Autumn is a comfortable season for people. According to the statistics, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in autumn and winter accounts for 69.5% of the total number of cases, so it is important to prevent the occurrence of this disease in autumn.
According to Chinese medicine, Yang Qi gradually tends to sink in autumn, Yang Qi gradually declines, physiological functions tend to calm down, the weather is dry, the climate is getting cooler and the temperature fluctuates, so it is an eventful autumn for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the middle-aged and elderly. Because of the dry climate in autumn, after a night’s sleep, what you inhale is mostly dry air, and what you exhale is moist carbon dioxide, so you have to consume a lot of water in your body. Especially in the elderly, blood viscosity is higher, blood in the blood vessels flow slowly, plus the blood vessel wall is harder, more brittle, lack of elasticity, once the blood flow is blocked, prone to cardiovascular disease. Autumn weather is the process of gradually turning cooler, especially after the autumn rain, the temperature suddenly becomes cooler, the skin and subcutaneous tissue vasoconstriction, peripheral vascular resistance increases, resulting in higher blood pressure. The sudden cold can cause coronary artery spasm, which directly affects the blood supply to the heart and induces angina pectoris or myocardial infarction, etc.
Traditional Chinese medicine has always attached importance to autumn health, and its overall concept of health is “Heaven and man correspond to each other, in accordance with nature”, and the symbiosis and co-prosperity of all things. According to Chinese medicine, dryness is the main qi of autumn, and dryness is dry and easy to hurt the fluids. Therefore, we should be properly nourished, so that the body’s yin fluids flourish, so as to achieve the purpose of nature, the unity of heaven and man, health and longevity.
First, autumn health, focus on nourishing the heart
Some people have done a survey, cardiovascular disease 50% from the psychological factors. Emotional fluctuations are the main culprit to trigger or aggravate cardiovascular diseases. Autumn wind sweeping leaves, everything times withered, for the turn of the year, often make people feel the scenery, especially the elderly more emotions, with its sense of dying. “Autumn time miserable wind and rain, the elderly move more sentimental, if the color is not happy, it is necessary to induce many say, so that the service of their minds, it is to forget their autumn thoughts.” It can be seen, autumn focus on the spirit of regulating the health of the key. Therefore, the elderly should regulate the spirit, appropriate exercise during the day, casual nature, everything by the heart and not stay in the heart, people do not fight nature and with the nature, cultivate optimism, keep the spirit of tranquility, to adapt to the autumn flat tolerance of gas, in order to get out of the bleak and low dilemma. If the weather is good, go out for a walk, enjoy the beauty of nature, to relieve the autumn sorrow; play with flowers and plants, temperament, but everything in moderation, do not be too exhausted.
Moreover, the temperature difference between morning and evening in autumn, the temperature changes significantly. The climate in autumn is in the “yang elimination and yin growth”, from cool to cold transition stage. From autumn to summer, the autumn sun is raging, the temperature is high, the weather is characterized by hot and humid, so there is the “autumn tiger” said. And after the “white dew”, rain gradually less, dry weather, hot day and cool night, the climate is hot and cold changeable, a little careless, easy to catch a cold, triggering old diseases, known as “eventful autumn. Especially in the north is sometimes “suddenly like a night autumn rain to come, autumn clothes winter cap to find out”, not to mention the elderly, is the young and strong people also rarely headache brain fever. The sudden change in weather, causing vasoconstriction is most likely to trigger cardiovascular disease. Should always increase or decrease clothing, in order to prevent the autumn cold and other diseases. Especially for the elderly, if you are in good health, you can wash your face and nose with cool water to increase your ability to adapt to the cold and improve your immune system. If you are in general health, then it is recommended that the elderly use the flat tonic food therapy method.
Second, autumn tonic flat tonic nourishing Yin
According to the theory of Chinese medicine: “Spring and summer nourish Yang, autumn and winter nourish Yin”, autumn must maintain the body’s Yin, when the climate becomes cold, it is the body’s Yang Qi convergence, Yin essence hidden in the time, so should be mainly to maintain Yin essence. The climate is dry in autumn, the air temperature is low, sweat evaporates quickly, should be more water, usually eat more fruits such as apples, and eat more green leafy vegetables, to help produce Jin to prevent dryness, nourish Yin and moisten the lungs. But autumn should not be greedy for melons and fruits, to prevent bad belly and damage the spleen and stomach. Should also eat less onions, ginger, garlic, leeks and chili peppers and other warm, hot food, otherwise summer heat is not clear, and autumn dryness, easy to suffer from warm disease. Eat appropriate high-protein food, such as milk, eggs and beans, etc., so that the human brain produces a special substance that can eliminate depression. In autumn, pay attention to hydration, water is yin and is flat as a source of yin energy. Especially in the early morning when you wake up, drink a glass of water to make up for the water lost in the body overnight, dilute the blood and reduce the occurrence of myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases.
