"People age and pearls turn yellow" seems to be an idiom exclusive to women, describing how women become less desirable as they age, just like pearls that have become old and yellowed due to the passage of time. Some people also say that the "pearl" in the idiom refers to the eyes.
In fact, "people age and pearls turn yellow" is a true summary of women's aging and loss of beauty. In life, we find that as women grow older, most of them have dull eyes, dry and yellowed complexion, and are derogatorily called "yellow-faced women". Why is this so?
Women's rapid aging is related to their physiological characteristics
Women's physiological characteristics differ from those of men. In the book "Huangdi Neijing - Suwen", there is an important theory called "Seven for women, eight for men". It means that women's life rhythm is related to the number "seven", while men's life rhythm is related to the number "eight". Women experience significant physiological changes every seven years, while men experience them every eight years.
Specifically, at the age of seven, women's kidney qi (vital energy) is strong and their teeth grow; at the age of fourteen, the menstrual cycle becomes regular and the Ren and Tai Chong meridians become abundant, allowing for proper menstruation and the ability to conceive; at the age of twenty-one, kidney qi becomes balanced and true teeth grow to their maximum length; at the age of twenty-eight, tendons and bones become strong, hair grows rapidly, and the body is healthy; at the age of thirty-five, the Yangming meridians decline, the complexion starts to become dull, and hair starts to fall out; at the age of forty-two, everyone's complexion becomes yellowed and white hair grows; at the age of forty-nine, menstrual periods stop, the body becomes unattractive, and fertility is lost. On the other hand, men start showing signs of aging at the age of fifty-six.
What is more distressing is that a woman's aging begins with her face, and her aged appearance is immediately noticeable. The poet, Nalan Rongruo, once lamented for women throughout the ages, "If life could be like the first meeting, why should the autumn wind mourn the painted fan?"
Women need to learn how to care for themselves
In life, we also find that some women, despite their old age, still maintain a graceful figure, clear eyes, and fair and translucent complexion, making them look much younger than their actual age. Why is there such a difference among women? It is because they know how to take care of themselves.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the kidneys are considered the foundation of innate vitality, while the spleen is considered the foundation of acquired vitality. Women are yin in nature, which is insufficient compared to yang. Women rely on the liver for innate vitality, but the liver blood is easily deficient, and liver qi is easily stagnant. Therefore, women's self-care should start from these aspects.
Adjusting mindset is the basis of self-care for women. "Health preservation should prioritize nurturing the mind. If the mind is not sick, then the spirit will not be sick, and if the spirit is not sick, then a person will naturally be at peace." Reading more books, developing hobbies, calming the mind, being indifferent to fame and fortune, being tolerant and kind, and being optimistic and positive are the main means of nurturing the mind and can help soothe the liver, nourish the kidneys, and invigorate the spleen. When the liver, kidneys, and spleen are in a normal state, the body shape will not deteriorate, and the complexion will not become yellowed.
Keeping warm is crucial for women as they are yin in nature and have insufficient innate yang energy. Keeping warm is the simplest way to promote yang energy, especially during menstruation and postpartum recovery. Eating warm and yang-promoting foods such as ginger brown sugar tea, ginger lamb soup, jujube and goji berry soup, etc., can preserve the body's yang energy and ensure smooth circulation of qi and blood. Exercise can also help promote the ascending and dispersing of yang energy. Moxibustion on the Du meridian, also known as the "sea of yang meridians", can help alleviate symptoms of coldness in the uterus and other conditions in women.
Nourishing blood and smoothing liver qi is the most important aspect of self-care for women. How can one nourish the liver blood and smooth the liver qi? In the Huangdi Neijing, it is stated, "When a person lies down, blood returns to the liver, and when a person moves, blood circulates through the meridians." For women, sleep is the best beauty treatment. Avoiding smoking, staying up late, and getting a good night's sleep for 7-8 hours are essential. In addition, consuming foods that nourish the liver blood is also beneficial, such as wolfberries, donkey-hide gelatin, lily bulbs, jujubes, and goji berries. The best way to smooth liver qi is through exercise, such as walking, jogging, climbing mountains, singing, and dancing. When the liver blood is nourished and the liver qi is smooth, the body will be strong and healthy, the eyes will be clear, and the complexion will be fair and translucent.
People aging and pearls turning yellow is a natural law, but if we take good care of ourselves, we can delay it, delay it even more, and delay it until we age gracefully, elegantly, and with dignity.
