The human lifespan should be between 100 and 175 years. Why don't we achieve that? The main reason is that we don't value health preservation and lack the knowledge about it. Many people die from ignorance, which is such a terrible injustice!
Do you know how to stay healthy? Internationally, there is the Victoria Declaration, which has three cornerstones: the first is a balanced diet, the second is aerobic exercise, and the third is mental state. These three cornerstones are well-known internationally, but many of us are not aware of them. The titles of these cornerstones won't change, but their content will.
I. A Balanced Diet
Now, let's talk about the first issue: a balanced diet. A so-called balanced diet includes two main categories: "drink" and "food". 1. The issue of "drink"
At international conferences, six health supplements have been proposed: first, green tea; second, red wine; third, soy milk; fourth, yogurt—pay attention: they don't mention milk; fifth, bone broth; sixth, mushroom soup.
Why is mushroom soup mentioned? Because mushrooms can boost the immune system. In the same office, some people always catch colds, while others rarely get sick. Why? It's because their immune systems are different. Mushroom soup helps improve immunity, so it's a health supplement.
Why is bone broth mentioned? Because bone broth contains a gelatinous substance that promotes longevity. That's why many countries have "bone broth streets," but China doesn't. We did some research and found that recently, Suzhou and Nanjing have them, but Beijing still doesn't.
Why is yogurt mentioned? Because yogurt maintains the balance of gut flora. Maintaining this balance means allowing beneficial bacteria to grow while eliminating harmful ones, so eating yogurt can reduce illness. Yogurt is very popular in Europe, and many of our girls like to drink it, but they don't understand its benefits. It's strange that the sales of yogurt in China are very low, while milk sales are high. We don't deny the benefits of milk itself, but it's not the same as yogurt.
There's also soy milk, which we'll talk about later.
Green tea: Among all beverages, it's number one for preventing cancer. Drinking green tea protects your teeth and makes your blood vessels less likely to rupture.
Why does green tea have health benefits? It turns out green tea contains tea polyphenols, which are anti-cancer. Second, note that green tea contains fluoride. What does fluoride do? Ancient people knew this long ago. When Cao Xueqin wrote "Dream of the Red Chamber," he described the Jia family rinsing their mouths with tea after meals. Su Dongpo also recorded that he used low-to-middle-grade tea to rinse his mouth after meals to strengthen his teeth, but he didn't know it was because of fluoride. The Japanese have now figured out that fluoride not only strengthens teeth but also prevents cavities and eliminates plaque. Plaque appears on your teeth 3 minutes after a meal. Now, many of us have poor teeth; we don't even rinse with water, let alone tea. We don't know what the problem is. Now, some people start losing teeth at 30, and by 50, they've lost all their teeth. Third, green tea itself contains tannins. Tannins increase the elasticity of blood vessels, making them less likely to rupture. Many people come to Beijing for treatment for cerebrovascular accidents. In hospitals, 1 out of every 4 deaths is from a cerebral hemorrhage, which is very dangerous. Cerebral hemorrhage is untreatable; the fear is getting angry. If you get angry and slam the table or glare, a blood vessel in your brain can burst. I've seen this too many times. If you often drink green tea, this won't happen, so I've switched to drinking green tea in the morning. Why? I joke with people that it's because I'm afraid my son will anger me.
Everyone, you should start drinking it earlier. By the time you're my age, you can slam the table and glare all you want. Green tea is first, anti-cancer; second, strengthens teeth; third, prevents cerebral hemorrhage. Why not drink it? If you don't know how to drink tea, correct it immediately, because the international trend is to drink green tea. Someone might argue with me: "What if I can't sleep after drinking tea?"—Who told you to drink tea before bed?
Wine: It can slow aging, lower blood pressure, and reduce blood lipids. So, if you have money, drink red wine; if you don't, eat the grapes and don't spit out the skins—it has the same health benefits.
The second beverage is red wine. Why red wine? Many Chinese people don't know this, but Europe has known for a long time. Men and women, old and young, drink a little red wine every day. Why? It turns out there's a substance called resveratrol on the skin of red grapes. This resveratrol is anti-aging. The moment people hear it's anti-aging, they love to drink it. Resveratrol is also an antioxidant, so people who often drink red wine are less likely to get heart disease. Second, it can help prevent sudden cardiac arrest, which we call sudden cardiac death. Under what circumstances does the heart stop? First, if you have a pre-existing heart condition. Second, if you have high blood pressure. Third, it's related to food. What kind of food? Food that is too large, too hard, too sticky, or too hot can easily cause the heart to stop. High blood lipids can also cause it. Red wine also has the effect of lowering blood pressure and blood lipids. The World Health Organization says "quit smoking and limit alcohol," it doesn't say you can't drink, and it also specifies the limit: no more than 50-100 ml of wine per day, no more than 5-10 ml of liquor per day, and no more than 300 ml of beer per day. If you exceed this amount, it's wrong; if you don't, it's good. Some women have asked: "What if I can't drink alcohol?" If you can't drink alcohol,难道 you can't eat grapes? And when you eat grapes,难道 you can't avoid spitting out the skins? "Eat grapes and don't spit out the skins" is a line from a comedy sketch, but it's useful in real life too. But let me tell you, white grapes don't have resveratrol, so if you don't listen to this, you won't buy the right grapes. White grapes don't have resveratrol; eating them is pointless. You have to buy red grapes. Now, red grape pastries have appeared in Europe. I've tried it: wash the red grapes and swallow the skins when you eat them. It's quite comfortable and harmless. So, if you have money, drink red wine; if you don't, eat grapes and don't spit out the skins—it has the same health benefits.
