As of the end of 2024, a total of 815 public tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and 1321 public secondary traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in China have established geriatric departments. The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine has selected 53 of them to carry out the construction of national TCM advantageous specialties. Focusing on common diseases among the elderly, as well as diseases and treatment difficulties that have a significant impact on the health of the elderly, such as multiple diseases, senile weakness, and sarcopenia, integrated clinical research will be conducted to improve clinical efficacy. Recently, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine held the 10th press conference of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Promotion Series, with the theme of "Traditional Chinese Medicine Protects the Health of the Elderly", introducing traditional Chinese medicine prevention and health preservation methods for common and frequently occurring diseases in the elderly. What health problems are prone to elderly people? Xu Fengqin, director of the Institute of Geriatrics at the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said: In fact, aging is a dynamic development process, and the focus of health preservation should be emphasized at different stages of aging. The elderly are mainly manifested in three aspects: the first is the coexistence of multiple chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, osteoarthropathy, and stroke. The second is functional decline, such as decreased memory, vision and hearing, decreased chewing and digestion ability, and less agile legs and feet; The third is frailty syndrome, characterized by insufficient energy, fatigue, slow movement, and a tendency to fall. These are actually the result of multiple systems jointly declining and influencing each other. The core of traditional Chinese medicine for elderly patients with kidney deficiency and weakened spleen and stomach function is the "holistic concept" and "syndrome differentiation and treatment". For some elderly health issues, they are not viewed as isolated "diseases", but as the natural laws of human life, where the overall state of "old age" is imbalanced during the stages of "birth, growth, strength, aging, and death". The fundamental reason lies in the deficiency of organs, qi and blood, especially the deficiency of kidney essence and the weakening of spleen and stomach function. So traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the overall treatment of kidney essence deficiency and spleen and stomach weakness that cause decline in the elderly. Because traditional Chinese medicine states that "the kidneys are the foundation of innate development," as people age, their kidney essence gradually decreases, leading to symptoms such as soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, osteoporosis, tinnitus, and hearing loss. Another issue is the weakness of the spleen and stomach, as traditional Chinese medicine states that "the spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal development and the source of qi and blood biochemistry. After the weakness of the spleen and stomach, the lack of blood and biochemical sources can lead to malnutrition, especially in cases of muscle reduction, fatigue, and weakness. At the same time, due to the decline in spleen and stomach function, these chronic elderly diseases can worsen. How can elderly people relieve problems such as lower back pain, leg pain, and poor joint activity? Ge Jinwen, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Hunan Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said: Lower back and leg pain is a very common problem among elderly people. If it is not very serious, elderly friends can use some simple and easy methods to relieve it. Firstly, acupoint massage. By stimulating specific acupoints, local Qi and blood can be unblocked and pain can be relieved. For lower back pain, you can clench your fist and rub the Kidney Shu acupoint area of your lower back up and down with your fist eye. If it's leg pain, we can use our thumb to massage the Zusanli acupoint on the outer side of the knee and the Weizhong acupoint behind the knee, massaging each acupoint for 1 to 2 minutes until we feel swelling and soreness. Another method is moxibustion, which can penetrate deep into the meridians through its warming effect, dispel cold and dampness, and is particularly suitable for pain that worsens when exposed to cold. Commonly used acupoints include Shen Shu, Da Yang Shu, Yang Ling Quan, Wei Zhong, Zu San Li, and Ashi acupoint. We usually light the moxa sticks and aim them at the acupoints 2-3 centimeters away from the skin to feel warm, comfortable, and slightly red. Generally, each acupoint should be moxibustion for 10 to 20 minutes, and care should be taken to avoid burns. