Brief Discussion on the Four Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Preservation
Prevent Illness Before It Occurs, Preserve Health Before Aging
TCM health preservation methods are fundamentally aimed at disease prevention and health maintenance. For example, in regulating daily routines, *The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon* stresses avoiding “wind, rain, cold, and heat” — “evil influences” — at appropriate times. Regarding dietary hygiene, Zhang Zhongjing’s *Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases* includes dedicated sections on preventing food poisoning. Sun Simiao recorded using animal liver to prevent night blindness and using sheep thyroid and kelp to prevent endemic goiter. *The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon* also advocates acupuncture for disease prevention and longevity. Therefore, the guiding principle of TCM health preservation should be “prevent illness before aging.”
Daily Regulation, Living with Discipline
Emphasizing regularity in life—diet, sleep, work, rest, and emotional management—plays a crucial role in delaying aging. Through long-term practice, TCM has developed a series of effective health preservation methods, including mental health cultivation, sleep health, dietary health, daily routine health, and seasonal health preservation.
Self-Exercise, Consistency is Key
Self-exercise methods in TCM include qigong, daoyin (guiding and pulling), and massage. Modern qigong originates from ancient daoyin and breathing techniques. The core lies in adjusting body posture, mind, and breath. These practices help eliminate internal and external disturbances, achieving a state of unity between body and spirit, enabling self-regulation throughout life, stimulating and activating the body’s inherent potential, and preventing disease and aging.
Combine Medicines and Food, Pair Acupuncture with Moxibustion
Throughout Chinese medical literature, many herbs and formulas are documented to possess benefits such as “tonifying qi and lightening the body” or “promoting longevity.” These fall under the category of medicinal nourishment. Food therapy is another gem in the TCM health preservation treasury. Food and medicine complement each other, jointly enhancing strength and prolonging life. Additionally, there are many effective, simple, and practical methods such as acupuncture for health, moxibustion, umbilical therapy, and medicinal pillows.