For longevity, money and power are not the main factors; the main factor is understanding health preservation.
The body's normal internal environment is weakly alkaline, and vegetables and fruits contain weakly alkaline substances. All developed countries, all countries with high health standards, consume large amounts of vegetables and fruits. If you don't know how to stay healthy, just knowing how to order food is useless. Someone joked that corrupt officials shouldn't be executed by shooting; they should be eaten to death. I don't think that's an exaggeration at all.还有人跟我抬杠说：我还没解决温饱怎么办？有人跟我提到，保健要“有权才成”。我们知道，中国最有权的是皇帝，远的不说，就说清朝，有13个皇帝，同治19岁死的，顺治23岁，咸丰31岁，光绪38岁，但乾隆却活了89岁。乾隆特别会保健，在清朝皇帝里是长寿冠军。我们查了乾隆的资料，第一，他特别好运动；第二，他吃蒸发糕，粗细粮搭配；第三，他好旅游，最有名的就是下江南，所以他活了89岁。还有对818个和尚的调查，30％以上的和尚活到90岁以上，最小的一个是 65岁。和尚有什么权？他们的饮食值得我们注意、值得我们学习呀！所以，要长寿，钱和权都不是主要的，主要的是懂得保健。如果你不会保健，有钱有权都没有保证，所以联合国才说千万不要死于无知。 2. The issue of "food"
Next, let's talk about the second part of diet—the issue of "food." You know, the Asian food pyramid is the best. What is a pyramid? It means that grains, beans, and vegetables are the foundation of the diet.
Old corn, buckwheat, tubers, oats, millet—dietary therapy is more important than drug therapy.
At international conferences, they never mention white rice or white flour, nor do they mention Western fast food. Among grains, the first one mentioned is old corn, called the "golden crop." The American Medical Association conducted a survey and found that Native Americans rarely have high blood pressure or arteriosclerosis, and it's because they eat old corn. Later, research found that old corn contains large amounts of lecithin, linoleic acid, sitosterol, and vitamin E, which can prevent high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis. From then on, Americans started eating corn. In the Americas, Africa, Europe, Japan, and in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China, people eat corn porridge for breakfast. Now, many people are taking lecithin, hoping to avoid arteriosclerosis. But they don't know that old corn contains the most lecithin, and it doesn't cost much more. An old corn in the US costs $2.5, but in China it's only 1 yuan, much cheaper. But many of us don't know this and don't eat it. I switched to drinking corn porridge every day long ago, and I've stuck with it even in the US. I'm over 70 now, full of energy, with a spirited voice and a loud, strong tone, and no wrinkles on my face. Why? From drinking corn porridge. Believe it or not. You drink your milk, I'll drink my corn porridge, and let's see who lives longer.
The second grain mentioned is buckwheat. Why buckwheat? Now many people have the "three highs": high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar. And buckwheat is the "three lows"—it lowers blood pressure, lowers blood lipids, and lowers blood sugar. I asked students at Peking University: What is buckwheat? They didn't know; they only knew hamburgers. Buckwheat contains 18% dietary fiber. People who eat buckwheat are less likely to get gastrointestinal cancers, such as rectal and colon cancer. Those of us who work in offices get these cancers often. Should you eat buckwheat or not?
The third grain to mention is sweet potatoes, yams, and potatoes. Why? Because they have a "three absorption" function: they absorb water, absorb fats and sugars, and absorb toxins. Absorbing water lubricates the intestines and prevents rectal and colon cancer; absorbing fats and sugars prevents diabetes; absorbing toxins prevents gastrointestinal inflammation. I also investigated in the US; Americans eat a lot of potatoes, made into various pastries. I hope everyone eats more tubers and can incorporate them into their staple foods.
There's also oats. Foreign countries have known about this for a long time, but many Chinese people don't. If you have high blood pressure, you must eat oats, oatmeal, or oat flakes, because they can lower blood lipids and blood pressure.
The last to mention is millet. We won the war with "millet plus rifles"! After I returned to China, I asked: "Why don't we eat millet anymore?" Many people told me: "Isn't that what you eat to recover from childbirth?" How terrible is that? In reality, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" has already explained that millet can remove dampness, strengthen the spleen, calm the mind, and promote sleep. With such great benefits, you don't eat it!
