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Did you ever think eating with the seasons would have any thing to do with the health and appearance of your skin? According to ancient Taoism and the 5 element theory used in Chinese Medicine eating with the seasons has everything to do with healthy skin and body.
Each season or element relates to a paired organ system in the body as well as a taste and a color (see chart). In the latter days of summer September and early October we are in the element of Earth. The Earth element relates to sweetness in taste and the health of the stomach and small intestines. Foods that will help you feel balanced and that will strengthen these organ systems. Naturally sweet butternut and Kombucha squash as well as all root vegetables like parsnips and carrots are a good choice. Millet is a grain that is also naturally sweet and great for the stomach and small intestines. Sometimes there are tendencies to want the sweetness in the form of refined sugar; this is not the kind of sweet you want during this time or anytime! Sugar can cause the skin tissue to thin and loose its elasticity way before its time due causing premature aging as well as cause dry skin. It is better to cultivate a taste for sweetness in its natural state of fruits, found in vegetables and grains where you (and your skin) can benefit from the nutrients, minerals and fiber. The natural sweetness found in whole foods will actually help build tissue and tone muscles which can be rejuvenating to the entire body as well as prevent or slow down the aging process.
Metal relates to the Season of Autumn and has to do with the health of the lungs and large intestines and the skin in general. Its taste is pungent. The pungent taste promotes sweating, increases circulation and gives a glow to the skin. Some of the foods that are great for both the lungs and the large intestines are foods that are somewhat pungent. These can include vegetables such as turnips, onions, ginger, garlic, diakon, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, radishes and mustard greens. Some of the spices for cooking with would be basil, dill, horseradish and white pepper. Soups that include these vegetables and spices can also be very good in the fall for hydration. Sweet brown rice is also very good to eat as a grain for fall. For healthy intestines avoid red meat in large quantities and hard cheeses. The lungs can be very sensitive to dairy products and fried foods as well as extreme spices. In the autumn the skin can get very dry. Minerals in the vegetables as well as fiber in the diet are great for the intestines, to keep all the old waste moving out of system. Whatever the large intestines cannot process or eliminate as waste from the body will most likely come out as acne, pimples, congested skin or eczema.
The bottom line is that if you want radiant skin and a healthy body, honor the seasons and eat the foods that are in season that will strengthen the organ system in that season. Stay away from refined sugars and processed foods and eat nutrient rich foods which occurs naturally in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. You will receive all the natural fiber, natural sugars, and lots of minerals in order for the organs to do what they do best while in the natural cycles of the elements of nature. Keep hydrated from the inside out and from the outside in, and the largest organ of the body; the skin, will do its best to keep you radiant and healthy.
“beautiful faces” by infographicsdeluxe is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
Every season brings a new transformation. Autumn brings the harvest, whatever energies of goodness you have put out there will now return to you. In the study of Ancient Healing Arts of Chinese Medicine in the five elements of nature Autumn relates to health energy of the organ of the Lung and Large Intestines. This season is the most yin and reflective after a long hot yang summer and activity. Time to take a deep breath of fresh cool air before it get too cold.AS you breath in the prana ( the breath of life) and exhale the old energies and thoughts that no longer serve you, think of the things you no longer want to carry with you in your consciousness as well as in your body,time to eliminate , the unwanted now. See breathing exercise.
A time also of reflection, a time to sort out what serves your life and your body and what does not … and just eliminate the unwanted,a time for meditation, prayer and reflection and a time to purge and refine. With that comes perhaps a time for fasting. A good fast for elimination in the large intestines.
Eat your way to health in the autumn with foods that are light, fibrous root vegetables for proper elimination along with good fats such as olive oil. The taste that goes along with the season is pungent. Enjoy your garlic, onions, mustards, fennel and ginger. Make a wonderful root vegetable soup with sea vegetables, all the root vegatables in season including daikon and turnips . Enjoy the whole grains of millet and brown rice and seeds of sesame gamasio to sprinkle as a condiment. Eat light and moderation or go on a 3 day brown rice fast especially the week before Autumn equinox, good for the body and the mind.
Your skin is the largest organ in the body and is referred to in Chinese medicine as the third kidney for it to releases any toxin in the body that cannot be processed through the large intestines and the kidneys. SO skin will take the brunt of it if not managed properly from the prior season. How this can manifest is Acne, Psoriosis , Escema. The autumn also brings cool wind and dryness to the skin and hair, therefore the best way to hydrate is from within with your omega essential fatty acids. These oils can also be used externally on your body to hydrate as well as your face, good for all skin conditions named above.
