《养老新书》云∶安乐之道，惟善保养者得之。孟子曰∶我善养吾浩然之气。太乙
真人曰∶一者少言语，养内气；二者戒色欲，养精气；三者薄滋味，养血气；四者咽津液，
养脏气；五者莫嗔怒，养肝气；六者美饮食，养胃气；七者少思虑，养心气。人由气生，气
由神住，养气全神，可得真道。凡在万形之中，所保者莫先于元气；摄养之道，莫若守中
实内，以陶和将护之方，虽在闲日，安不忘危。圣人预戒，老人尤不可不慎也。春、夏、秋、
冬，四时阴阳，生病起于过用。五脏受气，盖有常分。不适其性，而强云为，用之过耗，是
以病生。善养生者，保守真元，外却客气，不得而干之。至于药饵，往往招来真气之药少，
攻伐和气之药多。故善服药者，不如善保养。康节先生诗云∶爽口物多终作疾，快心事过必为
殃。与其病后能求药，不若病前能自防。郭康伯遇神人，授一保身卫生之术，云∶但有四句偈
耳，须是在处守持。偈云∶自身有病自心知，身病还将心自医，心境静时心亦静，心生还是病生时。郭
信用其言，知自护爱，康强倍常，年几百岁。
常见世人治年高之人疾患，将同年少，乱投汤药，妄行针灸，以攻其疾，务欲速愈。殊不
知上寿之人，血气已衰，精神减耗，危若风烛，百病易攻。至于视听不至聪明，手足举动不随，
其身体劳倦，头目昏眩，风气不顺，宿疾时发，或秘或泄，或冷或熟，此皆老人之常态也。
不顺治之，紧用针药，务求痊瘥，往往因此别致危殆。且攻病之药，或吐或汗，或解或利。
缘衰老之人不同年少真气壮盛，虽汗吐转利，未至危困。其衰弱之人若汗之，则阳气泄；
吐之，则胃气逆；泻之，则阳气脱，立致不虞。此养老之大忌也。大抵老人药饵止是扶
持之法，只可用温平顺气，进食补虚中和之药，不可用市肆赎卖，他人惠迭，不知方味，及野狼
虎之药臾之。服饵切宜审详，若有宿疾或时发动，则随疾势用中和汤药调治，三朝五日自
然无事。然后调停饮食，根据食疗之法随食性变馔，此最为良法也。
老人肾虚，膀胱气弱，夜多小水，此盖肾水虚而火不下，故足痿。心火上乘肺而不入脬
胞，故夜多小水。若峻补之，火益上行，脬亦寒矣。老人脏腑结，大便秘，可频吃猪羊血或
葵菜血脏羹，皆能疏利。老人常服芝麻汤及杏仁汤，又嚼麻子，俱能润利。
《养老新书》说：安乐的生活方式，只有善于保养的人才能获得。孟子说：“我善于培养我的浩然正气。”太乙真人说：第一是少说话，以养护体内的真气；第二是戒除色欲，以养护精气；第三是饮食清淡，以养护血气；第四是吞咽津液，以养护五脏之气；第五是不发怒，以养护肝气；第六是饮食美味（指适宜可口），以养护胃气；第七是减少思虑，以养护心气。人依靠气而生存，气依靠神而驻留，养护气并保全神，就可以得道。在万物形体之中，最首要的是保护元气；摄生之道，没有比守住中宫、充实内部更好的了，要用调和护养的方法，即使在闲暇日子，也要安不忘危。圣人预先告诫，老年人尤其不可不谨慎。春、夏、秋、冬四季的阴阳变化，疾病往往起因于过度使用身体机能。五脏受气，各有其正常的限度。如果不顺应身体的本性，强行作为，导致过度消耗，因此产生疾病。善于养生的人，保守真元，排斥外来的邪气，使其不能干扰身体。至于药物，往往招致真气恢复的药很少，攻伐和气的药很多。所以善于服药的人，不如善于保养。康节先生（邵雍）的诗说：“爽口之物吃多最终会致病，快意之事过分会带来灾殃。”与其病后寻求药物，不如病前能够自我预防。郭康伯遇到神仙，传授给他一种保身卫生的技术，说：“只有四句偈语罢了，必须随时随地坚守。”偈语说：“自身有病自己心里知道，身体的病还要靠心来医治，心境安静时心也安静，心生妄念时也是生病的时候。”郭信用了这些话，懂得自我爱护，健康强壮超过常人，活了几百岁。
常见世人治疗老年人的疾病，把他们当作年轻人一样，乱投汤药，胡乱进行针灸，用来攻击疾病，务必想要快速痊愈。却不知道长寿之人，气血已经衰弱，精神减耗，危险得像风中残烛，各种疾病容易侵袭。至于视力听力不再聪明，手脚举动不随心意，身体疲劳倦怠，头目昏眩，风气不顺，旧疾时常发作，或者便秘或者腹泻，或者怕冷或者发热，这些都是老年人的常态。如果不顺应这些情况去治疗，紧用针药，务必求得痊愈，往往因此另外造成危险。况且攻病的药物，有的催吐，有的发汗，有的解表，有的利尿。因为衰老之人与年轻人不同，年轻人真气壮盛，即使通过汗、吐、下法治疗，也不会导致危困。那些衰弱的人如果发汗，则阳气泄露；催吐，则胃气上逆；泻下，则阳气脱失，立刻导致意外事故。这是养老的大忌。大体上老年人的用药只是扶持的方法，只可用温和平顺、调理气机、增进食欲、补虚和中性质的药物，不可使用市面上买卖、他人赠送的、不知道药性味道的，以及像野狼老虎般猛烈的药物。服用药物切宜审慎详细，如果有旧疾或时常发作，就根据病情势态使用中和的汤药调治，三朝五日自然没事。然后调节饮食，根据食疗的方法随着食物的性质变换菜肴，这是最好的方法。
老人肾虚，膀胱气弱，夜间小便多，这大概是肾水虚而火不下行，所以足部痿软。心火上乘于肺而不进入膀胱，所以夜间小便多。如果用峻猛的补药，火更加上行，膀胱也会寒冷。老人脏腑结滞，大便秘结，可以频繁吃猪羊血或葵菜血脏羹，都能疏通利便。老人常服芝麻汤及杏仁汤，又嚼食麻子，都能润肠通便。
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.