed from the aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine, nutrition, psychology, etc., using the numbers 1 to 10. The elderly can make a scientific daily routine according to their situation to encourage themselves to develop healthy habits.
"1". Have a bowel movement once a day. The elderly are more prone to constipation and should try to ensure a daily bowel movement. If constipated, they can eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as oats, corn, and other coarse grains, as well as vegetables like celery and leeks. It is also important to drink plenty of water.
Have an annual physical examination once a year. After the age of 50, the aging process of the body accelerates, and middle-aged and elderly people need to develop the habit of regular physical examinations. For people over 65 years old, there are 10 essential items that cannot be skipped during the examination: blood pressure measurement; blood, urine, and stool tests; electrocardiogram; abdominal ultrasound; chest X-ray; blood glucose and lipid tests; fundus examination; bone density measurement; gynecological examination; prostate examination.
Do something new every day. Maintaining a youthful mindset is important for the elderly. It is best for elderly friends not to remain in a monotonous life. Doing something new every day can bring a different mood. For example, people who are used to brushing their teeth with their right hand can try using their left hand; take a walk on an unfamiliar route; listen to different styles of music. These small things help the elderly maintain good adaptability and face new changes in life.
"2". Massage two longevity acupoints. He Gu and Nei Guan are two well-known longevity acupoints. Massaging them daily can regulate endocrine function, balance the immune system, and improve spleen and stomach function. He Gu acupoint, also known as "Tiger's Mouth," is located in the fleshy part between the thumb and index finger; Nei Guan acupoint is located on the inner side of the wrist, between the two tendons when making a fist or lifting the hand with the palm facing up.
Get enough sleep twice a day. Traditional Chinese medicine advocates "zi wu jue," which means going to bed during the Zi hour (11 pm to 1 am) and the Wu hour (11 am to 1 pm). Going to bed before the Zi hour is beneficial for nourishing Yin. The Wu hour is beneficial for nourishing Yang. It is worth noting that a nap of half an hour is recommended, and it should not exceed one hour.
"3". Eat three walnuts every day. Research in the United States has proven that elderly people who eat three walnuts every day can prevent cognitive disorders and help lower blood lipids.
Say three caring words to your loved one every day. For elderly people who are away from their children, their spouses are their emotional support. Saying at least three caring words to each other every day can make them smile and increase the elderly person's sense of happiness, helping them face everything with a positive attitude.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. The Mayo Clinic in the United States recommends that the elderly exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, which is beneficial for health. Long-term adherence can reduce the risk of heart disease by half. The elderly can engage in various forms of exercise, such as walking, climbing stairs, square dancing, and Tai Chi, but they should not be too intense. It is advisable to avoid morning exercises during the autumn and winter seasons.
"4". Eat four meals a day. The elderly have slower gastrointestinal motility and decreased digestion and absorption functions, so it is best to have multiple meals a day. Research in the United Kingdom has shown that dividing the daily food intake into four meals is more beneficial for reducing cholesterol. It is recommended to have breakfast at 7 am, lunch at 11 am, have an additional meal at 3 pm, and have dinner at 7 pm.
Eat four types of staple food every day. The elderly should try to ensure a variety of staple foods and achieve a balance between coarse and fine grains. In addition to rice and steamed buns, it is recommended to increase the consumption of black rice, oats, buckwheat, millet, red beans, kidney beans, and lotus seeds. It is best to have more than four types of staple food every day to obtain sufficient B vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which can effectively control blood sugar and blood lipids and maintain intestinal health. It is worth noting that although coarse grains are good, the elderly must cook them thoroughly and control the amount.
"5". Eat five kinds of fruits and vegetables every day. Eating five kinds of fruits and vegetables every day is beneficial for the health of the elderly. The nutrients, vitamins, and dietary fiber provided by fruits and vegetables can help prevent various cancers and heart diseases. In addition to ensuring a variety of ingredients, it is also important to eat an adequate amount. Each person should consume two plates of vegetables every day, with one of them preferably being fresh and dark green seasonal vegetables.
Laugh heartily five times a day. Worrying about children and getting anxious about trivial matters can negatively affect one's health. The elderly should talk to family and friends about happy things, watch comedy sketches, and make themselves laugh heartily. Research has shown that people who laugh more than five times a day have a better mindset.
"6". Drink six cups of water every day. As age increases, the feeling of thirst becomes less noticeable for the elderly, and lack of water can indirectly lead to heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, the elderly should not wait until they are thirsty to drink water. They should create a drinking schedule and drink at least six cups of water every day, with one cup every hour.
Eat six jujubes every day. As the saying goes, "Eat jujubes every day and stay young." Eating six jujubes every day can invigorate the middle, benefit Qi, nourish blood, and produce saliva, which has good health benefits for the elderly. Fresh jujubes are rich in vitamins but have a strong seasonal nature and are not easily digested when eaten in large quantities. In comparison, dried jujubes are more suitable for the elderly. Although the vitamin content decreases, the iron content is higher, and the nutrients are more easily absorbed, making them more suitable for dietary therapy.
Don't watch TV for more than 60 minutes at a time. Research in the United States has shown that the TV viewing time for people over 65 is three times that of young people, which has a negative impact on their cardiovascular and skeletal health. Researchers suggest that the elderly should limit their TV viewing time to within 60 minutes, avoid sitting for long periods, and occasionally stand up and stretch their waist and back. The same principle should be applied to playing mahjong and cards.
"7". Get seven hours of sleep every day. Many people sleep less as they age, but a study of 15,000 elderly people aged 70 and above in the United States found that those who slept for about seven hours had better memory than those who slept less than five hours or more than eight hours.
"8". Eat until 80% full for each meal. Many long-lived residents live on the Okinawa Islands in Japan, where the incidence of heart disease and stroke is the lowest in the world, and the occurrence of cancer is 40% lower than in Western countries. Their secret to longevity is eating until 80% full for each meal. Therefore, when you feel that your stomach is not completely full but your enthusiasm for food has decreased, you should stop eating.
"9". Soak your feet at 9 pm. During this time, the energy and blood of the kidney meridian are relatively weak. Soaking your feet in hot water can dilate blood vessels, promote blood circulation, nourish the kidneys, and clear the liver. Foot soaking can also relax the whole body and help improve sleep quality. The water temperature should be around 40 degrees Celsius, and soaking for half an hour is sufficient.
"10". Massage for 10 minutes after getting up. Follow these steps: 1. Comb your hair with your fingers, starting from the middle of your forehead and moving towards the back of your head, then comb the sides. This can improve blood circulation in the head. 2. Rub your chest and knead your abdomen. Lie flat on the bed and rub your chest and ribs to generate heat, then massage the area around the navel in a clockwise direction 20 times to aid digestion and promote bowel movements. 3. Contract your abdomen and tighten your buttocks, which can promote gastrointestinal motility and assist in the treatment of some chronic diseases.
Read the newspaper out loud for at least 10 minutes every day. Reading the newspaper out loud for more than 10 minutes every day can have a positive impact on the brain, enhance memory, delay aging, increase lung capacity, and invigorate the spirit of the elderly.
Don't pursue perfection in everything. Many elderly people are perfectionists in life, with strong possessiveness and control. It is good for the elderly to have a pursuit of beauty, but if they pursue perfection excessively, it will affect their health. Therefore, it is important to not take everything too seriously and be content and joyful.
