Get up right now, go look in the mirror. Not just a glance but a good hard look at your face. Say something kind to yourself and refrain from criticism. Take note of this: is your skin dry?, Do you have dark circles under the eyes, how white are the sclera of your eyes?, do you have acne or red marks? Swelling in the face? Puffiness of the cheeks, are you showing signs of dehydration? Do you have a runny nose and lots of mucus? Where are the lines forming on your face, showing the early signs of aging, skin breakdown and lack of collagen?
We all prioritize tasks, it is essential for our day to day survival. You prioritize going to work over going out with friends, paying rent over buying new shoes and likely sleep over going to the gym. We prioritize that which promotes our survival, so although you may desperately want to look and feel your best, your body is going to send all the help to the areas that need it most. Your vital organs, regulating blood pressure, regulating blood glucose levels, maintaining oxygen saturation, and digestion and breaking down food for energy. Your body uses a huge amount of energy for brain fuel and is round the clock working to metabolize and eliminate substances.
What does this mean? Skin, hair, nails, teeth and oral care all become the runner up. You might start to notice hair loss, thinning hair, bleeding gums, bad breath, thin nails and various skin conditions. Understanding facial mapping, and what we see surface level not only will lead to improved self confidence, but will contribute to an overall sense of health.
Those dark circles I mentioned are your kidneys showing signs of poor elimination, dehydration and toxin accumulation. Our kidneys play a vital role in detoxification and one of the bodies key systems in processing and metabolizing waste. Lack of sleep, dairy products and over consumption of caffeine are also contributing factors to dark circles under the eyes. Ways to improve: get between 6-8 hours of sleep per night, drink lots of water throughout the day and limit caffeine intake.
The swelling, puffiness and flushed redness on your cheeks is related to stomach & liver. The more water you consume the more tight and firm your skin is going to be, tired and sagging skin which can be at any age, is a sign your body is begging for more water. Greasy foods, fried foods and alcohol slow digestion and fluid retention is also common. More than likely you have noticed when you lose weight your face shape changes, particularly in the cheeks or jaw line. This may not be directly related to loss of fat, but the fact you are drinking more water, less alcohol and the stomach & liver are getting a much needed break, and other symptoms begin to clear.
The sclera and white part of your eyes should be clear, and free from fatty deposits. Yellowing or darkening of the sclera can indicate the liver and gallbladder are not functioning properly. Those who have cirrhosis of the liver or liver failure, will show signs of jaundice and discoloration of the sclera.
Forehead – small intestine & stress / nervous system. Lines, wrinkles and furrows on the forehead indicate slow and weak digestion and an over stimulated mind. The small intestine is responsible for the absorption of minerals and nutrients, the food we eat is broken down and passes through the small intestine. If the small intestine is damaged from years of processed foods, gluten, dairy and red meat it is unable to properly function and break down material. The nervous system is like a battery, it needs to unplug and be charged. Ways to improve: set aside time for worrying and minimize stress, constant worry and overthinking will wreak havoc on bodily systems. Chew and eat food slowly, start including meals will are centered around vegetables, reduce intake of white flour/sugar products. Try fasting! A great way to heal our intestinal tract is to stop snacking and give it a rest!
I have not included all the bodily systems in the post, as I did not want to be too lengthy. However, wanted to introduce an interesting concept and insight into health. Traditional Chinese Medicine – TCM focuses and treats its patients, largely on what is reflected through the external presentation of the body. Does it not make more sense to focus on what is right in front of you, and use those clues as a starting point? Instead of relying on beauty products, plastic surgery or just accepting it is part of the natural aging process? I see more and more 20-30 year old’s with dental problems, skin conditions and hair loss, going for plastic surgery / botox at 30? This is not normal aging. Do some investigating and see how many symptoms you have and what systems are needing more care and attention.
Oleanders Wellness 