SINCE ancient times the quest for beauty and the secret of prolonging youth have commanded man's attention. A vast array of beauty aids have been developed throughout the world. An ancient Chinese work, Shan Hai Jing (Canon of Seas and Mountains), mentions bathing in medicinal herbs, while Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong Materia Medica ), an early medical text, lists dozens of foods and herbs used to improve appearance.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the condition of the skin and the smell of the breath are reliable indicators of a person's general health. A poor complexion is believed to be caused by an imbalance in the body's fluids. It is essential for good health to restore this balance by improving the functioning of the internal organs. This in turn leads to a healthy, clear complexion.

The following are some of the more common types of poor complexion or skin tone. Each is followed by a simple remedy.

Pallor

Extreme pallor may indicate that the patient is suffering from anemia, general weakness after childbirth, blood loss, fatigue, shortness of breath, poor appetite, insomnia, edema (swelling) of the legs, diarrhea, or other more serious conditions. Atonic made of honey, Chinese dates, and peanuts may be beneficial. Take 100 grams of Chinese dates and 100 grams of peanuts and soak in warm water. Simmer until soft. Add 200 grams of honey and simmer further until liquid is reduced. Taken frequently this tonic will increase vitality and improve the complexion.

Dull complexion

Those with grayish, lackluster skin may be suffering from some form of wasting disease, a low-grade fever, aching back and legs, or sexual problems. Traditionally, these conditions are associated with malfunctioning of the kidneys. A tonic made from chestnuts and cabbage is beneficial for the kidneys, and can help increase vitality.
Take 200 grams of raw, shelled chestnuts, and slice in half. Boil in 500 ml of duck broth until soft. Add 200 grams of cabbage, salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG) to taste. When the cabbage is cooked, pour in a little cornstarch mixed with water. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.

Rough skin
People with rough and wizened skin are believed to generate excessive body heat or they may be in the later stages of a high fever. They may also suffer from a dry throat, thirst, restlessness, and constipation. All these can be caused by a reduced blood volume or excessive body heat.

Bamboo shoots help to reduce body temperature, while sea cucumber assists in blood formation. Take 200 grams of sea cucumber and 100 grams of bamboo shoots, slice, and soak in water. Boil in 500 ml of lean meat broth. Add salt, sugar, soy, yellow wine and a little cornstarch. Stir until the soup becomes smooth. This soup may help bring back smoothness and luster to dry skin.

Wrinkles
Disorders of the spleen or the kidneys are believed to cause premature wrinkling of the forehead, and around the eyes and neck. They can also cause the skin of the whole body to become slack, making the patient look much older than his or her years. The patient may also tire easily and suffer from backache and weakness in the legs,

Chinese yams have for generations had the reputation of prolonging life. They also help correct imbalances in the spleen and the kidneys. Walnut kernels are good for the kidneys and the brain, and Chinese dates fortify the blood. Haws and green plums benefit the spleen and the stomach by stimulating appetite and aiding digestion.

Take 500 grams of freshly skinned Chinese yams. Boil until soft and mash. Form into a round flat cake. Place walnut pieces, Chinese dates, haws and green plums on the surface of the cake and steam. Serve with hot honey.

Puffiness of the face

Defective kidneys often cause puffiness of the face and swelling in the legs. Sufferers may often appear pale, and experience shivering, backaches, and urinary frequency.
The leaves of the rapeseed plant (colza) act as a diuretic when made into a soup with shrimp and chicken. They promote health and help reduce swelling.

Swollen neck or double chin

Haws improve circulation of the blood and can help to eliminate fatty tissue. Honey contains plenty of fructose which is more easily metabolized than ordinary sugar, and so less likely to lead to the formation of fat deposits.

Take 500 grams of raw haws, wash, discard stems and kernels. Boil with water until the haws are soft and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in 200 grams of honey and simmer until slightly reduced.

Swollen eyelids

Swollen eyelids is believed to be caused by lessened blood volume and vital energy, stagnation of humidity and poor circulation of the blood. These conditions are always associated with fatigue, insomnia and swelling of the legs.

