Increasing Longevity

Increasing longevity has been sought out by man for millennia, although living forever may not seem like a real possibility, the idea of living a bit longer and healthier is. In Chinese medicine it is the kidneys that are in charge of the aging process, the kidneys store the essence of life, they are the ultimate source of yin-yang energy in the body. Keeping the Kidneys healthy is key to increasing ones longevity of life.

In the theory of Acupuncture the Kidney pathway starts on the soles of your feet and rise to meet the collarbone.  Due to this pathway, it is important to note that the feet are a major factor in keeping the kidneys happy.

The kidneys control many functions in the body, which include:

            1.Storing Essence, Governing Reproduction & Development- the kidneys house the genetic blueprint and pass on any and all things hereditary. Those with strong kidneys can not only more easily reproduce, but also reproduce healthy children with strong teeth, bones and a healthy vital brain.

            2.Controls Water Metabolism- along with helping the bladder hold and release fluids the kidneys regulate all bodily fluids.  Edema for instance is a kidney deficiency sign.

            3.Receives & Grasps Qi- This basically means that the kidneys help the rest of the organs and body perform daily tasks. The kidneys are also what allow us to inhale; they are deeply intertwined with the functions of the lungs.

            4.Opens Into the Ear and manifests in the hair- the ears and head hair are external reflections of the kidneys. The ability to hear reflects the health of the kidneys, as does the color and thickness of ones hair.

            5.Houses Will Power- The kidneys are said to be the storehouse of our will power, people who are afraid and have little self-control are believed to have kidney deficiency. This always makes me think of the super hero Green Lantern, who uses his will power to fight and over come evil.

As you can tell, together the functions of the kidneys are major; they basically are the source of our lives. As I mentioned earlier the feet play a big role in keeping the kidneys happy. So a simple way to increase longevity is to have a foot massage, go get some reflexology done, get a pedicure, soak your feet in hot water, roll the soles of your feet over a tennis ball, but nothing harder then that or it might hurt.

Take five minutes a day or a few times a week to show your feet how much you appreciate them. Manipulating the feet in some comfortable manner stimulates the kidneys to help create balance of all the organ systems in the body.  It is that simple, love your body and your body will be healthy.

Thank you for reading this week’s article, I hope you’ve enjoyed it and I hope you have a wonderful day. Pease leave any comments or questions.