🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Aside from genetic factors, lifestyle greatly influences health. Many chronic conditions—including obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cancer—are linked to unhealthy lifestyles. Promoting healthy habits can prevent and treat these diseases.
90% fullness before age 40
80% fullness after age 40
70% fullness after age 50
60% fullness after age 60
Today, people generally eat too much. A considerable number suffer illness due to long-term overeating, and symptoms improve when diet is controlled. After adulthood, growth and development are complete; dietary needs are merely to maintain metabolic balance. Excess nutrition burdens internal organs and turns surplus into “toxins” like high blood sugar and high cholesterol, which harm many organs rather than nourish them. Modern medical research confirms that frequent overeating increases blood flow to the gut while reducing cerebral perfusion, potentially leading to memory decline, mental sluggishness, and premature brain aging. Organ functions gradually deteriorate with age, so dietary intake should vary by age group. Before age 40, eat 90% full; after 40, 80% full; after 50, 70% full; after 60, 60% full. This applies broadly, but individual activity levels should guide personal intake.
For elderly and sick individuals, emphasize small, frequent meals. Their digestive capacity is weak; eating large amounts may cause illness, including bloating, belching, stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. A study by the University of California found that reducing calorie intake in old age extends lifespan. Previous studies confirmed that mice starting calorie restriction soon after birth live longer, but this study first showed that restricting food intake only in old age achieves similar results. As long as sufficient nutrition is provided, low-calorie diets extend lifespan and delay/prevent age-related diseases like cancer.
Walk 25 minutes daily
Or perform squats for 5 minutes
Modern life is fast-paced with high work stress. Many sit all day at computers, in meetings, or in cars, resulting in rising rates of occupational illnesses like cervical spondylosis and back pain. Lack of physical activity slows blood and qi circulation, obstructing detoxification pathways. Metabolic waste accumulates, harming health. Symptoms include back pain, fatigue, dizziness, palpitations, exhaustion, insomnia, and vivid dreams. Thus, traditional Chinese medicine says: “Prolonged lying harms qi; prolonged sitting harms flesh.”
Exercise improves blood and qi flow, ensures adequate nutrient supply to all organs, and expels metabolic waste efficiently, maintaining energy and strength. Exercise not only prevents illness but also treats it—moderate activity significantly helps conditions like diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, arthritis, back pain, gastric ulcers, and forgetfulness. Many avoid exercise citing lack of time, but even just 25 minutes of walking or 5 minutes of squats daily provides benefits—what matters is forming a consistent habit.
Go to bed before midnight (23:00–1:00)
Take a 30-minute to 1-hour nap at noon (11:00–13:00)
Modern people enjoy night life, staying up late, which harms health and disrupts natural circadian rhythms. Some are “night owls”—like the late famous writer Lu Yao, whose work style was “starting at noon,” ultimately costing him his life. Sleep isn’t just about quantity; sleeping equal time at night vs. day differs in value. According to “harmony between man and nature,” cosmic movements correlate with human yin-yang changes. Sleeping in sync with natural rhythms balances yin and yang; otherwise, imbalance occurs.
“Zi-Wu sleep” is an ancient Chinese method: sleep during Zi (midnight) and Wu (noon). Midnight is the peak of yin energy, known as “yin convergence,” when stillness dominates. Thus, one should sleep deeply at midnight (before 1:00 AM), entering optimal sleep state for maximum yin nourishment. A 30-minute to 1-hour nap at noon (11:00–13:00) suffices. Modern research confirms that from 0–4 AM, bodily functions drop to minimum, and 12–1 PM is when the sympathetic nervous system is most fatigued. Thus, sleep quality is highest at Zi and Wu times, aligning with natural yin-yang patterns. Statistics show that older adults who practice Zi-Wu sleep reduce incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, offering preventive and health-protective benefits.