As the saying goes: “a summer without disease three points of deficiency”, so autumn people are prone to tiredness, fatigue, nadir and mouth sores, nasal cavity, dry skin, sore throat, cough, constipation and other “autumn dryness” phenomenon. In folklore, there is a custom of “autumn tonic”. You can take some tonic products or congee that nourish Yin and moisten the lungs. For the middle-aged and elderly people with weak spleen and stomach and those suffering from cardiovascular diseases, it is advisable to eat congee for breakfast, which is good for neutralizing and benefiting the stomach and generating fluid. For example, ginseng, lily, silver fungus with japonica rice (rice can also be), rock sugar can be cooked porridge, morning and evening to take, to prevent autumn dryness injury. In the “Introduction to Medicine”, it is said that “eating porridge in the morning, pushing out new ideas, nourishing the stomach, generating fluids, refreshing people for a day, and the supplement is not small.” For example, lily and red date glutinous rice porridge nourishes Yin and stomach, lily and lotus seed porridge moistens lung and benefits kidney, lily and almond porridge dispels phlegm and stops cough, fresh raw earth juice porridge cools blood and moistens dryness, lentil porridge strengthens spleen and neutralizes, walnut porridge moistens muscle and prevents dryness, pine nut porridge moistens lung and benefits intestine, chrysanthemum porridge brightens eyes and nourishes mind, bird’s nest porridge nourishes lung and stops cough, yam porridge strengthens spleen and fixes intestine, chamomile and wolfberry porridge nourishes liver and kidney.
The elderly in the autumn tonic should pay attention to the flat tonic, less use of nourishing and greasy products. Such as turtle plate, deer horn gum, etc. are too nourishing and greasy, which hinder the flow of qi and blood, prevent the sun from rising, and nourish the spleen and stomach, and dietary supplements are better than medicinal supplements. We recommend several dietary supplements for middle-aged and elderly people in autumn.
1.Shengdi porridge
[Ingredients] 25 grams of raw earth, 75 grams of rice, a little white rock sugar;
[Method] Wash and finely cut the fresh raw earth, boil with appropriate amount of water on the fire for about 30 minutes, decant the juice, and then re-arrow boiled once, the two liquids combined and concentrated to 100 ml, set aside. Wash the rice, add the appropriate amount of rock sugar, cook into a white porridge, then add the raw earth juice while hot, stir well to eat;
[Efficacy] Nourishing Yin, benefiting the stomach, cooling the blood and promoting the production of body fluid. This formula can also be used as a meal for patients with tuberculosis and diabetes.
2, yam lily jujube porridge
[Ingredients] 90 grams of yam, 40 grams of lily, 15 jujubes, 30 grams of barley and the right amount of rice;
[practice] yam, lily, jujube, barley, rice, wash and boil porridge, 2 times a day;
[efficacy] yam has the function of nourishing the spleen and stomach; lily clear heat and moisten dryness; jujube, barley, spleen and stomach, the combined use of all things have the effect of nourishing Yin and stomach.
3, chrysanthemum porridge.
[ingredients] chrysanthemum 60 grams, 100 grams of rice.
[practice] first chrysanthemum decoction, cook for 15 minutes, add rice and cook into porridge.
[efficacy] can dissipate heat to clear the fire and eyes, for autumn colds, irritable throat, red eyes, swelling and pain, etc. has a good effect.
4, pear porridge.
[Ingredients] 2 green pears, 100 grams of round-grained rice;
[Practice] pear selection both crisp and water, the pear washed and chopped with core plus round-grained rice, and water to cook porridge;
[efficacy] because the pear has a good moistening effect, can be used as a health food in autumn.
5.Pig liver and spinach porridge
[Ingredients] 50 grams of pig liver, 100 grams of spinach;
[practice] first boil rice porridge, halfway through cooking stirring from time to time. Wash the pork liver and slice it. Put a little wine and cornstarch to grasp, the wine can remove the fishy smell, once the porridge is cooked, put the pork liver in and then cook. Wash the spinach and cut it into half-centimeter long pieces. After the pork liver is put in, blanch the chopped spinach quickly in the water, then pick it up and put it into the congee. The purpose of this is to remove the oxalic acid from the spinach. The pork liver and spinach are easy to cook, so put them in and cook for a few minutes, add a little salt to enhance the taste.
