Have you ever noticed dark circles under your eyes, prominent lines or skin breakouts recurring in the same place? According to Chinese medicine, each of these features tell us a story and can alert you to imbalances in your wellbeing.

Dark circles

The area under the eyes reflects the health of the kidneys, according to Chinese medicine, and is typically a sign of prolonged stress, adrenal fatigue and exhaustion. If the adrenal fatigue continues long term, the space under the eyes can develop a sunken look suggesting further depletion.

Skin breakouts

Pimples and acne generally are considered a sign your digestion and elimination systems are not functionally optimally. The location of the breakouts gives us more information as in Chinese Medicine, the face is divided into zones like a map that are associated with corresponding internal organs. ­Some of the most common areas are:

• Forehead: Small intestine area: may indicate the presence of food intolerances and associated bloating and discomfort in the region around your belly button.
• Cheek bones: Stomach area: may be associated with reflux plus tension around the diaphragm and shallow breathing.
• Around the mouth: Large intestine: you may also experience constipation, IBS or diarrhea.
• Chin: Hormonal imbalance: especially if the pimples appear around the same time in the menstrual cycle, typically pre-menstrual.

Prominent lines and wrinkles

You know the old saying, a picture tells a thousand words; the lines on our face can be whole books in themselves. Whilst there are many features to look for, two of the most common are:

• Deep lines between the eyebrows are a liver sign in Chinese medicine and can indicate long held frustration, tension and anger.
• Prominent lines across the forehead are considered a spleen sign and associated with an anxious and worrying mind and potentially past shock or trauma.

The good news is that as you treat the underlying imbalances, not only will your face change, you are also supporting your whole system to move towards optimal wellbeing. The art of Chinese medicine is to take the signs that show up on the face, along with other information such as a detailed case history, diagnostic techniques like tongue and pulse diagnosis, and weave together a thorough understanding of the state of your health.

For more:

• What are activated nuts?
• The 80/20 approach to wellbeing
• More sleep or more exercise: the best time trade-offs for children’s health