Everyday TCM for the Modern Working Woman

As a modern career woman, you have a global and progressive perspective on life, balancing the delicate act of a successful career and a happy home every day. Therefore, it is important to take care of yourself, to improve health and vitality, maintaining beauty as well as an alert and active mind.

Here’s how you can incorporate TCM into various aspects of your life – when handling stress at work, for a healthier mind, body and skin.

Stress is an inevitable part of life. When facing stressful situations at work, calm the mind and relax your muscles with Chinese herbs, and allow your body to return to its harmonious state.

Include the following into your diet for a peace of mind: American Ginseng (Hua Qi Shen, 花旗参), Longan Fruit (Long Yan Rou, 龙眼肉), Lily Bulb (Bai He, 百合), Biota Seed (Bai Zi Ren, 柏子仁), Poria (Fu Ling, 茯苓), Oyster Shell (Mu Li, 牡蛎), Thinleaf Milkwort Root (Yuan Zhi, 远志) and Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit (Wu Wei Zi, 五味子). Check with your TCM physician whether such herbs can be incorporated into your daily diet.

In TCM, beauty and health are synonymous. When internal balance is achieved, it will manifest visibly through your skin’s complexion. With long working hours, poor eating habits and very little time to pamper yourself, your skin may result in a dull or dry appearance.

For a healthy, rosy complexion, ensure that the Heart, Lungs and Spleen are nourished with the right nutrients. Eating foods and herbs that can nourish the Yin and Qi, as well as promote blood production, can help improve skin health.

Include the following in your diet to maintain a healthy, rosy complexion: Bird’s Nest (Yan Wo, 燕窝), White Fungus (Bai Nu Er, 白木耳), Chinese Wolfberries (Gou Qi Zi, 枸杞子), Red Dates (Hong Zao, 红枣), Lily Bulbs (Bai He, 百合), Poria (Fu Ling, 茯苓), Chinese Ginseng (Zhong Guo Ren Shen, 中国人参), Solomon’s Seal (Yu Zhu, 玉竹), Coix Barley (Yi Yi Ren, 薏苡仁), Ling Zhi (灵芝), Black Sesame Seeds (Hei Zi Ma, 黑芝麻), Psoralea seeds (Bu Gu Zhi, 补骨脂) and Fleeceflower Root (He Shou Wu, 何首乌).

To be able to enjoy all the colourful celebrations life can offer, Strengthen your immune system so that your body’s natural resistance against diseases and healing ability are at their optimum. Apply basic TCM rules to maintain a good health - remove the excess and replenish the deficiency, so as to maintain a balance of Yin and Yang, as well as a healthy body.

Chinese herbs widely used to reinforce Qi and fortify the immune system are Astragalus Root (Huang Qi, 黄芪), Solomon’s Seal Rhizome (Huang Jing, 黄精), Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen, 党参), Ginseng (Ren Shen, 人参), Ling Zhi (灵芝) and Cordyceps (Dong Cong Xia Cao, 冬虫夏草).

If you are experiencing lethargy at work, it may be a sign of underlying disharmonies that require your attention. Lethargy is a condition where one often feels tired, slow, low in energy, heavy in limbs, sleepy or even drowsy all the time.

It is crucial to restore the natural flow of Qi when treating any disharmony in your body. In addition to Qi-tonifying herbs like Ginseng (Ren Shen, 人参), Astragalus Root (Huan Qi, 黄芪) and Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen, 党参), acupuncture or cupping are useful for promoting the smooth flow of Qi, which relieves the symptoms of lethargy.