Inner transformations bring outer manifestations of that transformation… what is your autumn transformation going to look like?
Make a loose fist with the index and middle fingers of the right hand, leaving the thumb and the last two fingers extended. Using the ring finger and the pinky fingers, gently close off the left nostril and breathe deeply in through the right. As you reach the top of your inhalation, release the left nostril and close off the right one with your thumb. Exhale slowly and smoothly. At the end of the exhalation , breath deeply through the uncovered left nostril. When the inhalation is complete, open the right nostril and close the left one once again with the last two fingers, exhaling deeply and slowly through the right nostril before beginning the cycle all over again. Continue this exercise fro two or four minutes.
“Nagasaki Autumn Leaf” by Marufish is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
In Face Reading you can discover how the Jing treasure in Chinese medicine represents your battery for life, the allotted amount of energy you are given for your lifespan, and what you are given by your parents.
Understanding your Jing can help to lead to a healthier lifestyle, manage your health and vitality, and making right wellness choices.
The JING is the candle BASE, your foundation, your bones, your structure and your constitution. It is your prenatal jing or genetics, passed down to you from your parents at birth or in the womb.
It gives you your features, your eyes and ears, your facial shape, and every detail of your physical blueprint that makes you who you are today. Every feature has its own character definition, so to speak. Add up all these characteristics and it makes up the uniqueness that is you, which no one else is, or could ever be!
Cultivate your spirit and personal awakening, by discovering your Shen qualities.
Promote happiness by getting in touch with your true nature, being at peace with yourself, and encouraging self-awareness.
Remove traumas from past life experiences through a Shen reading.
Shen is one of the Three Treausres in Chinese Face Reading. Each treasure represent an aspect of yourself. Shen can be reflected through the light in your eyes, your smile, and glowing skin.
You are a walking candle! In this new year, how bright will you be shining as you give your presence to the world and to your loved ones? There is a way to measure and increase your vitality and inner radiance and to manage your health. But where do you start? It starts with your Three Treasures. In Chinese Medicine, which is based on Taoism, there is a system called the Three Treasures: your Jing, your Chi and your Shen.
The JING is the candle BASE, your foundation, your bones, your structure and your constitution. It is your prenatal jing or genetics, passed down to you from your parents at birth or in the womb.
It gives you your features, your eyes and ears, your facial shape, and every detail of your physical blueprint that makes you who you are today. Every feature has its own character definition, so to speak. Add up all these characteristics and it makes up the uniqueness that is you, which no one else is, or could ever be!
Your CHI is the WICK of the candle. It is how you manage your energy. Good lifestyle choices and habits, along with great thoughts and emotions, will produce powerful chi in your life—and vice versa! Your chi is also generated through your breathing and the optimal nutrition that you take in (or the opposite). Your chi nourishes and supports your Jing. It is the fuel for your furnace.
How do you express yourself, your unique chi? It will be through the movement, relationships and expressions of one or more of the five elements: Earth, fire, water, wood or metal. All parts of nature, including our bodies, are made up of these five dynamic phases of nature, which are also tied to each feature on your face. Are you balanced in each of these five elements?
The SHEN is your spirit energy—the FLAME of the candle. The Shen energy resides in your heart. It radiates through your meridians, the light in your eyes and the glow on your skin. This is the special spirit energy that you give to others that makes their day. It is your smile that lights the room and ignites someone’s special life. It can be conveyed in a handshake or a kind word. The Shen is the part we want to most be concerned about. It is your true vitality, your candle shining in the darkness of winter.
Now, there is one more of these Chinese names and that is your MING. Your Ming is the coming into being of your pure essence; it is called your Golden Path. Through your ming, you endow the Earth with your purpose—on purpose! It is not what you do, but HOW you do it—or how you just BE it. It is about living a purposeful life using all your gifts and talents.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have ways to assess the current state of your Three Treasures and we offer the means to increase and optimize those treasures. I offer a Five Element Face Reading, which includes an assessment of your Three Treasures. The first 15-minute consultation is free. At the Zen of Beauty, revealing your inner beauty and radiance is my joy!
Five Element Face Reading in Chinese Medicine. – Participants receive one hour of study of the Five Elements and how it relates to Chinese Medicine and the art of face reading. This knowledge can help you improve health…
Aging has to do with the root (the cause) and the branch (the effect) according to Chinese medicine. The root is the depletion of our kidney yin and yang qi (also called our essence or vitality). This has something to do with genetics as well as how well we use our Jing (our life force)—one of the Three Treasures in Chinese medicine theory. One factor in the depletion of our Jing is the loss of our natural hormones as we age, partly our fire energy. Bottom line is that we need all the help we can get to reenergize our body to produce qi.
