Why Young People are the Ones who should do TCM
When I say young people, the definition is a range between 18 to 35. This is the younger crowd which I come in touch with quite a significant proportion in my profession as a young TCM doctor. Over the years of my practice, there is always an unspoken trend in this group’s clinical attendance and behavior. That is: the upkeepment of treatment sessions are unstable and dropout and cancellation rates are high.
In the world of traditional medicines there is still stigmatization of TCM being done by THE OLD and for THE OLD. And that’s what one of my purpose is in my practice: to break the stigma.
Recorded in the bible of TCM (aka Huang Di Nei Jing/Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic) about the energy life cycle of women and men:
（女子）五七，阳明脉衰，面始焦，发始堕； (35岁)
（丈夫）五八，肾气衰，发堕齿槁；（40岁）
What it means is for women, at age 35, the Yang meridian energy will deteriorate, the face will age and hair will thin. For men, at age 40, the Kidney energy will drop, the hair will thin and the teeth will start erode.
This is however recorded at least 2000 years ago. In my current practice now, I realise the aging process has been brought forward much earlier, maybe due to our stressful lifestyle, our eating habits, our sleep patterns, our emotions. So many factors that have somewhat brought down the quality and length of life for modern beings, as compared to our ancestors. I will say the aging (drop in energy and circulation) for modern women starts late 20s and for modern men starts early 30s.
Working backwards, all the health repair and maintenance work should rightly start in early 20s, for both genders.
We are left with precious wisdom and tools passed down from our ancestors to help us mankind to survive the foreseen traumas of modern lifestyles. These precious wisdom and tools are found in ancient medicines such as TCM, Yoga, Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicines, Metaphysics. But one secret found in these ancient practices that I’m going to share with you is:
The aging will slow down, stop and even reverse at the age you start regularly upkeeping all these practices and working with the right doctors and healers.
Hence the most suitable people to start TCM treatments and maintenance are in fact: the young bloods.
In TCM and all alternative medicines, prevention is always better than cure. It is equivalent to digging a well when you are not thirsty, not when you are already dehydrated. Similarly, you maintain your good health and not scurry for help only when you fall sick.
Yet sadly, young people are unaware of this and some take their health for granted, sometimes even to the point of abuse. Moreover the distractions of outer sensational pleasures usually are stronger than to turn inwards to take care of your body. The youthful hack-care (Devil) mentality is always this: “I’m feeling healthy and good, why should I do TCM and succumb myself to needles and green drinks?” But the wise (Angel) mentality should be: “I’m feeling healthy and good now, so the easier it is to upkeep this tip top condition now and the more I should maintain this.”
One’s youth and health is a one directional journey. When we pass the youthful golden period, it is not possible to turn back the time. We can only listen and follow the advice of people who have the experiences of aging and poor health accumulated from younger days or people who have the knowledge to share with you what lies ahead. The analogy is your birthday: you won’t know your birthday unless your parents or someone who have the information make it known to you. Similarly, the sufferings of aging and illnesses accumulated from younger days but manifesting into reality in old age can only be learnt from people who have already experienced that or from people who have the right information.
Treasure your youth, seek out the practices, start young and develop the discipline to maintain them. The older you will thank you for that.
