The signs of health according to TCM

Health preservation according to traditional Chinese medicine focuses on keeping one’s daily routine (work, rest, meals and recreation), state of mind and emotions in balance in order to help the body to perform its best without exploiting the physical sources.

Leading a stress-free, slow-paced life is not easy nowadays, but it is achievable with appropriate prioritizing. The easiest first step is to slow down at the weekend to enable our body and mind to recover from the weekday rush.

Traditional Chinese medicine has been developing its health preservation theories for thousand years and has very clear standards how to identify health. Here are the characteristics:

· Brigth eyes: these reflect the conditions of inner organs, qi and essence gather here, so bright eyes are the most obvious manifestation of a healthy person.

· Normal respiration: which is slight and slow. Neither too slow nor too quick, neither too shallow nor too deep.

· Normal urination and stool: it shows that one of the pillars of our body—digestion—functions well and metabolism is proper.

· Normal and moderate pulse: which is natural and harmonious, not too quick, not too slow. It reflects the movement of qi and blood.

· Strong and fit body: which involves lustrous skin, not too skinny and not too round body shape.

· Flushing complexion: which is the manifestation of vigorous qi and blood to show the ideal conditions of the inner organs.

· Firm teeth: are the extensions of bones which are governed by the kidney. Kidney is the root of our inherited constitution.

· Normal function of the ears: which are also connected to all inner organs through the meridians, so they reflect their state.

· Normal movement: which is governed by the liver and kidney, because liver controls muscles and tendons, kidney controls the bones, so they together responsible for harmonious and graceful movements.

· Loud and clear voice: which indicates good function of the lung.

· Pitch-black and lustrous hair: which is the extension of blood and its condition is based on the nourishment of the qi and essence of the kidney.

· Normal appetite: which reflects the state of the stomach qi, so it is an obvious sign of health.

· Delighted emotions: which means harmonious emotions and a good state of mind. „Joy makes the qi move smoothly and harmoniously”, therefore a calm and happy attitude is the base of health.

· Good memory: which is the manifestation of the kidney. Kidney stores essence which generates marrow and the brain is the sea of marrow. When it is sufficient the spirit and memory are good.