As we past the age of fifty, most of our organs start to deteriorate. Thus we should start to change our habits so that we use each organ most efficiently. Thus we should know which organ will perform at its peak so that we can take advantage of it. This saves us time and energy and will prolong the useful life span of each organ.
As practitioners of life cultivation for holistic wellness, following the advice of traditional herbal medicine, our practice can be summarized in just a dozen or so words.
Regulate your foods and drinks. Regulate your living styles. Harmonize in numbers. Do not overwork.
As you can see, the central theme is for us to live a balanced lifestyle. What exactly is a balanced life?
We do not have to talk about life cultivation with thousands of words. With just a dozen words, the maintenance of our internal organs, our body constitution, our energy flow, and our mental state are well summarized. It is plain and simple, but it is easier said than done.
Thus, for most of us, the great way of holistic wellness in traditional herbal medicine is more like the moon in the well, the flower in the mirror. You can see them, but they are illusionary.
It is not because we do not know or understand. It is just that we do not want to practice it. Thus, when you go through our website, if you just read and enjoy it like a mystery novel, it will do you no good. You might as well spend time with your computer games.
If you are serious, you should practice to preserve your own health. You may practice it by reading the programs presented here. For example, there are programs about stomach health and preservation. You may read it, understand it, and then practice it. You will end up with a healthy stomach and digestive system. If you cannot do it alone, like so many people, you can get a mentor who will work with you.
Do not delay it. Your health is in your own hands.
Modern medicine points out that adolescents should sleep for no less than eight hours, and adults and the elderly should also sleep for seven to eight hours. How do we come up with this amount of sleep? It is a condition for living in the fast-paced and efficiency-seeking characteristics of modern life, and is generally accepted by people. We bet ancient people slept more. They slept from dusk to dawn.
But even so, a considerable number of people are not guaranteed seven hours of sleep per day, and thus enter a sub-health state, and the chances of depression, heart disease, etc. are greatly increased.
Health preservation in traditional herbal medicine advocates that lifestyles should be regulated. It is an easy task, but it has stumped many heroes.
Naturally, we do not want to make judgments on the working environment and living habits of people in this modern society. During the day, the work pressure is high. At night, night-life liberates us.
Furthermore, is it wrong to have a rich and good taste? Do we even have a choice? Is there a way out?
As the saying goes:
People can’t help themselves in the great ganghood.
It is easier said than done to live the life advocated by Zhuangzi (also known as Zhuangzhou) or Laozi (aka Li Er). At this point, it is inevitable for life cultivation practitioners like us to sigh deeply. The way of health preservation in traditional herbal medicine is actually an extremely extravagant concept.
Furthermore, as the saying goes:
If the mind is disturbed, all illnesses will arise, but if the mind is calm, all illnesses will disappear.
If we have no unreasonable desires, no covetousness, and no vanity, then righteousness will be at ease, and true energy will follow. Putting aside the purity of life, and talking about the way of health preservation in traditional herbal medicine, isn’t it putting the cart before the horse and making people laugh?
In the final analysis, the way of health preservation in traditional herbal medicine is a process of self-cultivation and self-control. Life and death are nothing but a cycle of reincarnation. Health preservers are not obsessed with life, but should be emotionally detached from death.
02 The Great Way of life cultivation
The theory of traditional herbal medicine is the theory of the correspondence between heaven and man. It puts man on the earth and the universe to observe how climate, environment, and pathogenic substances will affect the human body. It teaches people how to live longer, so there are regulated times for each activity such as sleeping and eating.
Let us take a close look at the regulated time for each major activity to see how we can take advantage of them for the preservation of our physical health.
In the following presentation, the time slot is noted first in ancient timing, and then the modern timing in the bracket. Please note that the translation of equivalent time is just an approximation. In ancient times, time was noted according to the rise and fall of the sun and moon. It started with zishi, which is equivalent to midnight of a twenty-four hour day.
01 Zishi (23:00-01:00)
At this time, the activity of the gallbladder meridian is at its peak. We should be lying on our bed in deep sleep.
