Speaking to Teachers About the Way of Health Preservation
On a holiday, a young rural elementary school teacher visited. His physique was thin, complexion sallow, and spirits low. I asked about his health. He sighed: “Severe pharyngitis—painful when lecturing, sharp pain afterward; stomach issues aren’t mild either—frequent dull pain, recently bled from the stomach, treated nearly a month; plus neurasthenia, sleepless nights…” Listening to his sorrowful account, I inquired about his diet and daily routine. It turned out he lived in poor conditions and lacked knowledge of health preservation, resulting in poor health. Later, I surveyed several rural schools and found many teachers suffered from poor health: pharyngitis, gastric disorders, myopia, hemorrhoids, neurasthenia, cervical osteophyte formation, hypertension—these ailments plagued them endlessly. Thus, I feel compelled to loudly urge: Let’s educate teachers about the way of health preservation.
Today, newspapers and magazines extensively discuss “health preservation,” yet many rural schools still regard it as taboo—afraid discussing food and housing might corrupt the noble souls of educators. Moreover, some rural teachers, overwhelmed by heavy teaching loads or deeply devoted to education, have never read articles on health preservation. Consequently, they are virtually illiterate in this area. The aforementioned teacher, plagued by multiple illnesses, is a typical example. He possesses solid professional knowledge, excels in teaching, consistently guides graduating classes—outstanding in his field—but knows little about basic medical knowledge. He said he taught four consecutive classes without drinking water. Often skipped breakfast, eating only dry rice late in the afternoon. He didn’t understand that gastric patients should eat small meals frequently and consume soft, cooked food. If we visit rural schools, we’ll see: some teachers lecture with loudspeakers, their voices deafening—unaware this harms teaching effectiveness and causes pharyngitis. Others rage at misbehaving students, face flushed red—ignoring that anger harms the liver (according to “anger injures the liver” in TCM). Still others sit after class, refusing breaks, skipping exercises, not playing shuttlecock or ball—completely unaware prolonged sitting leads to hemorrhoids and other diseases…
All this proves that rural schools urgently need to teach teachers about health preservation, giving them basic knowledge. Where possible, invite experts to deliver lectures—this would be even more beneficial.