A tonic made of an edible fungus, mushrooms and eggplant may be beneficial. Use 200 grams of eggplant, 20 grams of soaked edible fungus and fresh mushrooms. Deep-fry diced eggplant first. Boil in chicken soup together with fungus and mushrooms. Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, and a bit of cornstarch. Stir until the soup becomes smooth.

Dark orbits

These are associated with palpitation, insomnia, backache and fatigue.
A tonic made of Chinese wolfberry and yellow croaker is held to be beneficial. Take a 1-kilogram yellow croaker, scale, gut and remove the bones, head and tail. Dip the fish in flour paste and fry until it becomes yellow. Put on a tray. Pour some oil into a frying pan and heat, add soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, yellow wine, 50 grams of wolfberry, diced cucumbers, potatoes and a bit of cornstarch. Stir until it thickens. Pour this on the fish.

Sebaceous dermatitis

Most such patients are strong young and middle-aged people who have halitosis, hydrochor hydria, stomach upset and heated blood.

Balsam pears are believed to be good for reducing fever and thus good for this condition. Use 250 grams of pears, wash, remove seeds and cut into slivers. Fry in vegetable oil with a few carrot slivers. Add salt and a bit of cornstarch. Go with rice or bread.

Freckles
People with freckles are mostly women with fair complexions. The cause is considered to be disorders of the liver and kidneys, and the rise of weakness heat, and is associated with dry throat, thirst, backache and low fever.

A tonic made of soft-shelled turtle and artemisia
(Artemisia apiacea) is beneficial. Take a soft-shelled turtle (1 kilogram), remove head, legs and organs, and dice. Add 20 grams of prepared artemisia in small pieces ready for decoction, plus salt, water and yellow wine. Simmer gently.

Skin spots

Skin spots occur mostly in women, especially pregnant women with rib pain, diarrhea and weakness of the spleen. Sometimes these are associated with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea and vomiting during pregnancy.

A tonic made of fingered citron and tender tips of bamboo shoots may be good for the liver and spleen. Use fresh tips of bamboo shoots, 20 grams of prepared fingered citron in small pieces ready for decoration, and 20 grams of ginger. Slice and boil in an earthenware pot until they are cooked. Remove from fire, add salt and steep for 24 hours. Take frequently.
Acne

This occurs mostly in young people who may also suffer from disorder of the kidneys, stomach heat and the accumulation of bodily humidity.

Considered beneficial for this are three dishes made with Chinese toon, beancurd and eggs. (The toon leaves may be fresh or salted.)
Fried leaves of Chinese toon. Cut the toon leaves up and mix with flour paste. Add salt and fry in vegetable oil.
Mixed leaves of toon and beancurd. Steam beancurd first. Mix it with toon leaves, add salt and sesame oil.
Steamed toon leaves and eggs. Cut up toon leaves, beat eggs and mix with leaves. Add salt and fry in vegetable oil.

Acne rosacea

This is always associated with halitosis and yellow urine. Patients are fond of cold drinks. The cause is mainly humidity and heat of the lungs and stomach.
A tonic made of the rinds of watermelon, wax gourd an cucumber is beneficial for the lungs and stomach. Use 200 grams of watermelon rind, 300 grams of wax gourd rind and 400 grams of cucumber rind. Wash and boil separately. Let cool and slice. Put them in a container then add salt. Soak for 12 hours.

Aged marks

People with aged marks are suffering from blood loss, shortness of breath or sexual problems. These conditions are associated with body weakness, thinness, easy fatigue, dry and itching skin, and constipation.

A tonic made of quail eggs and tremella helps. It requires 50 grams of tremella that has been soaked in water, and 8 cooked quail eggs. Put in a pot, add chicken soup, salt, and yellow wine. Simmer until soft. This is especially good for old people
　
Traditional Physical Therapy for Diabetes
YUANLIREN

DIABETES exhibits three main symptoms: frequent eating, drinking and urination. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that it is caused by inner heat and the decrease of the circulation of vital energy and the blood caused by old age. Therefore, physical therapy in addition to medication is suggested.

The physical therapy has two steps.

FIRST, lie down on the bed and loosen the clothes. Stretch the back and at the same time draw a deep breath. Inhale to the maximum, hold the breath for two seconds and then exhale slowly. When breathing, the tip of the tongue should touch the palate lightly. Do this five times.