[Efficacy] Pork liver is a liver tonic, iron tonic, blood tonic and eye tonic, which is a good dietary treatment for people with anemia and night blindness due to liver-yin deficiency. The biggest advantage is that it is iron and blood nourishing, but do not be greedy for more than the right amount of consumption.
6.Baiyu apple soup
[ingredients] lily, yu zhu 30 grams each, 6 grams of peel, 10 jujubes, 3 apples.
[practice] will be the first four flavors washed, apple peeled and sliced, cooked soup, add the right amount of rock sugar, drink soup eat lily, apple, jujube, etc..
[efficacy] This soup has the effect of nourishing Yin and moistening dryness, and quenching thirst, etc. It is suitable for dry cough with little phlegm and hoarseness caused by autumn dryness. Here is a reminder that lilies are more common in the market, but the quality varies, to use fresh lilies, select a large, even petals, thick flesh, white (the next best quality is slightly yellow). If the color is yellow, or with the mouth taste bitter, astringent taste do not choose, to prevent is not fresh or chemically bleached lily, to the second best.
Note on food therapy and tonic: Today’s society is getting richer in material life, no disease tonic, such as with ginseng, turtle plate, deer horn gum, deep-sea fish oil, etc., expensive, long-term use will cause fat, cholesterol, more likely to induce cardiovascular disease. The principle of tonic in Chinese medicine is that those who are deficient should be tonic, and patients who are not deficient should not use tonic medicine. There are yin deficiency, yang deficiency, qi deficiency and blood deficiency, so take the right medicine to benefit the body, otherwise it will be counterproductive and hurt the body. Yang deficiency on the cold side of the fear of cold and like heat, the hands and feet are not warm, light mouth saliva, loose stool, urine clear long, light tongue and sunken pulse; such as the use of ginseng, ginseng, etc.. In case of Yin deficiency, the hands and feet are hot, the mouth is dry, the tongue is red with little coating, and the pulse is counted; such as Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng, Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng, etc. Qi deficiency is mostly manifested as fatigue, shortage of breath, low voice, or white face, dizziness, aggravation of symptoms after activity, light and tender tongue, weak pulse; such as with Huang Qi. Blood deficiency is mostly manifested as pale face, pale white lips and claw nails, palpitations and palpitations, insomnia and dreaminess, dry skin, scorched hair, etc.; such as the use of angelica, aconite, etc. If you do not distinguish between hot and cold deficiency and throwing medicine into the diet, it is like “adding fuel to the fire” to the disease. Tonic medicine is easy to not more, tonic medicine will more or less nourish the spleen and stomach, cause abdominal distension, affect appetite. No matter how much food or medicine you take, you have to stop there!
Three, autumn exercise to move the body to practice the heart
Autumn exercise varies from person to person, according to their abilities. The purpose of exercise is to enhance physical fitness and prevent disease. Therefore, in the type of exercise should be combined with the individual situation to choose, otherwise it will be harmful. Middle-aged and elderly people should take into account their age and avoid stressful, intense, excessive force or speed sports. In particular, sudden forward leaning, backward leaning or bending movements should be done sparingly. Suitable exercise programs are walking, taijiquan, qigong and so on. Such activities can relax the nerves, muscles, to prevent and control various chronic diseases, enhance physical fitness, slow down aging, have a good role. And also pay attention to exercise health, such as before and after meals to avoid strenuous exercise; half an hour to 40 minutes after exercise before eating, after the meal to rest for an hour and a half to two hours before participating in sports; exercise should not drink a lot of water; exercise should not be immediately after a cold bath or swimming.
Exercise prescription for middle-aged and elderly people.
1. Exercise intensity: an important indicator to ensure that the exercise effect is achieved and does not cause danger. Exercise intensity can be divided into three levels (low intensity, medium intensity and high intensity). It is measured by the amount of oxygen consumed by the body during exercise. The greater the amount of oxygen consumption, the greater the intensity of exercise. But because it is difficult to determine the amount of oxygen consumption, so in the actual exercise is often heart rate as the most practical indicator to measure the intensity of exercise. This is because the heart rate is directly proportional to the oxygen consumption during exercise, and it is easy to determine the heart rate. Simply count your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply it by 4 to get the heart rate per minute. However, this method is only suitable for patients without arrhythmias! The highest heart rates during low and moderate intensity exercise are 100 beats per minute and 100-120 beats per minute, respectively. Generally speaking, middle-aged and elderly people engaged in low and medium-intensity exercise can achieve both exercise purposes.
2, the number of exercises: 3 to 5 times a week can achieve the purpose of calcination.