The theory of traditional herbal medicine believes that:
The remaining vital-energy associated with the liver gathers in the gallbladder, and gathers to form essence. The gallbladder is responsible for neutrality and balance. The five main internal organs and other minor organs depend on the gallbladder for balance. Vital-energy associated with the gallbladder will strengthen our courage, and evil spirits cannot invade our body. If the gallbladder is deficient, it will lead to timidity, shortness of breath and the inability to make decisions.
This shows the importance of the gallbladder. Some patients will casually accept a surgery to cut off the gallbladder which is an imprudent act.
Bile secreted by the gallbladder has to be metabolized. When we fall asleep before midnight, the gallbladder will have time to complete the metabolism.
As the saying goes:
When the gall is clear, our brain will be clear.
When we fall asleep two to three hours before midnight, we will have a clear head and a ruddy complexion when waking up in the morning. On the contrary, if we do not fall asleep before midnight, we will look pale the next morning. In this case, the bile cannot be metabolized normally. It becomes concentrated and crystallized, just like salt when seawater evaporates and the salt is concentrated and becomes salt under the sun. An illness called gallbladder stone may then appear. Some patients may show signs of timidity because of this illness.
Zishi is the darkest time of a twenty-four hour day. At this time, the yang vital-energy begins to grow. There is a saying in Huangdi Neijing, a medicine classic:
All eleven internal organs extracted energy from the gallbladder.
At the zishi hours, yang-energy starts to develop. The gallbladder is the first organ to benefit from the energy growth. It is like the spark plug of an automobile, once started, the yang-energy is transmitted to other organs of the body. Blood circulation and vital-energy flows follow throughout the whole body.
Thus, sustaining deep sleep before midnight is crucial to our daytime activities which requires vital-energy. If we want to feel energetic and refreshed, we should fall into a deep sleep before midnight.
We note a strange phenomenon. When we have a heavy dinner, we will feel sleepy around eight or nine o’clock, but then we will wake up and feel refreshed around eleven o’clock. Many people will then start to work after eleven o’clock because they feel energetic. That is bad because we should be asleep before eleven in the evening.
Some people always want to eat something at eleven o’clock in the evening, looking for something to eat in the house. Why is that so?
This is because it is precisely at this time that the yang-energy begins to grow which requires nourishment. The auto-pilot in our body will then urge us to look for fuel, that is, food.
Thus it is very important that we have already fallen asleep before eleven, so as to give our body an opportunity to regrow our yang-energy.
Bear in mind that proper deep sleep at the right time has a close relationship with our life-span and body wellness. If you wonder how you can sleep well, read the last part of this series of posts.
02 Choushi (01:00-03:00)
At this time, the activity of the liver meridian is at its peak. We should remain in a state of deep sleep.
According to traditional herbal medicine, it is said that:
Liver stores blood. People’s thinking and actions are supported by liver blood. Waste blood needs to be eliminated, and new blood needs to be produced.
This type of metabolism is usually completed when the liver meridian is at its most active, which is the choushi. Thus, we should live in such a way to give the liver the chance to perform its function.
The theory of traditional herbal medicine further holds that:
When a person lies down, the blood returns to the liver.
If we do not remain in deep sleep during choushi, our liver will still be producing energy to support our thinking and activities, thus preventing complete metabolism.
A person who is not sleeping before choushi will look green and pale the next morning. He will feel tired and in a bad temper. He will be prone to have liver health issues.
03 Yinshi (03:00-05:00)
At this time, the activity of the lung meridian is at its peak. This is a good time to nourish our lungs.
The liver refreshes the blood during choushi. It then provides fresh blood to the lungs which send new blood to the whole body during yinshi. Thus, normal people will look rosy and energetic in the morning due to the supply of new blood.
On the other hand, sick people will react differently during yinshi. Generally, coughing will always be at this time. It is best to leave the patient alone, so as to fully cough out the dirty air in his lungs.
If you practice the Mustang Tuna Technique, a form of deep breathing, this is the best time to do it. You probably will do it around five in the morning when dawn is coming upon us. We cannot imagine that you will wake up at three in the morning and practice deep breathing.
