Traditional Chinese medicine follows a deep understanding of how the energy system impacts the health of the whole person—body, mind, emotions and spirit. Its goal is to build real health from the inside-out.
Modern Health Issues
As men age, they often experience back, neck, and knee issues, insomnia, muscular tension and sport injuries. While men may attach a certain reason to these symptoms, energetically speaking, they are all related to Kidney function disorders. Today in the West, many men begin to have urinary problems during middle age. Urinating frequently and during the night are common health complaints. Also, an excessive amount of fear, the emotion related to the Kidney, can cause a Kidney function disorder, which can then show up as a urinary problem down the road.
Prostate and sexual function problems also tend to appear with age. Men suffering with an enlarged prostate are often told to have more sex. However, doctors of Chinese medicine will say to have less sex. Why the different approach? When you have prostate issues, having sex relieves the pressure the enlarged prostate puts on the Bladder area. But this relief lasts only a short time. Chinese medicine looks to the root of the issue to create a long-term solution. Prostate problems are caused by low Kidney function. Since sex uses up Kidney energy, the problem will only worsen over time. In order to reverse prostate or sexual problems, you must increase Kidney energy. In fact, you have to increase Kidney energy to fix a majority of the complaints noted here.
The Power of Qi
The quality of a man’s health is related to the amount and quality of his Qi.
The Kidney acts as the powerhouse of reserve Qi, sending backup energy to other organs that need extra energetic support. When the Kidney itself runs low on energy, it cannot give enough support to the other organs. This means that they are not able to function at their optimal level. That’s when aches, pains and other symptoms begin to appear.
Many common health issues facing modern men can be addressed holistically with acupuncture, herbs and Qigong energy exercises, as well as healthy lifestyle choices, diet and stress reduction.
Self-Care Tips:
1. Reduce stress! Chronic stress continually forces the Kidney to give extra energetic support to the Liver, the organ most affected by stress. Even 10-20 minutes of Qigong a day can significantly help body, mind, and spirit recuperate from stress.
2. Start your day right! Food is the body’s primary source of acquired Qi. So instead of reaching for a quick energy bar while dashing out the door in the morning, sit down and enjoy a warming meal. Barley with red dates or oatmeal with baked apples are great ways to give your digestive system a boost.
3. Eat for healing! Incorporate seafood (especially salmon, oysters, clams, shrimp and lobster), black beans, nuts (walnuts, cashews, pine nuts), and black sesame seeds into your diet. Also try bee pollen, cauliflower, seaweed and bone broth or marrow. These foods contain a healing essence that supports your Kidney.
4. Stay warm! All too often, people run outdoors in Winter in shorts or walk around without socks on. Keeping the body warm is imperative, especially in the colder months. Keeping your skin covered (especially your head and feet!) will help to conserve your Qi, so the body can instead use it to heal and rebalance the body.
Join an Upcoming Program!
Dragon’s Way Qigong (January 24–February 28, 2022): In this (virtual) 6-week program, you’ll learn 10 Qigong movements, and will begin to incorporate eating-for-healing and TCM guidance into your daily life. Learn more about this one-of-a-kind program, and register today! Space is limited.
Tao of Morning Qigong (New Session Starting February 1, 2022!): This class is for students looking for a steady Qigong practice under the guidance of Grand Master Lu. Students will be challenged to reach their full energetic potential by sharing teachings in a traditional manner. Five Element Consciousness concepts are woven into each class to create a rich learning experience. Virtual 30-minute classes meet at 8:00 AM EST every Tuesday and Saturday for four weeks.
