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The *New Book of Elderly Care* states: The path to peace and joy is attained only by those who are skilled in preservation and care. Mencius said, "I am good at nurturing my vast and flowing qi (vital energy)." Taiyi Zhenren said: First, speak little to nurture internal qi; second, abstain from sexual desires to nurture essence-qi; third, eat light flavors to nurture blood-qi; fourth, swallow saliva to nurture the qi of the five zang organs; fifth, avoid anger to nurture liver qi; sixth, enjoy delicious food (suitable and palatable) to nurture stomach qi; seventh, reduce thinking and worrying to nurture heart qi. Humans are born from qi, and qi resides through shen (spirit). Nurturing qi and preserving shen allows one to attain the true Dao. Among all forms, nothing is more important than protecting the primordial qi (yuan qi). The way of self-cultivation lies best in guarding the center and filling the interior, using methods of harmonization and protection. Even on leisure days, one must remember danger while safe. The sages warned in advance, especially for the elderly, that caution is indispensable. In the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—the yin and yang change, and diseases often arise from overuse. The five zang organs receive qi according to fixed limits. If one does not conform to their nature but forces actions, leading to excessive consumption, disease arises. Those skilled in health preservation conserve their true yuan qi and repel external pathogenic factors, preventing them from interfering. Regarding medicinal herbs, few are effective in attracting true qi, while many attack and damage harmonious qi. Therefore, being skilled in taking medicine is inferior to being skilled in preservation. Mr. Kangjie (Shao Yong) wrote in a poem: "Too much tasty food eventually causes illness; too much pleasure inevitably brings disaster." It is better to prevent illness beforehand than to seek medicine after falling ill. Guo Kangbo met a divine being who taught him a method of body preservation and hygiene, saying, "It consists of only four lines of verse, which must be upheld everywhere." The verse says: "One knows one's own illness by heart; the body's illness is cured by the mind itself. When the mind state is quiet, the mind is quiet; when thoughts arise, illness arises." Guo Xin followed these words, knowing how to protect and cherish himself, becoming healthier and stronger than usual, living to nearly a hundred years old.

It is common to see people treating illnesses in the elderly as if they were young adults, indiscriminately prescribing decoctions and practicing acupuncture blindly to attack the disease, striving for rapid recovery. They do not realize that for long-lived individuals, blood and qi have declined, spirit and energy are depleted, and life is precarious like a candle in the wind, making them susceptible to various diseases. Their hearing and vision may no longer be sharp, movements of hands and feet may not follow intentions, and they experience physical fatigue, dizziness, disharmony of wind-qi, recurrence of chronic diseases, constipation or diarrhea, coldness or heat. These are all normal states for the elderly. If treatment does not accommodate these conditions, but instead tightly applies needles and drugs seeking complete cure, it often leads to new dangers. Moreover, drugs used to attack diseases may induce vomiting, sweating, release of exterior pathogens, or diuresis. Because the elderly differ from the young whose primordial qi is robust—even with sweating, vomiting, or purging, critical danger may not ensue. For frail individuals, however, sweating leaks yang qi; vomiting reverses stomach qi; purging causes the loss of yang qi, leading immediately to unexpected accidents. This is a major taboo in caring for the elderly. Generally, medication for the elderly is merely a supportive method. Only mild, smooth, qi-regulating, appetite-enhancing, deficiency-nourishing, and middle-harmonizing medicines should be used. One must avoid medicines bought in markets, gifted by others without knowledge of their properties, or harsh medicines likened to wild wolves and tigers. Taking medicines requires careful deliberation. If chronic diseases recur, use moderate decoctions to treat according to the disease's trend; within three to five days, matters will naturally resolve. Then adjust the diet, changing dishes according to food therapy principles based on food properties. This is the best method.

Elderly people with kidney deficiency and weak bladder qi often urinate frequently at night. This is due to deficient kidney water and fire failing to descend, resulting in flaccidity of the legs. Heart fire mounts upward to the lung instead of entering the bladder, causing frequent nocturia. If strongly tonifying medicines are used, fire ascends further, and the bladder becomes cold. For elderly people with organ stagnation and constipation, frequently eating pig or sheep blood, or mallow vegetable and blood offal soup, can promote unblocking and lubrication. Elderly people who regularly take sesame soup and apricot kernel soup, or chew hemp seeds, can achieve moistening and laxative effects.