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine hot compress packs are also a good choice. For elderly people, steaming hot at home and applying them to the affected area can unblock meridians and significantly relieve lower back and leg pain. Older people can also exercise in a gentle way at home, such as lying on their back in bed, stretching their toes forward as much as possible, and then hooking back as much as possible, repeating this process repeatedly to strengthen their calves and promote blood circulation in the lower limbs. For a more difficult task, straighten the knee joint, raise the leg by 30-45 degrees, hold for a few seconds, and then lower it again. Repeat this process to exercise the lower back and leg muscles and prevent lower back and leg pain. The causes of dryness, dry eyes, dry skin, and itching in the elderly population: Yang Ge, Chief Physician of the Geriatrics Department at Guang'anmen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Dry mouth, dry eyes, and dry skin are a series of dry symptoms that elderly people encounter. Traditional Chinese medicine attributes this problem to a loss of body fluids, which is yin deficiency. Reason exploration: The "lubricating oil" of life has decreased. In traditional Chinese medicine theory, "Yin fluid" represents all tangible, moisturizing, and quiet liquid substances in the human body, including blood, saliva, tears, sweat, etc. We can vividly understand it as the body's "lubricating oil" and "cooling fluid". Its main function is to moisturize the organs, nourish the limbs and bones, and restrict yang heat. As one grows older, just like entering autumn in nature, the human body will experience natural "yin fluid depletion". The main reasons are: (1) liver and kidney yin deficiency is fundamental. The liver opens to the eyes, and the kidneys control the fluids. Elderly people with kidney essence deficiency are unable to nourish the heart fire, which can lead to heart kidney failure, resulting in deficiency fire and burning of body fluids. If the liver yin is insufficient, it cannot nourish the eyes, leading to dryness and dizziness. (2) Weakness of the spleen and stomach is the root cause. The spleen and stomach are the source of the generation of body fluids. The spleen and stomach function is weak, and the water and nutrients consumed cannot be effectively converted into the body's necessary body fluids. Instead, they are directly excreted from the body, creating a situation of "thirst but not quenching thirst with water". (3) Bad lifestyle habits exacerbate the damage. Overeating spicy, fried, grilled, and hot dry foods, staying up late, and overthinking can cause dark depletion of yin blood; Long term exposure to dry environments such as air-conditioned rooms can also accelerate fluid loss. How can elderly people strengthen their spleen and stimulate their appetite? Yang Ge: The healthy functioning of the spleen and stomach is the cornerstone of the health and longevity of the elderly. Here are several very practical and safe methods. The key to dietary therapy lies in "warmth, softness, and lightness". The spleen and stomach of elderly people are like a machine that has been used for a long time and lacks power, so food should be chosen that is easy to "start" and "process". The principle is warm, soft, light, and easy to digest. There is a classic spleen strengthening Congee recommended to everyone, yam coix seed Congee. This Congee is mild in nature, nourishing but not greasy, and is very suitable for daily staple food. Secondly, I recommend an appetizing and digestive drink, which is hawthorn malt tea. The recipe is stir fried hawthorn, stir fried malt, and dried tangerine peel. For elderly people who feel bloated after eating too much and do not want to eat, drinking a cup after a meal can effectively promote digestion and relieve bloating in our epigastric region. But elderly people with excessive stomach acid should pay attention to using hawthorn less. What are some calming and sleep aid methods for elderly people who cannot sleep well at night? Xu Fengqin: The incidence of insomnia in the elderly is about 30% -50%, and the incidence rate is gradually increasing with age. This precisely reflects the physiological characteristics of "elderly people with multiple deficiencies and blood stasis". 'Deficiency' refers to heart blood deficiency and liver blood deficiency. Because in traditional Chinese medicine, blood is the material basis for mental activity. Due to blood deficiency, the mind and spirit are not nourished, just like this little bird without a nest to stay, it floats outside and cannot enter the yin. Therefore, it will have difficulty falling asleep and waking up easily due to frequent dreams. 