The theory of our bodies being powerhouses for three vital treasures has been a cornerstone in Chinese medicine. Each of these treasures holds its own unique power over the human body, making it an integral part of trying to achieve a long, healthy and happy life.
Out of the three treasures, we put the spotlight on jing today. Let us see how the power of jing can affect our bodies.
History
In traditional Chinese medicine, the term Jing is referred to as a person’s essence and makes up a third of the so-called treasures. These three treasures are an essential part of Taoist belief and tradition; it is believed that the three treasures make up a person’s health. The other two treasures are chi (vitality) and shen (spirit).
Each treasure is said to be responsible for certain aspects of a human’s life. Jing is responsible for the physical or bodily functions; chi is the energy current that flows from within; and shen is our spirit. All three must be tapped into and balanced so that one can enjoy life to the fullest. None is more important than the other; however it is jing that should be enhanced first as it also serves as the energy storage of the body.
Jing and the human body
Chinese medicine tells us that jing is the vessel which holds energy vital for everyday living. This is where we gather youthful energy from as we approach old age. When jing energy levels are too low, our bodies begin to experience premature signs of aging.
Traditional chinese medicine tells us that the kidney serves as the vessel of jing energy. Jing that flows from the kidneys is connected to long life, sexual energy and reproduction, and creativity.
When we’re young, we tend to believe that our energy is limitless and we can do almost anything. This is due to the overabundance of jing and the body’s capacity to recharge itself more quickly, thus allowing us to believe that we can do whatever we want.
As the life force that governs the body’s ability to age gracefully, the overuse of jing during our youth will lead to a more unforgiving aging process later in life. Thinking that our bodies can replenish and “restart” itself is foolhardy, and will lead to poor lifestyle choices. Nothing depletes the body of its jing energy more than a person who continues to live a life of debauchery and excess.
When we choose a well-balanced lifestyle at an early age, we are reserving as much jing as we can. Overflowing jing energy means that our bodies will be capable of handling stressful situations, our immune system is strong, and we will have a more positive outlook in life.
Your jing energy begins to lessen when you do the following things:
- Sleep less than the recommended number of hours
- Get into heated arguments
- Experience feeling of anger or become irritated
- Always feeling stressed out
- Getting into drugs and alcohol
- Smoking
Becoming aware of unhealthy lifestyle choices and trying to overcome them will be very beneficial for you from the get go.
If you want to know if your jing energy is beginning to be depleted, watch out for these signs:
- Feeling lethargic or tired all day
- Showing signs of premature aging; looking older than your age
- Hair loss
- You have trouble focusing on everyday tasks
- You feel like you have lost your sense of purpose in life
As you can see, the loss of jing energy can bring about a host of troublesome symptoms that will ultimately affect your quality of life and may even lead to chronic disease and early death. Traditional Chinese medicine dictates that jing energy, as with the other two treasures, should always be monitored to be able to live a meaningful and long life.
Improve Your Jing Energy
A way in which you can help build and maintain your jing energy is by incorporating jing building foods into your diet. Jing building foods are rich in amino acids, enzymes and natural vitamins that help us to adapt to stress, and regenerate and recover.
There are a number of Jing building foods easily available to aid in restoring your Jing energy, let us tell you about some of our favourites.
Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract
This mushroom is called its unique name due to its unmistakable likeness to a turkey’s plumage. However, despite its eye-catching appearance, this magical mushroom has so much more in store for our bodies. It is widely known as a health booster which enriches the body’s immune system, and has been used as a traditional herbal supplement for many years in cultures all over the world.
Some of the major benefits that the turkey tail mushroom extract provides include protecting our bodies against antioxidants, boosting one’s immune system, and balancing the gut environment within our bodies. It is a simple and effective way to boost one’s overall jing energy by improving the physical body’s health and resilience against disease.
Find out everything you need to know about Turkey Tail here.
At Superfoods Australia, we offer a Turkey Tail Extract Powder - we suggest adding half a teaspoon to your tea, coffee or smoothie.
Organic Reishi Mushroom
The reishi mushroom is a nutritional powerhouse which is a rich source of many body-enhancing and boosting nutrients such as triterpenes, beta-glucans, polysaccharides, antioxidants, and enzymes.
Organic reishi mushroom helps one improve your body’s jing energy by protecting your immune system from diseases, increasing its resiliency and endurance. This superfood further supercharges your body and mind, helping you focus in day to day tasks, and making sure your entire body is prepared for all the day’s rigours ahead. Learn more about the benefits and beliefs of Reishi Mushroom here.
Reishi mushroom can be found in a number of different formats, including extract powder, Reishi spore cracked cell wall and Reishi spore oil - which is a concentrated supplement form of Reishi mushrooms carefully produced from selected high-quality organically grown Reishi spores. See the whole Reishi mushroom range available at Superfoods Australia.
He Shou Wu Extract
He Shou Wu has been one of the most popular Asian Yin tonic herbs, and is widely known for its Jing energy boosting capabilities. This superherb is produced from the wild harvested He Shou Wu plant, which grows at high altitudes in the Changbai Mountains. Being grown in one of the most natural environments possible, He Shou Wu is 100% Gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and is completely vegan and paleo friendly.
He Shou Wu extract boosts one’s Jing energy by strengthening one’s body and protecting it from disease and harm. All-natural ingredients, vitamins, and minerals present in He Shou Wu ensures the body is able to recover from fatigue and stress quickly and completely.
Superfoods Australia stocks a He Shou Wu Extract available to purchase online here.
Cordyceps Mushroom
Known for its vitality restoring powers, cordyceps mushrooms have been a popular ingredient for tonics in China for many years now. Discovered by sheep herders centuries ago when sheeps and goats would have a burst of energy whenever they ate cordyceps, it has since been commonly sought after by followers of Eastern medicine.
Nowadays, cordyceps mushrooms fit conveniently into your active lifestyle. Athletes and gym goers are huge fans of cordyceps for restoring energy and vitality. It also helps the body recover faster after an intense training program. It is also adaptogenic and can easily assist your body’s immunity against stress and infections. Its antioxidant levels are impressive as well, getting rid of free radicals that could lead to chronic disease. For more health benefits, click here.
See the full range of Cordyceps mushroom products we have available at Superfoods Australia.
Conclusion
Traditional Chinese medicine may not be your cup of tea, but it is certainly worth looking into and studying further. Its core belief of the body harbouring three treasures isn’t that far-fetching; there is still some wisdom that can be made useful especially in your journey towards wellness and healthy living.
At Superfoods Australia, we pride ourselves on our large range of Jing building superfoods we have available to our customers. Our arsenal of natural products are sourced from reliable and environmentally-conscious suppliers from all over the world. We believe in living your life to the fullest.