In this first step the person should be quiet, relaxed and concentrated so that the air can circulate smoothly in the lungs. It is recommended that it be done either in the morning or in the evening.

Though the method seems simple, it exercises internal organs and invigorates the blood circulation and the process of metabolism. A deep breath enables the vital energy to reach every part of the body. When it reaches the spleen, this organ is strengthened and will be able to accelerate the circulation of blood and vital energy, which in turn helps enhance the circulation of body fluid. When the vital energy circulation is smooth and the body fluid is plentiful, the mouth and throat will be moistened and yin weakness and inner heat will be reduced, thus reducing the symptoms of diabetes. The movements seem inactive but all the movements take place inside the body.

SECOND, the person should walk 120 steps and up to a thousand, depending on his general health. The purpose is to exercise the body and smooth the main and collateral channels. This invigorates the circulation of the blood, vital energy and body fluid, strengthens the joints and enhances metabolism. It coordinates with the first step, harmonizing internal organs with the body itself. It is especially good for elderly diabetics.

The method should not be used directly after a meal or with an empty stomach because at these times the blood and vital energy can easily be consumed, which is harmful to the body. If the person feels weak or exhausted during the exercise, he should stop until he feels normal again.

THIS physical therapy has a good effect on the efficacy of other treatment being used for diabetes. In recent years some foreign doctors have begun to recognize this. In Malmo, Sweden, doctors planned physical exercises for their diabetic patients. Three months later their condition had greatly improved and at last all of them recovered. The American book The Therapeutics of Diabetes also suggests that physical exercises should be fitted into regular medical treatment.
This physical therapy has existed in China for over a thousand years and should be promoted. The results should be considerable.
　
Walking for Fitness
LIU ZHANWEN

FOR several thousand years the Chinese people have been walking their way to fitness and health. In traditional Chinese medicine, walking is also seen as a way of preventing as well as treating diseases such as neurasthenia, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and ordinary indigestion. Today the old say¬ing "A walk of 100 paces after meals equals a life of 99 years" is still the rule. In fact, modern Chinese medical experts say that walking is one of the best all-round forms of exercise for health.

The preferred manner of walking is casual and easy-going, with the limbs moving freely in a natural rhythm of joints and muscles. This, combined with a cheerful disposition, is sure to stimulate the circulation of the blood and adjust the functions of the five vital organs of the body.

Walking has drawn adherents from all ages and both sexes because it can be done at any time and place. And for as long as people have been walking, Chinese health experts have of¬fered methods for getting the most out of it.

It is recommended that every walker precede each walk with a relaxing period of warm-up exercises involving the loos¬ening up of the legs, arms, shoulders and back. Deep breathing techniques are also suggested to further relax the body and help clear the mind. Tense muscles and stress detract from the ben¬eficial effects of walking, according to Proverbs for the Aging, a book on health published during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Tang Dynasty (618-907) medical authority Sun Simiao warned that "walking at a quick pace is not suitable." Indeed, slow even steps create body harmony internally and externally. If the walk seems too dull, one can always choose a more inter¬esting location such as a park with fresh blossoms, a lake mir¬roring ancient pagodas, or even an exhibition. A friend can al¬so create a more entertaining atmosphere for a walk.

Another ancient medical book from the Sui Dynasty (581-618) recommends that "in the beginning, walk only 120 steps, then increase this to 1,000 steps. " Of course, the advantage of walking is that people can adjust the distance and pace to suit their physical condition, and this should be done. It is also very important that the proper clothing is worn: loose and comfort¬able, and warm enough for the season.

For those who are having trouble falling asleep, a brisk walk of 15 minutes duration after supper is recommended. For people who are angry or overly excited, a slow tranquil walk is in order. A Tang Dynasty book suggests that after meals one should walk to help digest the food (this increases the metabolism rate, which lowers the sugar levels in the blood¬stream, thereby helping to prevent and cure diabetes, among other ailments). After the walk, take a nap or sit peacefully.

