Taoist health preservation, as an important component of traditional Chinese culture, emphasizes the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Taoist doctors not only care about the treatment of diseases, but also pay attention to prevention and health maintenance. Many people’s understanding of Taoist health preservation often stays at the aspects of eating, drinking, sleeping, and transportation. In fact, this almost covers all aspects of life. This article will delve into how to achieve the health wisdom of Daoist medicine through diet, water, sleep, and travel, helping people create a healthy lifestyle in modern society.
1、 Diet: the cornerstone of Taoist health preservation
Diet is one of the most important components of Taoist health preservation. Taoist doctors emphasize the importance of “eating at the right time and nurturing with etiquette”, and pay attention to the combination of seasons and physical fitness when choosing and consuming food.
1.1 Harmony of Five Flavors
Taoist doctors believe that each of the five flavors of food (sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty) has its own unique health benefits. Balanced intake of the five flavors can achieve the goal of harmonizing qi and blood, and balancing yin and yang. For example, sour taste entering the liver can help soothe emotions; Sweet taste enters the spleen and can invigorate the spleen and qi; Bitter taste enters the heart and can clear the fire in the heart; Spicy taste enters the lungs and can relieve external pressure and promote blood circulation; Salty taste entering the kidneys helps nourish yin and moisten dryness. Therefore, in daily diet, one should consciously mix the five flavors of food according to seasonal changes and personal constitution.
1.2 Food selection
Daoists advocate following nature and choosing fresh seasonal ingredients. For example, in spring, one should eat more green leafy vegetables, bean sprouts, etc. to help the liver detoxify; In summer, you can choose fruits and melons to clear heat and relieve summer heat; In autumn and winter, we should lean towards warm and nourishing foods such as lamb, beef, walnuts, etc. In addition, it is necessary to reduce the intake of greasy, stimulating, and cold foods to avoid harming the spleen and stomach.
1.3 Chew slowly and slowly
Daoist medicine emphasizes the importance of “moderation in food intake”, and “chewing slowly” is an important method to achieve this concept. Chewing slowly not only improves the digestion and absorption rate of food, but also helps the body perceive hunger and satiety, avoiding the burden of overeating. During the eating process, it is recommended to create a pleasant atmosphere and avoid rushing or being distracted.
2、 Drinking Water: Nourishing the Soul
Water is the source of life, and drinking water is equally indispensable in Taoist medicine and health preservation. Taoist doctors emphasize that “water is the root of life”, and reasonable drinking habits can help the body maintain normal physiological functions.
2.1 Drinking Time
Drinking water not only requires quantity, but also timing. After waking up in the morning, after a night of metabolism, the body loses a lot of water. It is recommended to choose warm water for the first cup of water to help the body replenish water and promote intestinal peristalsis. Drinking water half an hour before and two hours after meals is the most suitable, as it can avoid diluting gastric juice and affecting digestion and absorption.
2.2 Types of Water
Taoist doctors advocate choosing the type of water based on individual physical constitution. Generally speaking, warm water is the most ideal choice, but for people who are prone to getting overheated, they can drink some herbal teas such as chrysanthemum tea and green tea to help clear heat and reduce internal heat. For people who are prone to feeling cold, they can choose ginger tea, red date tea, etc. to warm their bodies.
2.3 Quantity of Water
The amount of water each person drinks varies depending on their lifestyle, climate, and physical condition. It is generally recommended to drink between 1500 milliliters and 2000 milliliters of water per day. But it is important to avoid drinking large amounts of water at once and spreading it throughout the day, so that the body can maintain sufficient hydration at all times.
3、 Sleep: The Path to Longevity
Sleep is the key to physical and mental recovery, and adequate sleep is an important part of Taoist health preservation. Taoist doctors believe that “going to bed early and getting up early” is an important rule for regulating the body.
3.1 Golden Time for Sleep
According to the theory of Daoist medicine, the period from 11am to 1am is the most active time for the gallbladder meridian, during which the body’s detoxification function is strongest and should be kept awake. The critical period for liver detoxification is from 1am to 3am, during which the body should enter deep sleep for self repair. Therefore, it is recommended that people go to bed between 10 and 11 pm to get sufficient deep sleep.
3.2 Sleep Environment
A good sleep environment is crucial for improving sleep quality. In the bedroom, it is important to maintain quietness, darkness, and a suitable temperature. Avoid turning on electronic devices while sleeping to help the body fully relax and enter deeper sleep states.
3.3 Sleep habits
Developing regular sleep habits can effectively improve sleep quality. Try to maintain a relatively fixed bedtime and wake-up time every day, and engage in moderate daytime exercise to help the body feel tired and promote good sleep at night.
4、 Travel: Physical and mental exercise
Traveling is not only a daily necessity, but also an important way to exercise and relax. Taoist doctors believe that moderate exercise helps to harmonize qi and blood, and enhance physical fitness.
4.1 Choose the appropriate exercise
Choosing the appropriate exercise program based on one’s own physical condition is extremely important. For example, low-intensity aerobic exercises such as Tai Chi and yoga not only help relax the body, but also enhance flexibility and coordination; Aerobic exercises such as brisk walking and swimming can enhance cardiovascular and pulmonary function. Regardless of the form of exercise chosen, one should maintain moderation and strive to “move without fatigue”.
4.2 Ways of Travel
Daoists advocate for nature and harmony, and when traveling, one can choose to walk or ride to avoid the negative effects of driving as much as possible. Engaging in outdoor activities not only enhances physical fitness, but also absorbs the spiritual energy of nature, achieving a balance between body and mind.
4.3 Frequency of travel
It is recommended to engage in aerobic exercise at least three times a week, with a duration between 30 minutes and 1 hour. Stretching appropriately after exercise can help relax and recover the body.
Taoist health preservation is not only a way of life, but also an understanding and respect for life. By paying attention to diet, water, sleep, and travel, one can effectively improve their quality of life and enhance their immune system. I hope everyone can integrate the wisdom of Taoist health preservation into their daily lives, benefit from it, and achieve harmony and balance between body and mind.
In this way, in the fast-paced modern life, we can find our own way of health through simple daily behaviors, and let the wisdom of Taoist doctors add a touch of brightness to our lives.
