The Importance of Brain Health in Health Preservation
TCM holds that "the brain is the residence of the soul," where essence and spirit concentrate. Vision, hearing, smell, sensation, thinking, memory—all depend on the brain's function. This underscores the brain's critical importance as a vital organ and life's core. Brain health is key to overall wellness. Major approaches to brain health include:
1. Cultivating Essence to Strengthen the Brain. The brain is the sea of marrow; the kidneys govern essence and generate marrow. Abundant kidney essence fills the marrow sea, thus accumulating essence strengthens the brain. The method of accumulating essence lies in sexual restraint. Ming dynasty physician Zhang Jingyue said: "Those skilled in health preservation must protect their essence. Full essence leads to abundant qi, abundant qi leads to full spirit, full spirit leads to robust health, robust health leads to fewer illnesses, strong spirit and qi, aging gracefully—all stem from essence."
2. Strengthening the Brain with Qigong. Proper qigong practice fully harnesses the subjective initiative of intention, greatly stimulating the body's self-regulatory functions for brain and body health. There are many qigong forms aimed at replenishing and strengthening the brain. It's best to learn under a qualified qigong master.
3. Nurturing the Spirit to Protect the Brain. The brain houses the spirit; a peaceful mind protects the brain. If mentally stressed or emotionally unstable, the spirit becomes chaotic and the brain damaged. Nurturing the spirit requires moral cultivation. Being broad-minded, calm, indifferent to gain and loss, not chasing fame and fortune, content and happy, helping others—these benefit brain health. Conversely, narrow-mindedness, constant nitpicking, easily stirred emotions, leading to organ and blood imbalance and illness. Thus, brain health preservation must pay special attention to this.
4. Nourishing the Brain with Food and Medicines. Analyzing historical brain-nourishing formulas, they generally focus on nourishing liver and kidneys, enriching essence and blood (e.g., Cornus (Shan Yu), Rehmannia (Di Huang), Polygonum (He Shou Wu), Lycium (Gou Qi), Dodder (Tu Si Zi), Schisandra (Wu Wei Zi), Eucommia (Chuan Du Zhong), Achyranthes (Niu Xi), Angelica (Dang Gui)), boosting vital energy and activating blood (e.g., Astragalus (Huang Qi), Ginseng (Ren Shen), Salvia (Dan Shen)), and clearing turbidity and opening clear orifices (e.g., Calamus (Shi Chang Pu), Polygala (Yuan Zhi), Poria (Fu Ling), Alisma (Ze Xie)). Clinical use should follow syndrome differentiation principles, selecting appropriate combinations. Additionally, foods like sesame seeds and animal brains can also be used.
5. Preventing and Protecting the Brain. Clinical reports show that Alzheimer's disease prevalence reaches 10% among those over 65, with a rising trend. Research reveals significantly increased aluminum deposits in patient brains, often accompanied by iron-deficiency anemia. Prevention includes reducing use of aluminum cookware, especially avoiding long-term storage of acidic, alkaline, or salty foods and dishes in aluminum containers.
6. Hand Exercises for Brain Health. Various sports benefit health, but most are indirect. Calligraphy, painting, and tai chi, however, share the commonality of hand-brain coordination and full concentration. Hand-brain connection is closest. Our fitness ball exercise (using two small balls constantly rotating in the hands) emphasizes hand-brain coordination, offering excellent brain health benefits.