Read more: Mustang Tuna Technique.
04 Maoshi (05:00-07:00)
At this time, the activity of the large intestine meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should get up early to move around to facilitate bowel movements.
Only when the vital-energy associated with the lungs are full can we have a smooth and normal bowel movement.
The lungs fill the whole body with sufficient new blood during yinshi. It then stimulates the large intestine meridian to enter an agitated state to complete the process of absorbing water and nutrients and expelling stool during maoshi.
05 Chenshi (07:00-09:00)
At this time, the activity of the stomach meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should be eating food during our breakfast.
It is easiest for people to digest foods at breakfast at seven o’clock in the morning. With an empty stomach, the stomach fire will be very strong. Our lips are dry, and if it is severe, the lips are cracked or sore.
Eating breakfast at this time is to supplement nutrition. This is the time when the yang-energy in the world is at its peak, so eating breakfast is the easiest time for us to digest. Even if you eat a big breakfast, you will not gain weight.
The spleen meridian and stomach meridian are working hard to transform and transport nutrients at these hours, so we must eat plenty of breakfast and eat well. Eating breakfast is very very important for our life.
06 Sishi (09:00-11:00)
At this time, the activity of the spleen meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should let the spleen work efficiently.
The spleen controls the transformation and movement of nutrients. The spleen governs the blood.
The spleen is the master dispatcher of digestion, absorption, and excretion, and it is also the commander of human blood.
The spleen opens to the mouth, and its splendor resides in the lips.
When the function of the spleen is normal, the digestion and absorption functions will be normal, and the blood quality will be good which will be reflected as rosy lips. If the spleen malfunctions, we will not have sufficient blood energy which will be reflected as pale lips. Furthermore, if the lips are dark or purple, it indicates that coldness has entered the spleen meridian. Then we must take actions to get rid of the coldness from the spleen.
Read more: New ways on stomach health.
What is the spleen and what does it do?
We may describe the spleen as a maiden working alongside an ancient stove. She puts wood inside the fireplace and fan the wood to help it to burn faster. The spleen is like a busy little maid, but if she is sick, all our internal organs will feel uncomfortable, and we may suffer from illnesses such as diabetes or something.
If the human body has problems such as weight loss, drooling, and swelling, it is usually a spleen illness.
07 Wushi (11:00-13:00)
At this time, the activity of the heart is at its peak. At this time, an afternoon nap will help our heart to rest.
The heart governs the spirit. Its opening is in the tongue. Its splendor is in the face.
Of all our internal organs, the heart occupies the commanding position similar to a monarch. The heart governs the high-level central nervous function activities. These functions are presided over and embodied by the heart, so it is said that the heart governs the spirit.
The vital-energy associated with the heart promotes blood circulation. It nourishes the mind, the qi, and the tendons. It is good for a person to take a nap at noon. It is very good for nourishing the mind, and it can make a person energetic from the afternoon to the evening.
08 Weishi (13:00-15:00)
At this time, the activity of the small intestine is at its peak. At this time, we should make sure our small intestine works properly.
With regard to the foods we eat, the small intestine separates the clear from the turbid. It returns water to the bladder. It sends the dregs to the large intestine. It transports nutrients to the spleen. In other words, the small intestine is busily adjusting a person’s daily nutrition during these hours.
The heart and the small intestine are interdependent on each other. A heart disease is likely to manifest on the small intestine meridian at first.
Some patients may experience chest tightness and palpitation after two o’clock in the afternoon every day, but no heart problems can be found when they go to the hospital for a checkup. That is because the small intestine belongs to the yang category and is manifested on the outside, compared with the heart. Thus, the inside heart problem will be experienced first by the small intestine on the outside during these hours.
09 Shenshi (15:00-17:00)
At this time, the activity of the bladder meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should make sure our bladder is working properly during these hours.
The bladder stores water and body fluid. Water is excreted from the body, and the body fluid circulates in the body: If the bladder suffers from hotness, it may lead to bladder cough, resulting in leaking urine (enuresis.)
