Anti-Aging Reset or Rejuvenation Reset
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, it is almost impossible to talk about anti-aging strategies without referring to the concept of Jing.
Jing is Essence, a rare and precious substance we are born with, that gets used up throughout our lives. Chinese scholars compare Jing to a “golden elixir” (The Encyclopedia of Taoism, edited by Fabrizio Pregadio, Routledge, 2008, pp. 551-55.), an almost magical form of capital within our bodies that must be conserved and preserved if we want to live long and healthy. It is the foundation of all the energy in our body, the basis of yin and yang, the source of our vitality.
Make no mistake about it – the concept of Jing as a determinant of the aging process is not a simple subject. Chinese scholars have been pondering and debating this subject for millennium. Where is Jing located? What does it consist of? Is it a liquid, a solid, a gas? Does it have a physical form? Is Jing considered more Yin or Yang?
Delving into Classical Chinese Medicine, we find some interesting commentaries on the subject:
Where is Jing located? It is generally agreed that Jing is located within the Kidney organ system, part of the Water element, according to Five Element theory.
What is the role of the Kidneys in the maintenance of Jing? “The kidneys rule hibernation, they are the root of sealing and concealing, the dwelling place of Jing (Essence).” (The Treatise on the Six Nodes and Visceral Manifestation, the Plain Questions). From any point of view, this is a very interesting statement. Hibernation refers to concealing. The kidneys rule storage and concealment. What is being concealed? It is the yang qi aspect of Jing in condensed form. The implication is that Jing is a supercharged yang energy, like atomic energy, that is hidden within the kidneys. That is why the kidneys are called the “location of essence”. (CCC, Lihong)
Does this mean Jing Essence equals Kidney Yang? Not exactly. Jing is neither Yin nor Yang. It is a combination of both. Yin is the foundation, and its function is to store the Jing. “(Treatise on the Vital Qi Connecting to Heaven, the Plain Questions”). Yang qi is what is being stored. Yang cannot be stored if the Yin is not adequate in its ability to seal up and store the essence.
Even those of us who live in the West have grown up hearing the terms Yin and Yang. Here, we’ve given an explanation of what these substances really are and where they’re located. The important thing to remember is that if we wish to understand a person’s overall strength and vigor, we must look at the state of the Kidney Jing.
There is a saying in Chinese Medicine: “It is o.k. to become tired but never to become exhausted”. This is because a state of exhaustion is an indication that our Jing is leaking. We’ve already learned that we need to cultivate and protect our Jing for our long-term health and vitality. When a person has an abundance of Jing, they will be strong, robust and resilient and have a positive attitude towards themselves and towards life in general. They can handle hard work and stressful situations without becoming drained. In this way, healthy aging is achievable.
Chinese Medicine has been called the true anti-aging medicine. According to this view, our physical appearance can be a measure of our state of health. The condition of our head hair, skin, nails, and complexion reflects a great deal about what is going on inside our bodies. The physical body is considered a mirror of the inner self. This means that the desire for a youthful appearance should not be a focus for artificial and invasive treatments. Injections, creams and anti-aging miracle serums may improve appearance to some degree, but they cannot necessarily lead to a long and healthy life. Being able to enjoy radiant health is a lifelong endeavor of learning to treat the physical body very well so that its health shines through all the way to the surface.
As a preventative for premature aging and Jing depletion, it’s important to make sure that all organ systems are operating in harmony. We’ve already described the importance of Jing and kidney energy in the aging process. This pre-natal Jing elixir we receive from our parents is our lifetime savings account and we should strive to preserve it. When it becomes depleted by the aging process and over the top lifestyle factors, we must seek to replenish it in any way we can. This is where the source of post-natal Jing comes in. It’s in the Spleen, which is the primary organ for transforming nutrients from food and converting these nutrients into qi, yin and yang. Keeping our internal organs happy including our Spleen and Kidney systems will help to turn back the clock on aging.