Secrets of Longevity: Exercise, Lifestyle, and Rejuvenation

A Brush With Longevity.
A popular practice among centenarians is body brushing, using a dry brush with natural bristles to sweep the surface of the entire body.  Besides eliminating dead skin cells and improving skin hygiene, body brushing can also increase small capillary circulation to the skin, boost skin immunity against infection, and promote vibrant skin tone.  An alternative to brushing is body scrubbing: use a dry cloth or moist rag to vigorously scrub your body from head to toe.

Stress Busting Flowers
Colorful flowers have a powerful influence on moods.  A bouquet of flowers can conjure up love, uplift a patient’s mood, and even help combat stress.  A study showed that people who sat near a bouquet of colorful flowers were able to relax better during a five-minute typing assignment than those who sat near a foliage-only plant.  Next time you want to relax or improve your mood, surround yourself with colorful flowers.

Your Tongue Never Lies
Tongue Diagnosis has a rich history in medical traditions worldwide.  All ancient medicine employed tongue inspection to detect changes in the viscera or internal organs.  The tongue is layered with immune cells that react quickly to intruders and is also filled with nerve cells and taste buds wired directly to the brain.  It is fed by a complex network of blood vessels that changes the color of the tongue depending on the level of oxygen and nutrient delivery.  A healthy tongue is moist and pink.  A tongue that is red, cracked, or covered with a yellow coating signals an internal imbalance or illness.  See your health care provider, preferably a doctor of Oriental medicine, if you notice these signs.


Good Smells for Good Mood
Smell has a powerful influence on our bodies and minds, research has shown.  Stimulating olfactory nerves inside the nose activates the limbic system of your brain, which is associated with memory and moods.  The use of plants with strong scents for healing and wellness, know as aromatherapy, is common among the world’s medical traditions.  Aromatherapy uses jasmine to treat depression, lavender for restless sleep, citrus to increase alertness, peppermint for poor digestion, rosemary for pain and muscle tightness, eucalyptus for sinus congestion, and patchouli for nausea.  Essential oils of plants may be dabbed on your temples, at the back of the neck, or directly on acupressure points—or simply boil the herb in water and inhale the steam through your nose.

A Little Help from Your Abs
In traditional Chinese teaching, digestive malfunction is said to account for up to 90 percent of all instances of disease.  That is one reason the first section of this book, What We Eat, is such a lengthy one.  Yet no matter how well we eat or which supplements we take, particles of undigested matter may adhere to the inner intestine, toxifying the system and preventing absorption of our food.  One way to ward off this problem is to perform this simple “inner housecleaning” exercise once or twice a day, at least an hour after eating:  With your knees slightly bent, lean forward and place your hands on your thighs just above the knee.  Press down with your hands, exhale deeply, and draw your stomach in as tightly as possible at the same time.  Holding your breath after full exhalation, use your abdominal muscles to push your belly in and out several times.  Then stand up as you inhale.  Repeat this three times.  You will not notice an immediate effect, but over time every part of your body—from your skin to your brain to your sex organs—will benefit as all the nutrients in your food are absorbed and utilized.

Continue Article:

• What You Eat: Diet and Nutrition

• How You Heal: Herbs, Remedies and Elixirs

• Where You Are: Environment, Ecology and Community

About the Author:

Dr. Mao (as he is known by his patients and students) is a 38th generation doctor of Chinese medicine and an authority in the field of Taoist anti-aging medicine.  After receiving two doctorate degrees and completing his Ph.D. dissertation on Nutrition, Dr. Mao did his postgraduate work at Shanghai Medical University’s affiliated hospitals and began his 20-year study of centarians of China.  Dr. Mao returned to Los Angeles in 1985 and has since focused on Taoist anti-aging therapeutics at his Tao of Wellness Center.

Praise for Dr. Mao

“Undergoing treatments with Dr. Mao at the Tao of Wellness and following his nutritional advice has led to a marked change in my physical vitality and my general state of well-being.”
—Jim Carrey

“Dr. Mao brings generations of experience, an abundance of knowledge about both Eastern and Western Medicine, and his own good heart to his remarkable work.”
—Helen Hunt

Looking and feeling young for decades is not just the province of the wealthy and surgically enhanced. Living to be 100 is simpler than most people imagine.   In Secrets of Longevity, Dr. Maoshing Ni shares the secrets gleaned from 38-generations of medical knowledge in his family, and a 20-year study of centenarians in China.  A longer, healthier and happier life is not a result of a complicated supplement regimen, arcane dietary restrictions or any particular exercise, rather it is a combination of simple approaches to all areas of life.  Dr Mao (as he is known by his patients) shares the main areas in which small changes can have a big impact on longevity and general health. 

Website: http://www.taoofwellness.com/