Everyone must understand that dietary therapy is more important than drug therapy. This is what Li Shizhen said. That's why Li Shizhen wrote mostly about foods in the "Compendium of Materia Medica." Why don't we use food to solve our problems and insist on taking medicine? "Nine out of ten drugs are toxic." I've never heard of drugs being used for health preservation. Qin Shi Huang couldn't do it, Emperor Wu of Han couldn't do it, and you and I can't do it either. But I must declare: I am not against taking medicine; I am against taking medicine indiscriminately. I advocate for a "short, flat, fast" approach to taking medicine—take it for a short time, take safe medicine, and stop it quickly.
For the yellow race, the most suitable is soy milk.
Next, let's talk about beans in the "grains, beans, vegetables" category. Our survey found that Chinese people lack high-quality protein. That's why in sports competitions, our small ball teams always win, but our big ball teams don't. Why? On the court, one kick or collision and they fall down. Now, our medical expenses are much higher than in the US, but our bodies are not as good as theirs. Chinese people lack high-quality protein. What should we do if we don't have enough? The Ministry of Health has proposed the "Soybean Action Plan," with the content being "a handful of vegetables, a handful of beans, an egg, and a little meat." After I spoke, some students changed it to "half a jin of eggs, two liang of meat, plus some vegetables and some beans."
He said my instructions didn't have quantities, so he added some for me. Who told you to add quantities? 300 milligrams of cholesterol from one egg is just right. Why eat half a jin? And he even came up with "two liang of meat." The protein in one liang of soybeans equals two liang of lean meat, equals three liang of eggs, and equals four liang of rice. What do you think you should eat? The US has designated August 15th every year as a national "Tofu Festival," but our country, the birthplace of tofu, doesn't have one. Americans are not lacking in high-quality protein; they consider soybeans to be the "flower of nutrition" and the "king of beans."
What are the benefits of soy milk? Soy milk contains oligosaccharides, which are 100% absorbable. Also, soy milk contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and its calcium content is higher than milk's. Milk has no anti-cancer substances, but soy milk has five. Among them, isoflavones are especially good for preventing and treating breast, rectal, and colon cancers. So, for us yellow people, the most suitable is soy milk. I'm not against drinking milk, but to prevent cancer, you must drink some soy milk. Some people have stopped drinking milk and switched to soy milk, but this method isn't necessarily good. You can continue drinking milk and add some soy milk appropriately.
Radish, pumpkin, bitter melon, tomatoes, garlic, black fungus, and pollen are all foods beneficial for health.
Next, let's talk about vegetables in the "grains, beans, vegetables" category. The first vegetable mentioned at international conferences is carrots. Why carrots? Our country's "Compendium of Materia Medica" says it's a vegetable that nourishes the eyes. It's good for not being able to see at night, especially for night blindness. Moreover, eating carrots for a long time makes you less likely to catch colds. Americans consider carrots a beauty food, nourishing hair, skin, and mucous membranes. People who often eat carrots are indeed beautiful from the inside out. This concept of beauty should be about inner and outer harmony. When I was in Urumqi, someone treated me to dumplings with a carrot filling, which they called "Russian dumplings." After eating them, I felt great. First, it nourishes the mucous membranes and prevents colds. Second, it's beautifying. Third, it has some anti-cancer effects and is especially good for the eyes. Carrots are not afraid of high heat; their nutrients are not lost no matter how high the temperature. Now, carrot pastries have appeared in Europe.
The second vegetable mentioned is pumpkin. Why pumpkin? It stimulates beta cells to produce insulin. So, people who often eat pumpkin are less likely to get diabetes. Bitter melon should also be mentioned. Although it's bitter, it secretes insulin-like substances, so people who often eat it are also less likely to get diabetes. Pumpkin and bitter melon, people of our age must eat them often.
International conferences also mention tomatoes. In the US, the Red Cross distributes tomato seedlings, encouraging every family to grow and eat them to prevent cancer. This is something I learned only five or six years ago. Eating tomatoes can prevent cancer, did you know that? It prevents uterine, ovarian, pancreatic, bladder, and prostate cancer. I ask everyone: How do you eat tomatoes? Some people say: "Isn't that simple? Just wash them and eat them raw." Others say slice them, add sugar, and drink some beer. If you eat them like that, let me tell you: you've eaten them for nothing! Tomatoes contain a substance called lycopene. It combines with protein, but it's hard to come out because it's surrounded by dietary fiber. So, it must be heated to a certain temperature for the lycopene to be released. I'll tell you all, stir-fried tomatoes with eggs is the best. Tomato soup, or tomato and egg soup, is also good. Please note: eating raw tomatoes does not prevent cancer.
Garlic is the king of anti-cancer foods. As soon as I started talking about how to eat garlic, someone said: "It has to be eaten cooked."—Why do you have to cook everything? Let me tell you, cooked garlic has zero effect! People from Shandong and the Northeast love to eat garlic, eating it clove by clove, and say they don't get cancer. But in a few days, they get cancer first. What's the reason? The whole world now knows how to eat garlic, except us. Let me tell you, you must first slice the garlic into very thin slices, expose it to the air for 15 minutes before eating, and only then does it work. It turns out garlic itself is not anti-cancer; allic