Traditional Chinese medicine health care methods

All specific methods are based on these three underlying principles: timing, fitness, and balance. There is no omnipotent formula, only the one that suits you is effective.

Let’s talk about the timing first. When I was doing free clinics in the community two years ago, I met Aunt Zhang, who was in her 60s. In the spring, I saw a video saying that drinking chrysanthemum tea can reduce inflammation. I brewed a large cup of it every day. After drinking it for less than half a month, I got the old problem of stomach cold, which was so painful that I couldn’t even eat. Regarding timely regulation, different schools of traditional Chinese medicine actually have different emphasis. The typhoid school pays more attention to the rising and falling rules of Yang Qi in the 24 solar terms. For example, from the beginning of spring to the Qingming Festival, when Yang Qi goes up, you should cover your lower body more. Don't worry about exposing your ankles and wearing single shoes to prevent the rising Yang Qi from being suppressed by the cold air. ； The febrile disease school pays more attention to the characteristics of evil spirits corresponding to the seasons. Spring is windy and dry, so they should eat less spicy food and more seasonal green leafy vegetables such as spring sprouts and spinach to moisten the lungs and soothe the liver. Both of these statements are actually correct. They just work together. If you are prone to getting angry, you should eat less hot pot during this period. If you are afraid of the cold, there is no harm in covering up for a few days.

Speaking of which, it must be mentioned that all conditioning methods must be adapted to one's own physique. How can there be any health tips that everyone can use? Last month, a young man in his 20s who worked in operations came to me and said that he had read bloggers talking about eating bird's nest to replenish qi and blood every day. After eating it for three months, his face was covered with acne, and his stool was stuck to the toilet and could not be flushed out. When taking a pulse, it showed that he had a typical constitution of phlegm and dampness. Later, he was asked to stop eating bird's nests and drink boiled water with fried malt and tangerine peel every day. He walked half an hour longer after get off work. Within two weeks, he came back and reported that he felt much better. By the way, there are actually a lot of controversies between different schools in this area. Doctors from the Fuyang School believe that modern people are greedy for cold weather, stay up late, and sit for long periods of time, and most of them lack Yang Qi. It is right to eat more warm things like ginger and cinnamon twigs. ； However, doctors from the Yin-nourishing sect believe that nowadays people think too much and stay up late, all yin fluid is consumed, so they should eat more yin-nourishing foods such as Ophiopogon japonicus and lily. In fact, there is no point in arguing. If your hands and feet are usually cold and you have diarrhea after eating something cold, then the method of Fuyang School is suitable for you. ； If you often have dry mouth, are prone to oral ulcers after staying up late, or have a red tip of your tongue, you are definitely right to follow the ideas of the Nourishing Yin School.

Another point that is most easily overlooked is that you have to balance it and don’t overdo it. I met a girl before. In order to maintain her health, she forced herself to run 5 kilometers every day and soaked her feet every day until she was sweating profusely. She persisted for a month, but she became tired at every turn and her menstruation was delayed. In fact, Chinese medicine teaches that movement nourishes yang and tranquility nourishes yin. A balance between movement and stillness is correct. If you sit in the office every day and take 20 minutes a day to play Baduanjin and take a walk, it will be much better than injuring your knees by running 5 kilometers. The same goes for foot soaking. Soaking until your back feels slightly warm is just right. Soaking until your head is sweating profusely will drain your energy, and the gain outweighs the loss. Let me tell you a little experience of my own. I worked on a manuscript for a week recently and my mouth was so dry. I drank Ophiopogon japonicus water every day at first. After drinking it for two days, I felt uncomfortable with bloating. Later, I changed it to soaking 3 grains of Ophiopogon japonicus + 1 small piece of tangerine peel during the day. I massaged Sanyinjiao for 5 minutes before going to bed at night. I felt better within two days. You see, just nourishing yin is not enough. You have to add some tangerine peel to regulate Qi. Otherwise, the supplemented things will be blocked in the spleen and stomach, which will become a burden.

Some people may say, I can’t feel my pulse, how do I know what is suitable for me? In fact, it really doesn’t need to be so complicated. Just do the basics first: don’t stay up until after 11 o’clock to go to bed. This is more effective than any tonic. ； Eat until you are seven to eight cents full, don’t overeat every meal ； Being less sulky is more effective than how many Xiaoyao Pills you drink. If you really want to try methods such as diet therapy or moxibustion, try it for two or three days first to feel the changes in your body. If you feel comfortable, continue. If you feel uncomfortable, stop. The body is more accurate than any instrument. Oh, by the way, if you have underlying diseases, don’t make random adjustments on your own. See a traditional Chinese medicine doctor in a regular hospital. Don’t believe in any folk remedies that say you can cure serious illnesses.

In fact, to put it bluntly, Chinese medicine health care is not a mysterious thing. It is a method of getting along with your body passed down by your ancestors. You don’t need to pursue any high-end method. It is suitable for you and comfortable to use. It can make you less sick and stay energetic. This is the best way to regulate your body.