3, exercise time: about 30 to 40 minutes each time. Including preparatory exercise 5 ~ 10 minutes; formal exercise 15 ~ 20 minutes, this period can reach 90% of the highest heart rate can be; finishing exercise 5 ~ 10 minutes. Generally speaking, a mild increase in systolic blood pressure (but not more than 20 mmHg) and an increase in heart rate (but not more than 20 beats/min or a maximum heart rate of 120 beats/min during the activity) after exercise is normal. However, if shortness of breath, angina, arrhythmia, nausea, pallor and prolonged fatigue, insomnia and other discomfort after the activity, suggesting that the exercise is too much, should be reduced or suspended in the next exercise.
4, exercise methods.
(1) walking or travel: even after hypertensive patients do a longer walk, diastolic blood pressure can be significantly reduced, and the symptoms can also be improved. Walking can be done in the morning, at dusk or before going to bed, the time is generally 15 minutes to 1 hour, several times a day, the speed can be determined by the physical condition of each person. Going for a walk in the fresh air outdoors is a simple and easy way to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. If the economic conditions allow travel can be 1 time per week or every other week, including walking, climbing hills and other activities. May be different forms, as long as it can achieve its purpose is a good method.
Walking exercise prescription: general slow walk for 1 ~ 2km / h (km per hour), walk for 3km / h, slow walk for 5km / h, sprint for 6km / h, jogging for 8km / h. Walking more than 100 steps per minute can make the heart rate of 100 ~ 110 times / min. Generally in the late afternoon or evening, 15-30 minutes each time, rest 1 or 2 times, 3-5 minutes each time, and then gradually increase the walking speed and duration until 3-5km/h, walking 30 minutes rest 5 minutes, twice a day, and persistently. When walking, choose a flat road, even stride, stable gait, natural breathing. Can also be used to walk the following methods (choose one): ① walk 400 ~ 800 meters, 3 ~ 4 minutes to walk 200 meters, rest 3 minutes and then walk; ② walk two sections of 1000 meters flat road, with 18 minutes to walk 1000 meters, rest 3 ~ 5 minutes, and then walk 1000 meters; ③ 2000 meters of flat road, which has 5 ~ 10 degrees of slope road 100 meters. With 25 minutes to walk 1000 meters, rest 8 to 10 minutes, and then walk 1000 meters.
Jogging exercise prescription: jogging is suitable for physically fit elderly or young people, if in want to jogging exercise of hypertensive patients is best after a period of fast walking exercise, to 10 to 12 minutes walking 1 km speed rush 1 to 2 km, such as no uncomfortable reaction, and then transferred to jogging exercise.
The highest heart rate during jogging can reach 120 to 136 times per minute, and long-term adherence to exercise can make blood pressure stable or falling, the pulse is stable, and digestive function is enhanced. The running time can be gradually increased from little to 15-30 minutes is appropriate. The running time can be gradually increased from less, the speed should be slow, do not run fast. Note that suffering from coronary heart disease is not suitable for long runs, in order to avoid accidents.
(2) taijiquan: taijiquan action relaxed natural, moving in the quiet, simplified taijiquan exercise is small, the heart rate can only reach 90 to 105 times / min. according to observations, hypertensive patients after playing a set of simplified taijiquan, systolic blood pressure will drop about 10 to 15 mmHg. especially for people with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease playing taijiquan is more benefits, taijiquan movement soft, the whole body muscle relaxation can make blood vessels Relaxation, promote blood pressure down. When playing taijiquan, you can use your mind to guide the movements, so you can concentrate on your thoughts and have a peaceful mind, which helps to eliminate the stimulation of mental tension on the human body and helps to lower blood pressure. Taijiquan contains balancing and coordinating movements, which help to improve the balance and coordination of the movements of people with hypertension. There are many types of taijiquan, both complicated and simple, which can be chosen by each person according to his or her condition. If some elderly people have difficulty moving around, they can select some of the taijiquan movements, such as cloud hand movements, which can also achieve the same purpose.
Fourth, autumn health care hands to protect the heart
If you are young and middle-aged people working under pressure do not have time to exercise, if you want to have other methods of health care heart and brain to try hand health care it! This set of hand health exercises is mainly the use of Chinese medicine meridian theory, through the hand movement training to mobilize the qi, to achieve the effect of visceral massage, some movements can also effectively exercise the body’s coordination, reflective ability. The health exercises are suitable for all kinds of people daily health care, especially for diabetics, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease patients health care and strengthening. This set of hand health exercises is easy to learn, a total of five sections, complete a complete do only five minutes, not subject to site restrictions, can be anywhere, anytime hand exercise. Specific for.