'Stasis' refers to the obstruction of qi and blood circulation, which can disrupt the mind and cause insomnia to worsen and recur. Based on this understanding, traditional Chinese medicine treatment for insomnia starts from two aspects: "tonifying deficiency" and "calming the mind". The first recommended food therapy for calming the mind is longan and lotus seed soup. As we all know, longan meat can nourish the heart and calm the mind, while lotus seeds can invigorate the spleen and kidneys, and nourish the heart and calm the mind. The two are cooked into Congee, which is suitable for the elderly with insufficient blood, shallow sleep and many dreams. The second one is Lily and Jujube Seed Tea. Lily is nourishing yin, moistening lungs, clearing the heart and calming the mind. Suanzaoren is a nourishing and calming ingredient, and when combined, it is mainly suitable for elderly people who are troubled and have difficulty falling asleep. There are many acupressure points that can also have a calming and sleep aid effect after acupressure. It is recommended to use two acupoints, Neiguan acupoint, which is located about three fingers wide above the horizontal line of our wrist. It is mainly used to calm the mind and treat patients with palpitations and insomnia. Press for 3-5 minutes and feel slightly sore and swollen. The second one is the Shenmen acupoint. When insomnia occurs, pressing the Shenmen acupoint also causes a sour and swollen feeling. Many elderly people fall asleep after pressing it for a few minutes. Is taking a hundred steps after meals suitable for the elderly? Ge Jinwen: "After a meal, take a hundred steps and live to ninety-nine." This old saying does make sense. Its original intention is to promote the digestive and water regulating functions of the elderly's spleen and stomach through soothing exercise. But it is not suitable for all elderly people and varies from person to person. Which elderly people are suitable for walking slowly after meals? For elderly people with good physical fitness and no serious chronic diseases, moderate exercise after meals is more beneficial to their physical and mental health. Secondly, there are elderly people with slightly weaker spleen and stomach function who are prone to bloating due to overeating. Their digestive function is still good, but if they eat too much, they will feel bloating in the abdomen. This type of elderly person takes a 30 minute break after meals and then goes for a 10-15 minute walk. Walking leisurely like a leisurely stroll can help promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and relieve feelings of fullness. However, there are still some elderly people who are not suitable for walking after meals. For example, elderly people with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, etc., who walk immediately after meals, may lead to insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain, and may easily cause dizziness, fatigue, angina pectoris or more serious accidents. So for these elderly people, it is best to sit quietly or lie flat for 30 to 60 minutes after meals. There is also a group of elderly people who are not suitable for exercise after meals. Elderly people with gastric ptosis are mostly diagnosed with insufficient qi in traditional Chinese medicine, and are more prone to drowsiness after meals. Standing or walking at this time can aggravate the degree of gastric ptosis and cause bloating. Also, elderly people with weak physical constitution and insufficient qi and blood naturally feel tired after eating. We should take a correct view of this drowsiness, which is a self-protection signal of the elderly body. We should follow it and rest appropriately to nourish qi and blood. If you force yourself to take a walk, it will actually damage your qi and blood, and make you more tired. You should not walk immediately after meals, it is best to rest for about 30 minutes first. How do elderly people choose health products? Ge Jinwen: Elderly people choose health products mainly to protect their kidneys. The essence and qi in the kidneys of the elderly go from being strong to weak, which is a natural process. Once this "fundamental" is shaken, it will cause a series of chain reactions, leading to various common symptoms in the elderly. How to choose kidney tonifying drugs? In my personal opinion, firstly, it is necessary to choose medicinal herbs that can be used for both food and medicine, such as goji berries, yams, walnuts, black sesame seeds, Polygonatum sibiricum, etc. These can be used as both food and medicine to supplement the body. These relatively mild ingredients or medicines are suitable for long-term daily use by the elderly. Remember not to choose tonics with strong efficacy. In addition to some health products for the kidneys and spleen, the increase in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases has led to an increase in the availability of these blood activating and stasis removing medicinal products on the market. The first symptom of blood stasis syndrome is pain, and the location of the pain is relatively fixed. The nature of the pain is mainly stabbing. In addition, elderly people with blood stasis syndrome usually have a dull complexion and purple lips. Such elderly people can take some health products that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. These health products often contain some milder ingredients, such as Sanqi, safflower, Danshen, Ginkgo biloba leaves, etc. So, when elderly people choose these drugs, they need to consider whether they have symptoms of blood stasis and whether they are suitable for their constitution. Based on these factors, they can differentiate the symptoms