11. Excessive food intake not only fails to increase qi and blood but also burdens the body with waste, which then must be cleared by consuming qi and blood. The organs are like processing plants; food is the raw material, and processing capacity is limited while food is unlimited. Therefore, food intake must be controlled.
12. Moderate exercise can assist qi and blood circulation but also consumes qi and blood. The body’s microcirculation primarily relies on relaxation and calmness, essential for health.
13. The more waste within the body, the more qi and blood are needed to eliminate it. However, increased waste and blocked blood vessels decrease qi and blood, leading to a vicious cycle and aging.
14. Rather than trusting medications or test data, trust your own feelings and self-regulating abilities. This discernment requires wisdom to distinguish.
15. Health begins with regulating the mind. To preserve your health, study Buddhism. The happiness gained from studying Buddhism is life’s greatest joy.
16. For someone with a chronic illness, symptoms only manifest when qi and blood are sufficient (achieved through methods discussed here or through meditation to clear the qi pathways). Practitioners will experience some “illness” symptoms when their skills reach a certain level. During this time, remain calm, focus on meditation to increase qi and blood, and quickly overcome this period.
17. Violating health principles may not immediately lead to illness but can significantly increase the risk. Similar to traffic rules, violating them doesn’t guarantee an accident but increases the risk.
18. Why must humans maintain a certain level of hunger and thirst for health? This is the wonderful use of “emptiness.” Taoism teaches that emptiness enhances spirituality. Just as humility promotes progress and conceit leads to decline, maintaining a state of “empty spirituality” allows for perpetual awareness and health.
19. To stay healthy, the body needs sufficient qi to digest food intake. Otherwise, accumulated waste and surplus food generate “virtual fire,” which damages internal organs. This “virtual fire” then depletes qi, making modern illnesses largely due to dietary imbalance.
20. Quietude method: Lie down, relax entirely, as if your whole body melts away without exertion. Breathe naturally, keeping the mind relaxed, and concentrate at the soles of the feet. This directs fire downward and water upward, ensuring smooth circulation of qi and blood throughout the body.