Let me tell you about a technology that mimics your own natural current of electricity at a cellular level to help you rejuvenate your body as well as your facial skin.
Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation (MENS), commonly referred to as Microcurrent Therapy, has been supported with more than 40 years of research. It was first used in the medical and
physiotherapy fields for whole-body healing and was soon discovered as a great tool for facial rejuvenation. For the past 15 years, numerous microcurrent devices have been made available to the
practitioners in the healing arts and estheticians for facial enhancement and skin rejuvenation. Further study has shown that MENS stimulates the ATP (the energy current in the cells), strengthens the production of the collagen and elastin protein fibers, and increases muscle tone as well.
Color Light Therapy has arrived into mainstream usage and scientific validation in recent years. It also rejuvenates the cells, with each color application having a different nourishing action. For
instance, green gives support to the tonification of the muscle as well as balances the skin and body. Blue helps to reduce inflammation and has an antibacterial effect. Red helps increase
circulation.
I have been using microcurrent combined with color therapy for facial rejuvenation for 13 years and have found amazing results for my clients especially when treatments are given in a series of ten or more. The two combined have helped my clients not only with anti-aging but also with any type of acne, and even rosacea, or whenever there is inflammation of the skin.
Applying key ingredients in products with active vitamins and plant nutrients for the skin to support the skin daily are also important. People of any age (women and men) can benefit from this wonderful, regenerative technology. I always keep in mind the whole person and, according to Chinese medine principles, we balance not only the skin but also the body—we work with the root to
enhance the beauty of the branch. After all, the skin is an organ (the body’s largest) and the skin is only reflective of what is going on inside the body. Treating the facial skin stimulates all of the meridian pathways (acupressure/reflex points) and by this you are treating the whole body’s energetic systems. Add gentle facial cupping and nourishing masks to your treatments and your
skin and body will altogether be renewed—head to toe!
Thank God for the ancient wisdom of the east—coupled with technology of the west—to help us combat the aging process! Want to learn more? You can start by watching my 3-minute
introductory video:
Do you wonder why facial skin, or your body’s skin for that matter, ages faster for some more than for others? It has to do with your Jing, your Qi and your Shen! These are the Three Treasures in Chinese medicine: The Jing is your primordial energy; the Qi (or Chi) is your everyday energy; the Shen is your spirit energy.
Western medicine would say that your Jing is your genetics, the food you eat to give you energy is your Qi, and the Shen is your inner happiness. An apt analogy would be a candle—the wax is the Jing, the wick is the Qi, and the flame is the Shen. A lack or depletion of any of these three will create an imbalance, which will cause you to weaken and to age prematurely, which can show up on your skin. What is the solution to all these imbalances that life brings, with all its stresses and challenges? Find good ways to balance your life and nourish your body, mind and spirit—your Three Treasures. Here are a few tips:
At The Zen of Beauty, I recommend three treatments to add to your daily routines that will nourish the Three Treasures, for beautiful, radiant skin and to balance your emotions and relieve stress:
Energetic Acupressure Massage ~ This treatment helps to not only balance the emotions but also opens up all the meridian channels to get the Qi moving in the body. It also invigorates the flow of blood and lymph.
Microcurrent Facial Rejuvenation ~ The Microcurrent uses the same electrical frequency that the body naturally has when you’re in optimal health. This special current awakens the ATP in the cells, prompting them to rejuvenate. This dynamic action works not only on the face, but also triggers rejuvenation for the whole body, since the face is a hologram for the entire body. Using the microcurrent probes, along with color-light-therapy, and targeting the acupressure points will build up collagen and strengthen the elastin fibers, softening the skin to its original suppleness. A hydration mask and antioxidants are also prepared and applied to the skin to penetrate deep within the dermal layers. These help to tone and tighten the muscles and soften fine lines and wrinkles.
AromaPoint Therapy ~ This applies pure essential oils to the designated acupressure points that are key for face and body rejuvenation and life balancing. You will notice an increase in both the Shen and the Qi. This treatment can be done as a supporting add-on with any facial or massage.
There is so much more to teach and share with you! Please come in for your free 15-minute consultation, for a face reading from the viewpoint of Chinese Medicine, and to find out what we can do together for your dynamic face and body rejuvenation!