The most important thing about walking is to do it, and do it regularly. The health benefits do not come immediately but only after walking has become a part of one's daily routine.
　
Weight-Reducing with Diet
ZHANG SUXIN

OBESITY is caused mainly by taking in too many calories. Exercise and proper diet help take off those excess pounds without side effects of medicines. Weight can be reduced through physical labor and exercise, for these stimulate catabolism and the consumption of fat and the synthesis of muscle protein. But it is a proper diet that controls the amount of calories one takes in.

Here are important points to keep in mind when following a weight-reducing diet:

1. Keep the amount of calories taken each day at the lowest level. This can be determined with your doctor, who will calculate your daily calorie need according to your weight and amount of movement. If you are not too overweight, you can adjust the amount of calories yourself according to results of practice.

For those who are only a little fat it is enough to moderate only a little in eating and drinking. This can reduce weight by a half to a kilogram a month.

If this does not work, try to reduce the amount of food you eat until it produces the effect, then persist with this level.
A diet that confines calories to 1,400 Kcal. is:

Breakfast: —

A large bowl of jellied beancurd
A cake (50 grams)
One egg stewed in tea

Lunch: —

Steamed buns stuffed with meat, cabbage and Chinese chive. (75 grams flour, 50 grams Jean meat, 100 grams cabbage and a pinch of chive)
Corn gruel made of 25 grams of cornflour.
Sliced radish with carrots flavored with salt

Supper: — Millet gruel (50 grams)
Steamed bread (50 grams)
Fried sliced beef and celery in vegetable oil (25 grams beef, 250 grams celery, 5 grams oil)
One egg stewed in soy sauce

People whose weight surpasses normal by 10 percent must strictly confine their daily calorie intake within 1,200 Kcal. and try to reduce their weight by 0.5 to 1 kilogram each week. If there is no change after two weeks, reduce the daily limit to 1,000 Kcal.
A diet for a 1,200 Kcal. limit is:

Breakfast: — Soybean milk (250 ml.)
A cake (25 grams)
A deep-fried dough cake (25 grams)
One boiled egg

Lunch: — Oatmeal porridge (25 grams of oatmeal)
Cake baked with 50 grams of flour
Spiced fish (50 grams)
Quick fried celery and carrot in hot oil, then boiled with soy sauce and water (300 grams)

Supper: — Rice gruel (25 grams)
— Steamed twisted roll (50 grams)
— Mixed kelp and cucumber (100 and 200
grams) flavored with garlic, soy sauce, vinegar
and salt.
— One boiled egg

A diet for keeping below 1,000 Kcal. is:

Breakfast: — A large bowl of jellied beancurd
A sesame seed cake (50 grams)
One boiled egg

Lunch: — Steamed twisted roll (20 grams cornflour, 20 grams wheat flour)
Braised beef seasoned with soy sauce (50 grams)
Fried bean sprouts and Chinese chive (250 grams sprouts, 50 grams chive)
Tomato and wax gourd soup (50 grams tomato, 100 grams gourd)

Supper: — Steamed cake (50 grams)
Fried sliced meat and rape (250 grams rape, 25 grams meat)
Summer radish and coriander soup (100 grams radish, a little coriander)

Those whose weight is 20 percent above normal will feel unwell and suffer tiredness, palpitation and shortness of breath, or complications such as heart trouble, hypertension and diabetes. The calorie intake every day must be lower than 800 Kcal. in order to reduce the weight quickly. If this does not work, then under a doctor's supervision, try intermittent starvation therapy.

2. Limiting daily calory intake mainly means cutting the amount of carbohydrates and fat. Sugar and foods made with sugar, animal oil and wine and liquors are strictly forbidden. It is necessary to take in a certain amount of food made of coarse grains which provide sufficient vitamins and inorganic salts but contain low calories. It is better to take even less vegetable oil

3. Reducing the daily amount of calories not only reduces body fat but consumes protein and other not-fats. Therefore enough protein should be eaten. The amount of protein needed is determined according to a person's weight — usually one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. The ideal foods for protein intake include bean products, eggs, dairy products, fish, fowl and lean meat.

4. To ease the hunger that accompanies weight reducing diets, eat various low-calorie vegetables. If this does not work, eat foods that expand, such as popcorn.

5. If possible, have many meals a day but little food each time to avoid a hyperactive appetite.