People all around the world value beauty for different reasons and some cultures more than others. Although some might consider an interest in beauty vain, the truth is that our physical appearance can be a measure of health. At least according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the condition of our skin, hair, and nails can tell us a lot about our internal state of health. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine consider the radiant beauty a gift of good health.
However, the desire for everlasting youth can lead to a perverse and desperate path that Traditional Chinese Medicine does not support. The use of plastic surgery, synthetic fillers, botox, and endless anti-aging miracle serums may improve the appearance to a degree, but do not improve health. That being said, an appreciation for aesthetics and beauty, that is led by a stronger value of health can be unpretentious.
In this article, we’d like to share with you the ancient secrets of Traditional Chinese Medicine for improving both health and beauty.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Beauty Tips
Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the physical body as a vessel for the spiritual beings that we are. All TCM aims to seek to harmonize the physical and metaphysical self. They consider the physical body but a mirror of the inner self. Therefore, when the person is healthy and balanced, the body follows suit.
There is the familiar phrase that the eyes are the windows to the soul. However, TCM takes this saying to more specific details. TCM considers every part of the physical body (the skin, nails, hair, eyes, and more) connected to not just internal organs, but also our thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and considerations. This is elaborated on in more detail in the concepts of Chinese Face Mapping.
This may seem overwhelming to consider; however, it is also empowering at the same time. Knowledge and responsibility combined equate to power; and in this case, the power to improve your health. With this theory in mind, let us take a look at some pragmatic tips for improving your beauty from the perspective of TCM.
Cultivating Shen
Shen translates literally to “spirit” and refers to the energy of the spirit. People with an abundance of Shen energy are often serene, accepting and loving with their outlook on life. According to TCM, people with a lot of Shen are often radiant and glowingly beautiful. This quality is the most difficult for people to develop because of the amount of discipline it takes to cultivate. However, some practical tips for growing your Shen energy in regards to physical beauty would involve creating a more loving, serene and accepting attitude toward your own body.
In order to do this, you first have to become aware of your current views. How do you see yourself? What considerations or strong beliefs do you have about yourself and life? What is your emotional tone toward life, are you chronically sad, hopeless, angry, fearful or worrisome? Once you've gained some self-awareness, see if you can determine when you first created these views, and then decide if they are still true. Remember, you are the creator of your thoughts and views, and even if someone has tried to convince you that you are anything other than beautiful, that is not up to them.
From here you can start viewing yourself as healthy, care-free, and beautiful, or some other more desirable, beautiful qualities you would like to be or have.
Herbal Remedies
There are many herbs that are mainly used to promote physical beauty. In general, the herbs that support physical beauty, such as healthy skin, hair, eyes, and nails are going to regulate the organs and glands connected to them, being the lung, liver, kidney, stomach/spleen, and thyroid. Together, these organs regulate hormones that affect hair and skin, the growth of the body, and the production and circulation of blood. Common beauty tonic herbs include ginseng, goji berry, ginkgo biloba, reishi, chaga, schisandra and he shou wu. These herbs tonify the various important beauty organs mentioned that balance hormones, nourish and circulate the blood, and detoxify the body. You can find most of these herbs in Revitalize formula for these reasons.
Food For Beauty
There are various foods that help the body repair and regenerate itself. Some great beauty foods are raw honey, mushrooms, milk products, pumpkin seeds, and various fruits like dates, watermelon, cherries, and citrus. Other nourishing beauty foods, according to TCM, are goji berries, oysters, pigskin, bone broth and marrow, and organ meats. These ingredients support the endocrine system, reduce inflammation and nourish yin while promoting blood production via the metabolic system.
Balance The Yin & Yang
Perhaps the simplest way to balance the Yin and Yang is to eliminate harsh toxins from the diet, which are overly Yang. These include the obvious such as alcohol, deep-fried foods, processed/junk foods, and grain and flour-based products. These foods are highly irritating to the liver and intestines or “yang” and heating and will lead to inflammation.
Expel Dampness
Dampness is a common imbalance in TCM, which basically indicates a stagnant digestive function. Some good foods and herbs for dampness include bitters, ginger, papaya, asparagus, turnips, and cooked potatoes. It is also a good idea to avoid raw and cold foods, as well as chronic worry, which leads to dampness by suppressing metabolism.
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These herbs can be taken as single herbs or in an herbal formulation. Either way, you want to make sure your herbs and mushrooms are properly extracted and of high quality. Therefore, we recommend getting these medicinal herbs and fungi through our Revitalize formula. A few capsules a day is all you need to start correcting the underlying stressors that contribute to hair problems. To learn more about Revitalize and to see how it’s helping others restore hair health and beauty, visit here.
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