The bladder meridian runs from the heel along the back calf, the sides of the middle of the back spine, and goes up to the brain. It is a large meridian.
For example, if we suffer from calf-pain, it is usually a problem with the bladder meridian. It is usually a result of yang-deficiency which is a sign of deficiency of the yang meridian. Once we take care of the yang-deficiency, it will help with our calf-pain.
For example, if we suffer from pain in the back of the head, it is usually a problem of the bladder meridian.
For example, if we suffer from memory loss, it is usually related to the bladder meridian. It happens when the yang-energy does not come up from the lower limbs, and the qi and blood at the upper part of the body are not sufficient for the activities, so memory loss will occur. We should apply the Mustang Tuina Technique or the Mustang Shenzhan Technique to help with the situation during these hours.
Read more: Mustang Tuina Technique.
Read more: Mustang Shenzhan Technique.
If you feel particularly drowsy at these hours, it is a problem of yang-deficiency. Once you fix the yang-deficiency, the problem will go away.
Read more: Mustang Dietary Technique.
Read more: As we age: increase energy.
10 Youshi (17:00-19:00)
At this time, the activity of the kidney meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should make sure our kidneys are working properly during these hours.
The kidneys store the essence of reproduction and the essence of the internal organs. The kidneys are the foundation at birth.
The human body goes through the process of purifying fire and detoxifying food during shenshi. At youshi, the kidneys enter the stage of storing the essence.
The kidneys govern the storage of essence. What is essence?
The essence of a person is like the money at home. You can buy anything with it. Wherever there is a problem with human cells and tissues, the essence will transform it or help it.
Essence is the most creative primitive force in the human body. When you need something, you just get the essence out and you will get what you want. For example, if you lack red blood cells, the sperm will produce red blood cells.
From another point of view, vitality is stored in the kidneys. Vitality is brought by us at birth. When we are alive, we will have this breath, or qi, or vitality.
Where is this vitality hidden in our body? It is stored in our kidneys.
Everyone is keen on nourishing the kidneys at a certain age. However, the body has its own system of keeping scores. If the meridians are not running smoothly, no matter how much food supplements we take, it will not work. It must depend on our own digestion and absorption capacity.
11 Xushi (19:00-21:00)
At this time, the activity of the pericardium meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should make sure our hearts are working properly during these hours.
The pericardium is the epicardium protecting the heart. It comes with veins, the way for qi and blood to flow. It cannot tolerate harm, otherwise, the heart will be hurt.”
The pericardium is the protective tissue of the heart, and it is also the passage of qi and blood. The pericardium meridian is active at xushi, and its prosperity can remove external pathogens around the heart and keep the heart in good condition.
The heart is immune to harm. Then who will suffer? The answer is the pericardium will take the fall and be harmed. Heart problems in many people can be summarized as illnesses of the pericardium meridian.
If your heart beats very fast, it means that the pericardium is harmed. First, the heart beats fast, and then the problem goes along the pericardium meridian. The principle of treating illnesses in traditional herbal medicine is to start to check the major organs and then the minor organs to find the affected organ. Thus, in order to treat such diseases, the doctor must understand the meridians.
The pericardium also governs happiness or joy. Therefore, if you want some entertainment, do it at xushi.
12 Haishi (21:00-23:00)
At this time, the activity of the sanjiao meridian is at its peak. At this time, we should make sure we sleep at haishi.
The Sanjiao is the largest organ among the six minor organs. Its function is to control all qi channels and dredging the water channels. During haishi, the sanjiao can activate all the channels.
If a person sleeps at haishi, all the channels will have a chance to recuperate, which is very beneficial to the body. Centenarians have a common feature, that is, they sleep at haishi. It’s a pity that few people can do it nowadays, so fewer and fewer people with ruddy complexions are seen on the street, and more and more girls are painted with makeup to mask over the paleness.
The zodiac sign of haishi is a pig, and a pig will sleep when its stomach is full. Therefore, we should rest at haishi, immersing our body and soul in the warm darkness. Let our life and body reincarnate while resting.
End of post.