The first section: the palms of both hands relative together, start rubbing quickly. Each rubbing, you can let the fingertips from the other hand of the lower end of the palm has been thwarted to the second joint of the middle finger, and then turn back. Each back and forth count once, a total of 36 times rubbing.
The second section: the five fingers of both hands as far apart as possible, fingertips one by one, fingertips together palms apart, and then forcefully began to support the top. Do a total of 36 times.
The third section: the left hand flattened palm, the right hand fist, the left hand middle finger to the right hand fist on the Houxi point, the middle finger and the point to maintain a distance of 5-10 cm. Then switch to a left-handed fist and a right-handed spread palm. The key is to exchange fast and do the exchange 36 times.
Section 4: Pinch the right-hand Hegu point (near the tiger’s mouth) with the left thumb and index finger, press and pinch hard, then switch hands and do a total of 36 times.
Section 5: stretch the five fingers as far apart as possible, then slowly bend the thumb down and try to reach the little finger. Process to pay attention to, the remaining four fingers can not be bent, a total of 36 times. After all five sections of the hand health exercises, shake hands, wrist activities, so that the hands can relax.
Here I recommend another set of heart and brain exercises for the elderly. Regular practice can protect the function of the heart and brain, dredge the meridians, promote blood circulation and prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system diseases.
(1) Press: Press the shoulder well point (at the midpoint of the line between the high bone and the shoulder peak at the back of the neck) with your fingers to the degree of soreness and swelling radiating to the arm and the back, 5 to 10 times each time, twice a day.
(2) Pushing and rubbing: Use the thumbs of both hands to push each rib cage in the direction from the middle to the sides. Do this 10 to 15 times.
(3) Percussion: Tap on the precordial area of the chest with the palms of your hands 20 to 30 times.
(4) Kneading: Use the palm of your hand to knead the pectoralis major muscle area (at the root of the thumb, where the palm of your hand is rich in muscle) 20 to 30 times.
(5) Point and push: push the heart yu (the heart yu point is located on the back of the body, under the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebra, two fingers wide next to the left and right) and the diaphragm yu (under the spinous process of the seventh thoracic vertebra, two fingers wide next to the left and right) with the thumb of the hand in a top-down direction, and do it 30 times repeatedly.
(6) Rubbing: Every morning and before going to bed, use the thumb and index finger of one hand to rub the middle finger and little finger of the other hand back and forth. After the palms of the two hands rub each other hot, rub the palms of the hands back and forth with the two feet, so that they heat up.
Five, autumn heart and brain daily drip
Autumn dry weather, in our daily lives we often meet shake hands, fingers just touch each other, will suddenly feel the fingertips pinprick like pain; take off the sweater, pull the door handle, open the faucet to touch the metal, will also issue a “pop, pop” sound, accompanied by a tingling sensation; morning combing, hair will be more and more messy …… these are the results of the human body electrostatic external “discharge”. This is due to dry air, skin and clothing, clothing and clothing between the long-term friction, it will generate static electricity, especially leather, woolen clothing, electrostatic generation will be more. And household appliances, computers and other electrical appliances generated by the electrostatic charge will also be absorbed by the body and accumulate. In addition, due to the relatively dry skin of the elderly, coupled with the circulatory system and anti-interference ability is weakened and other factors, more vulnerable to the hazards of static electricity, triggering cardiovascular disease. If you want to prevent static electricity, indoor to maintain a certain level of humidity; wear less leather, wool and chemical fiber clothing, especially the elderly, should try to wear cotton products; undress, gently touch the wall with your hands, touch the door handle or faucet before you also want to touch the wall with your hands, the body electrostatic “put” out.
Autumn, the day is cool. Also to keep the room often ventilated, when the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor in about 10 degrees, about 15 minutes to exchange the indoor air once. This can reduce germs, prevent colds and reduce the occurrence of other diseases. Also pay attention to not smoking in the room, the kitchen is best to install ventilation fans, courtyard, indoor plants and flowers to regulate air humidity.
Then there are patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, in the attention of daily health care at the same time should also take medication on time. Some middle-aged and elderly patients with cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, blood pressure is usually very high, after exercise symptoms or blood pressure has improved to stop medication, which is very dangerous. The temperature difference in autumn, the temperature changes significantly, through vasoconstriction, etc., blood pressure will also change with the temperature. The sudden reduction and discontinuation of antihypertensive drugs will have a negative impact on this particular season. In addition, if the blood pressure is high in the elderly, the antihypertensive medication is to be taken for life. The TCM approach is very effective, but it requires long-term persistence to receive satisfactory results. Western medicine can not solve the problem in a lifetime, Chinese medicine in a few years to solve is not easy.