The kidney is the foundation of innate essence, and kidney deficiency refers to insufficiency of kidney essence, qi, and yin and yang, which can undermine the foundation of innate essence and make the body’s foundation unstable. When signs of kidney weakness appear, it is important to timely nourish the kidneys to prevent damage to the body’s yang qi.
Whether a man’s kidneys are healthy or not can be seen from the face. Abnormal signals on the face are hints from the body that it’s time to nourish the kidneys properly.
What are the abnormalities in the face that suggest kidney essence deficiency of qi, yin, and yang?
The condition of the eyes is closely related to the kidneys. Swollen eyes in the morning suggest a not-so-good condition of the kidneys. The kidneys regulate the body’s water metabolism. If they are not functioning well, excess water can accumulate and cause eye swelling around the eyelids.
When kidney qi is weak, the body’s yang energy is affected, leading to a decreased regulatory ability, manifested in blackening of the face. Skin color varies among individuals, but sudden blackening of the face, especially around the eyes with prominent dark circles reminiscent of abnormal melanin accumulation on the facial skin, suggests poor kidney function.
Men are less likely to develop facial pigmentations; therefore, sudden appearance of such suggests kidney weakness. The kidneys regulate water metabolism, and a weakened kidney cannot effectively eliminate metabolic wastes and toxins. This affects skin health, leading to pigmentations and frequent itching of the facial skin.
While the ears are not part of the face, their proximity allows them to reflect the condition of the kidneys. Strong kidneys are indicated by warm, pink ears with good hearing. Cold, dull, dark, or pale ears with blue-black capillaries signal attention to kidney health.
Kidneys being the foundation of innate essence, their weakness can attract various diseases. How to care for weak kidneys?
Hydrating the body positively affects kidney function. Drinking an adequate amount of water daily provides better nourishment to the kidneys and promotes kidney health.
In addition to water intake, adding kidney-nourishing ingredients to water, such as wolfberries, cordyceps, tangerine peel, and corn silk, facilitates toxin elimination and enhances kidney function.
Foods like chestnuts, scallops, black sesame, and oysters, rich in nutrients, benefit kidney health. For example, chestnuts promote blood circulation, strengthen tendons, and nourish the kidneys, helping with osteoporosis and weakness due to poor kidney health.
The kidney-nourishing effect of black beans is well-known. Men with kidney issues can drink a cup of black bean juice daily or consume a few black beans every morning to combat graying caused by kidney qi deficiency, thereby improving kidney health.
Waist-turning is a simple exercise where hands are placed on the waist and rotated clockwise and counterclockwise to promote kidney blood circulation and warmth.
Besides nourishment, avoiding activities harmful to the kidneys is essential. Men should reduce alcohol consumption, quit smoking, avoid staying up late, overexertion, prolonged sitting, and adopt a balanced lifestyle. Eating more vegetables and fruits, having a light diet, and reducing consumption of oily, salty foods help reduce kidney burden, restore kidney qi, and strengthen kidney health gradually.
