Cao Kaiyong's Health Prescription: Prevention Before Illness, Nourishment Through Food and Medicine, and Moderate Sexual Activity

**Cao Kaiyong's Health Prescription: Prevention Before Illness, Nourishment Before Deficiency**

A key concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) regarding health preservation is the emphasis on prevention before disease occurs. The saying "Superior doctors treat disease before it manifests" means that the best approach for a top-tier doctor is to treat diseases before they appear-essentially, to anticipate illness. TCM places great importance on the dominant role of the body's "vital energy" (正气). The statement in the *Suwen* (素问) section on acupuncture, "When vital energy is abundant within, pathogenic factors cannot invade," has become a timeless guiding principle in TCM clinical practice for two millennia.

**Prescription 1: Nourishing Kidney Deficiency Through a Combination of Food and Medicine**

Human growth and development, the balance of Yin and Yang, and the abundance of essence and blood all depend on the nutrients ingested from food. Different foods have different properties, and supplementation should be tailored to the individual's kidney deficiency and whether they lean towards Yin or Yang. Those with kidney essence deficiency or kidney Yin insufficiency can eat more beef marrow, pork marrow, sheep kidney, turtle, soft-shelled turtle, wolfberry, and black sesame seeds. Those with Qi and blood deficiency should eat more longan pulp, lychee, yam, ginseng, jujube, and glutinous rice. Those with severe damp-heat should eat more watermelon, winter melon, corn silk, Job's tears, loofah, and lentils to clear heat and promote diuresis. Those with kidney Yang deficiency, weakened Mingmen fire, and decreased libido can eat more venison, beef, mutton, dog meat, sparrow eggs, and leeks. While medication can sometimes be faster and more effective than dietary supplements, "all medicines have some degree of toxicity," and side effects are unavoidable. Therefore, caution should be exercised, and treatment and prescriptions should be obtained from a specialist at a reputable hospital. Ordinary people, unless they are doctors, should not prescribe kidney tonics on their own, because improper supplementation can often lead to adverse effects and harm the body.

**Prescription 2: Neither abstain from sex nor indulge in it**

Sexual intercourse is a normal physiological need for married men and women. It should not be abstained from, nor should it be indulged in excessively; moderation is key. Moderate sexual activity is beneficial to the balance of Yin and Yang in the kidneys, promoting mental well-being, harmony, and happiness within the family, and contributing to health and longevity. Li Pengfei of the Yuan Dynasty explicitly stated in his "Sanyuan Yanshou Canzan Shu" that "desire should not be abstained from," pointing out that "the relationship between men and women is a fundamental human obligation; without Yang, there can be no life; without Yin, there can be no existence. Humanity has its inviolable aspects." During sexual intercourse, the moderate release of semen in men is beneficial to the coordination of Yin and Yang in the kidneys, achieving a balance of Yin and Yang, and ensuring continuous vitality.

The frequency of sexual activity should be determined based on various factors such as age, physical condition, mood, and environment, with the principle of not feeling tired and having plenty of energy the next day. Generally, healthy men aged 20-30 should have sex twice a week; those aged 30-40 should have sex once a week; those aged 40-60 should have sex about once every 10 days; and those aged 60-80 should have sex once every 20-30 days.

Statistics show that the average adult worldwide engages in sexual activity 97 times a year, with Americans averaging 124 times, while Chinese adults average only 63 times. However, this figure masks the excessive indulgence of some. I believe that the physical constitution, nutrition, and lifestyle of Chinese people cannot compare with those of Americans, and we should not blindly compare sexual frequency but rather be realistic. The prevailing trend in today's society is excessive sexual activity, which borders on indulgence and should be viewed with caution. Zhang Jiebin, a physician of the Ming Dynasty, said: "Desire should not be indulged, for indulgence depletes essence; essence should not be depleted, for depletion dissipates true essence. Nourishing essence generates qi, qi generates spirit, and nourishes the whole body. Therefore, those who are good at nourishing life must cherish their essence; abundant essence leads to vigorous qi, vigorous qi leads to a complete spirit, a complete spirit leads to a healthy body, and a healthy body leads to fewer illnesses. A strong spirit and vigor, growing stronger with age, all originate from essence."

The kidneys store essence, which is received from the essence of the five internal organs and six bowels. Essence is the material basis of human life activities. When essence is abundant and complete, vitality is vigorous. Because men are prone to sexual activity due to their strong yang energy, and their seminal vesicles are easily aroused but their seminal vesicles are difficult to control, they should nourish their essence and avoid excessive ejaculation. To nourish essence, one must purify the mind and reduce desires, and cultivate one's spirit. Of course, this does not mean abstaining from sex to preserve essence. The way of desire is moderation, restraint, and harmony; moderation is key, but not complete cessation. Specifically, this should be understood as avoiding excessive ejaculation after marriage, having regular ejaculation in middle age, and being cautious about ejaculation in old age. One should not rely on physical strength to indulge in excessive sexual activity. One should sleep alone away from the bedroom curtains and appropriately control one's desires. Of course, one should not completely abstain from sexual activity, but rather let it happen naturally. In addition, one should not have sex when fatigued, ill, in a fit of anger, or drunk, so as not to damage the body. Unrestrained indulgence in ejaculation will result in a large loss of seminal protein, sex hormones, prostaglandins, zinc, and other substances. At the same time, it will increase the burden on the testicles, causing them to atrophy. This not only severely degenerates sexual function but also weakens vitality and accelerates aging.