Natural Beauty and Health (3): Chinese Herbs
Human life is of paramount importance, more precious than a thousand pieces of gold; to save it with one prescription is to show your great virtue.
Sun Simiao, known as the King of Prescription in China, wrote above lines in his book entitled “Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold”. Sun Simiao lived for 101 years (581-682) and was the most influential Chinese physician to have ever existed. During the Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Gaozhong invited Physician Sun to his palace. The Emperor was surprised to find this physician looked like an 18-years-old man. When the Emperor knew that Physician Sun was already over 50 years old, he astonished “Could you let me have youthful looking and live longer?” Sun Simiao strengthened his own boy through TCM ways in his life. At age of 100, he still had good vision, hearing and teeth. He paid a great attention to women and children health.
Modern scientists studied cosmetic prescriptions described in the Chapter of Prescription for Women of Sun’s books, and selected an herb “Dang Gui” (Angelica sinensis) for chemical analysis. More than one hundreds chemical composition, twenty minerals, Vitamins A, E and B12, and certain essential amino acids were detected in Gand Gui root. The intensive research on Daong Gui was carried out. It is found that Dong Gui has effects anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, production of blood cells, immono-regulation, and cardiovascular system.
In TCM, Dong Gui is held in high esteem and is a major ingredient in Chinese youth preserving formulas. Dong Gui is used as a superb blood tonic to benefit the complexion by improving blood circulation and providing natural nutrition, and treat skin conditions like pigment, eczema and rosacea by detoxifying. Dong Gui also helps to slow down the aging process, regulate hormones and maintain one’s youthful beauty.
Dong Gui is one example among cosmetic herbs. Chinese herbs play an important role in maintaining natural beauty. The beautiful skin reflects natural health of the human body. Chinese herbs are used to rebalance the patterns of internal organs. Chinese herbs have the properties of four natures (hot, warm, cold and cool) and five tastes (pungent, sour, bitter, salty and sweet). Hot and cold herbs are opposite in nature correspond to the Yang and Yin. Hot and warm herbs are used to warm the body and treat cold conditions. Pungent herbs promote Qi movement, blood circulation and water metabolism, open the meridian and reduce stagnation. Sweet herbs tonify and nourish the body, Qi and blood. Sour herbs stabilize the Qi, blood and body fluids and nourish function of the body. Bitter herbs reduce heat from the internal organs. Salt herbs have softening nature.
People often pay attention to external skin care. Herbal lotions, creams or oils are directly or indirectly applied to the surface of skin with local stimulation to invigorate the flow of blood, regulate meridians, regenerate radiant complexion and remove pigment and dead cells. The active ingredients can be absorbed more effectively than other chemical formulas.
Cosmetic practitioners pay a great attention to improve internal organ health. Herbal tea is used to restore the balance of the internal organs. All herbs can enter one or more meridians to reach specific internal organs to achieve good therapeutic results. Herbal therapy is “individualized”. The health conditions differ from one individual to another. For example, following four cosmetic herbs have different natures and tastes to use for individuals with different body natures such as warm body, yin deficiency, cold body, and Yang deficiency. Dong Gui (warm, sweet, sour and bitter) is a blood tonic herb to nourish the blood and Yin. White peony root (cool, bitter and sour) is a blood tonic herb to nourish blood and calm Yang. Ginseng (warm and sweet) is a Qi tonic herb to invigorate Qi and warm Yang. Pearl powder (cold and sweet) is used to anchor and settle the spirit (anti-stress) and generate flesh.
Chinese herb therapy is considered as safe and reliable. Herbs are usually more gentle, less side effects than pharmaceutical drugs. However, side effects are possible. For example, Dong Gui can cause diarrhea in some people.
