Learning: Understand the core concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Yin-Yang, the Five Elements, Qi and blood, and the internal organs (Zang-Fu). Grasp the central ideas of the “holistic view” and “treatment based on syndrome differentiation.”
Practice:
- Record your personal state (sleep quality, appetite, energy level, sensitivity to cold/heat, bowel movements).
- Learn the basics of tongue diagnosis and observe your own tongue body and coating (color, thickness, moisture).
Tools: Prepare a notebook and create a “Daily Body Record” template.

Learning: Master the principle that “food and medicine share the same origin” (药食同源) and learn to distinguish between cold, hot, and neutral common foods.
Practice:
- Adjust your three daily meals. Avoid raw, cold, spicy, and greasy foods, as well as milk and dairy products. Focus on warm, soft, easily digestible foods.
- Drink one cup of health-preserving herbal tea (e.g., ginger and red date tea for those with a colder constitution; chrysanthemum and goji berry tea for those with a hotter constitution).
- Record how your body feels after eating (e.g., bloating, dry mouth, fatigue).

Learning: Get to know 10 commonly used meridians (e.g., Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming) and memorize 3 key acupoints (Zusanli ST36, Hegu LI4, Neiguan PC6).
Practice:
- Massage Zusanli, Hegu, and Neiguan for 5 minutes each, morning and evening (using moderate pressure that produces a slight soreness).
- Learn a simple tapping technique: lightly tap along the meridians on your arms and legs to help Qi and blood flow.
Tools: Prepare a meridian chart and mark the locations of the commonly used acupoints.

Learning: Understand the TCM principles of “regular daily life and emotional balance” (起居有常、情志调摄), and learn how staying up late and emotional fluctuations affect the internal organs.
Practice:
- Keep a regular sleep schedule (go to bed before 23:00 and get up before 7:00); do not stay up late.
- Practice 5 minutes of breathing meditation (abdominal breathing) to relax the body and mind and relieve anxiety.
- Record your mood changes for the day and identify your emotional triggers.

Learning: Understand the TCM concept that “movement generates Yang” (动则生阳) and learn the basics of health-preserving exercises such as Baduanjin and Tai Chi.
Practice:
- Learn the first 3 movements of Baduanjin and practice them for 10 minutes each time, morning and evening.
- Increase your daily walking to a total of about 6,000 steps and avoid prolonged sitting.
- After exercising, record how your body feels (sweating, fatigue level, joint comfort).

Learning: Learn the criteria for identifying common constitutional types: Qi deficiency, Yang deficiency, Yin deficiency, and phlegm-dampness.
Practice:
- Based on your records from the previous 5 days, make a preliminary self-assessment of your constitution.
- Adjust one daily habit according to your constitution (e.g., for Qi deficiency, eat more Chinese yam and drink Astragalus tea).
- Summarize any introductory questions you have (e.g., difficulty locating acupoints, confusion about constitution judgment).

Practice:
- Organize your 7-day records of physical condition, diet, exercise, and emotions, and summarize the changes.
- Create a long-term health plan (e.g., practice Baduanjin 3 times per week, maintain a regular sleep schedule, and eat regular meals).
- Decide on your future learning direction (e.g., further study of meridians, learning moxibustion, or understanding common-condition regulation).

7-Day Beginner’s Practice for Health Preservation in Fengyang Taoist Traditional Chinese Medicine