Natural Cosmetics : How to keep your facial luster

Dear Friends,

  image from hairstyle.com

ch advised us that she has opened her shop in the posh neighbourhood of Aoyama in Tokyo.

Since she is a skin specialist, I guess given the timing of the natural forces of the 5th Major Qi Period (Dryness and Cold), it would appear her timing is impeccable, as this the environment that the Lung System will be subjected to bigger load. The Lung System connects with the skin externally.

In posting  Your growth/reproductive pattern, we discussed the natural cycles of women, to recap :

• 1×7=7 yr   : permanent teeth replacing primary teeth, hairs getting longer,
• 2×7=14 yr : arrival of “sex hormone”, commencement of periods, can have pregnancy, (note too late arrival of this is symptom of Qi deficiency, esp kidney system),
• 3×7=21 yr : wisdom tooths appear and grow to maximum,
• 4×7=28 yr : physically at her peak, hair at best condition, best health,
• 5×7=35 yr : face starting to lose luster, hair start dropping,
• 6×7=42 yr : facial texture losing overall luster,white hair appearing (ladies, take note),
• 7×7=49 yr : end phase of “sex hormones”, pregnancy very difficult,

From above, from 5×7 onwards, the face starts to lose luster. Sorry for the bad news.

ch, you will never run out of clients !

When we are born, we inherited the vital Qi from our parents (先天之气，”xian tian zhi qi”). This is given and we have to make good the treasure we inherited. If we consider the complexity that make up a human being, this vital Qi is incredible, next to miracle. It is the seed of “fire” that we inherit from our parents.

Now, this parental vital Qi alone is not enough to make us healthy, we need the continuos supply of  “nutrients” (后天之气, “hou tian zhi qi”). 后天之气 enables us to keep the original “fire” burning brightly.

后天之气 (“hou tian zhi qi” ) is more than just food we eat, it also includes the water we drink and the air we breath (in addition to the way we behave).

Therefore,

• if we have good appetite but not digest well, that only put more load to the body to get rid of the waste,
• if we breath ok but too shallowy, that’s not good either etc
• if we sleep during daylight and awake throughout the night, that’s not good.

Now back to the critical issue of lost of facial luster. What causes it ?

• From TCM’s perspective, the Yang Meridians are channels of  Yang energy, which is critical for all sorts of activities (i.e. they are dynamic energy). You can think of Yang Meridians as Daylight as opposed to Yin Meridians which are equivalent to Night.
• For women, on average, after 5×7, the Yang energy levels in the Yang Meridians start to decline.
• The decline is most obvious in the face because the face is the meeting place of all the Yang Meridians.

Of all the Yang Meridians, the Stomach Meridian (pairing with Lung Meridian) has the most Yang energy.

Therefore keeping a free-flowing and healthy Stomach Meridian will enhance the Yang energy level in it, the result is a longer lasting facial luster, which I guess many have invested heavily to uphold. (since it is also related to Lung Meridian, the skin overall will be affected).

Will return later on some of the key exercises the invigorate the Stomach Meridian.

Will be back.

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