People often say that intelligence comes from an open mind, but in truth, a healthy body stems from open orifices. The human body has "nine orifices": the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, urethra, and anus. These bodily openings require regular care to maintain unobstructed function. When all nine orifices are clear, illness cannot take hold.
Eyes
Close your eyes, blink, apply warm compresses
The eyes are organs that perceive light. Their ability to see relies on the vital energy and essence supported by other internal organs, meaning the eyes are closely connected to the rest of the body.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the essence and energy of all five viscera and six bowels converge in the eyes. This means the vital energy from these organs ascends to the eyes, which connect to the body's meridians. Overworking the eyes can thus affect the entire system of internal organs.
Additionally, the eyes serve as a focal point for systemic fatigue. When they experience discomfort such as soreness, swelling, dryness, or blurred vision, fatigue toxins are generated. These toxins then spread throughout the body, causing overall exhaustion.
Tips
Close Eyes to Nourish Qi: Elderly individuals, especially those with respiratory infections or asthma, often feel short of breath. Closing the eyes and resting quietly can help replenish vital energy.
Warm Water Eye Compress & Frequent Blinking: Each morning while washing your face, immerse your eyes in water for 1-2 minutes (keeping your nose above water). Gently wash your face and the muscles around your eyes. After washing, use both hands to gently massage the eye area 20-40 times.
Before bed each night, apply a warm, damp towel to your eyes and forehead for 2–5 minutes. Strengthen eye muscles by blinking frequently, holding your eyes closed slightly longer, and gently massaging your eyelids with both hands to increase eye moisture.
Increase intake of tomatoes and red dates: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C. Peel fresh tomatoes by blanching them in boiling water, then consume one daily on an empty stomach in the morning and evening. Alternatively, prepare tomato and egg soup, which helps prevent and treat age-related cataracts.
Red dates are rich in protein, vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, and calcium, which nourish the blood, improve eyesight, and enhance vision.
Ears
Stay positive, rub your ears often, avoid noise pollution
Ears are closely connected to the body's meridians and acupoints. Changes in their shape, color, and texture can reflect overall health.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the ear tips represent the heart, with meridians in the earlobes directly connecting to the heart. Heart ailments often reveal themselves through the ears. In other words, observing the ears can indicate heart health. For instance, varying degrees of indentation in the lung area or bronchial acupoints on the ears may suggest poor lung function.
Tips
Regularly massage your ears: Massage promotes blood circulation in the inner ear. Techniques include rubbing the auricle, pinching the earlobes, and massaging the Fengchi acupoints located in the hollows behind the ears at the hairline. Alternatively, sit quietly with eyes closed, insert both index fingers into your ear canals, then quickly withdraw them. Repeat this motion ten times consecutively.
Consume foods rich in zinc, iron, and calcium: These nutrients help dilate capillaries, improve inner ear blood supply, and prevent hearing loss. Avoid prolonged exposure to high-decibel noise: Extended exposure to loud sounds damages hair cells and inner ear tissue, leading to noise-induced hearing loss. Also avoid prolonged headphone use and keep volume low to prevent hearing deterioration.
Nose
Observe the nasal tip, massage regularly, reduce spicy foods
The nose, also called the "King of the Face," serves as a "barometer" of human health. Scientists aptly describe it as the body's health guardian. It is particularly accurate in predicting spleen and stomach disorders.
For instance, a bluish nasal tip indicates liver dysfunction—a manifestation of liver wood overacting on spleen earth—often accompanied by abdominal pain. Since the liver corresponds to wood and the spleen to earth, excessive liver qi disrupts the spleen and stomach, impairing digestive function. Treatment involves herbs that drain liver and gallbladder qi while tonifying the spleen and stomach. A yellowish nose suggests cold accumulation in the chest.
Tips
External Nasal Massage: Using the thumb and index finger of either hand, grasp both sides of the nasal bridge and firmly pull downward in a continuous motion 12 times. This stimulation promotes blood circulation in the nasal mucosa, aiding normal mucus secretion.
Internal Nasal Massage: Insert the thumb and index finger into each nostril, grasp the nasal septum cartilage, and gently pull downward several times. This method enhances the mucosa's resistance to disease, prevents colds and rhinitis, and moistens the nasal passages.
Yingxiang Point Massage: Use the middle or index finger of either hand to press the Yingxiang point—located in the depression of the nasolabial groove beside the nostrils—several times. Massaging this point improves local blood circulation, prevents nasal disorders, and helps guard against facial nerve paralysis.
Dietary recommendations include avoiding spicy and irritating foods. Refrain from frequent nose-picking, nose-hair plucking, or trimming.
Mouth
Speak Often, Control Your Mouth, and Tap Your Teeth
As people age, memory and reaction speed naturally decline. This phenomenon of "senile forgetfulness" often stems from a lack of mental exercise. By speaking frequently and keeping your mouth active, you can prevent this "senile forgetfulness" from occurring.
Tips
Eat smaller, more frequent meals: As we age, digestive and cardiac functions decline. Consuming large meals burdens the digestive system and heart, harming health and promoting weight gain. Seniors should aim for 4-5 meals daily, eating until 70-80% full at each sitting.
Teeth-knocking routine: Knock your teeth 36 times each morning and evening before bed. Consistent practice strengthens teeth and prevents dental issues. Modern science also confirms that teeth-knocking promotes blood circulation in teeth and periodontal tissues, enhancing their resistance to disease.
These small habits not only exercise the mouth but also boost blood circulation, nourish the heart, and regulate the spirit. Thus, seniors should keep their mouths active.
Excretory Openings
Drink Plenty of Water, Prevent Hemorrhoids, Reduce Oil Intake
The urethra and anus are single orifices among the body's nine openings. The urethra serves as the passage for liquid waste, while the anus expels solid waste—both are vital excretory organs. Protecting these openings is essential for maintaining overall health.
The urethra connects the bladder to the outside, serving as the passage for liquid waste. Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that unclean hygiene tools or careless health practices can allow damp-heat toxins to invade the lower body, damaging the urinary and reproductive systems. This leads to symptoms like qi and blood stagnation and spleen-kidney deficiency—what we call urethritis.
Tips
Drink plenty of water: Water helps cool the body and promotes urination, flushing away bacteria in the urethra and reducing infection risks. Therefore, make a habit of drinking ample water, bathing regularly, and changing underwear frequently. Opt for breathable, moisture-wicking cotton underwear. Cleanse the external genitalia and anus with water regularly to maintain hygiene.
Limit Fried Foods: Moderately increase intake of plant-based oils like sesame, peanut, canola, corn, and soybean oil. Prioritize foods rich in B vitamins—such as grains, legumes, peanuts, nuts, and lean meats—to aid digestion. Consume gas-producing foods like beans, potatoes, radishes, onions, and leeks to stimulate bowel movements.Avoid foods prepared by deep-frying, pan-frying, grilling, or roasting, as these methods can generate internal heat in the digestive system.