In Chinese Medicine, beauty begins with nourishment

TCM Deep Dives is a series of ongoing explorations of Traditional Chinese Medicine—bridging physiology, emotion, and spirit. We’re currently exploring holistic beauty. Start with the introduction here.

When I sat down to plan this series, I realized there were many different places I could begin. Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore everything from nourishing foods and teas to gua sha, qi gong, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and natural skincare.

But the first place I wanted to begin was with food.

As a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I’ve watched people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars searching for better health, more energy, clearer skin, or a more youthful appearance. And yet the most predictable, most lasting changes have almost always begun with the basics: with what they do and eat every day.

Food is one of the primary ways we continuously nourish, regenerate, and repair our cells and ourselves. It shapes our internal physiology and what we see on the surface.

I know this not only because it makes sense scientifically and intuitively, but because I’ve seen it unfold—in my own body, and in my patients.

Decades ago, I watched my own acne clear after dramatically changing how I ate. I moved away from a highly processed, high-sugar, low-fat, low-protein diet to the way I still eat today (I’ll share more below). Since then, I’ve seen patients experience profound changes in acne, rosacea, eczema, and other chronic skin concerns. Acupuncture and herbal medicine often played an important role. But the most lasting improvements almost always came when they made changes in diet and lifestyle.

I’ve also watched people assume their symptoms were genetic, aging, or “just what happens” in menopause or perimenopause. Then, when they changed how they ate and lived, their symptoms improved and sometimes resolved. Genetics and aging do play a role, but often not nearly as large a role as we’re led to believe.

In Chinese Medicine, we have an entire modality called yang sheng fa 养生法. While this is often translated as “dietetics,” a more literal (and accurate) translation is “nourishing life principles,” which encompasses what we eat and how we live, how we attune to internal and external changes, and how we address imbalances or illness if they arise.

From the earliest Chinese medical texts, daily life was understood to be central to staying well. When additional support was needed, physicians also turned to herbal formulas, acupuncture, and other therapies.

This is another reason I’m starting with food. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, it’s the natural place to begin.

What’s this have to do with beauty? I want you to picture something.