In Chinese thought, there are two types of Kidney essence: the pre-natal essence that a person is born with, and the post-natal essence that can be obtained from food. The Chinese view the process of aging essentially as the gradual decrease of the pre-natal Kidney essence as it is used up through a person’s life. Many of the symptoms specifically associated with old age are due to Kidney essence deficiency: poor memory, gray and/or thinning hair, hearing loss, bone weakness, decreasing sexual function.
Because the decrease in pre-natal essence starts many decades before the symptoms of decline manifest, there are ways to preserve the pre-natal Kidney essence. Several factors specifically deplete the essence: stress; fear; overwork; sexual over activity for men (especially with increasing age); bearing too many children for women (especially without adequate rebuilding after each birth); toxic exposures in food, water, drugs, and the environment; excessive sweet foods and overeating in general: eating late at night; and too much dietary protein. Avoiding these factors can be a first step to preserving one’s essence.
Additionally, a person can increase and nourish the post-natal essence through diet. First, digestion must be working properly, which means optimizing the health of the spleen, small intestine, and liver, and ensuring elimination pathways of the large intestine, bladder, and kidneys are functioning well. The best diet is one full of a variety of whole foods that is eaten over the course of a person’s life. There is no one food that contains all the nutrients to increase essence, but there are certain foods that can rebuild essence quickly if a person is very depleted. The best foods for increasing longevity and protecting against premature aging include micro-algae (chlorella, spirulina, blue-green algae), fish, and cereal grasses, such as barley or wheat grass. Organ meats such as liver, kidney, brain, bone, and bone marrow, are also considered to be strong growth and development tonics but should be from organically raised animals. Other essence-building foods include Solomon’s seal, almonds, clarified butter, nettles, royal jelly, and bee pollen. It is also beneficial to add foods that generally support the kidneys and the water element, such as dark and slightly salty foods (caution with high blood pressure).
Different essence tonics will be better for different people depending on their constitutions and current health issues. For example, a person with indications of too much heat or a hot constitution should avoid those essence foods that are also warming. Herbal tonifying formulas are selected using the same guidelines.
Ideally, nourishing the essence also includes a spiritual practice which incorporates energy and spirit into the food. In China, both T’ai Chi and Qi Gong are used for physical exercise as well as spiritual development. Acupuncture may also nourish the Kidney essence. Many points are on the Kidney channel, but there are others, such as Small Intestine-6, whose Chinese name translates to “Nourish the Elderly”. Even with all these options for nourishing Kidney essence, the best way to preserve one’s essence is to live a balanced lifestyle starting early in one’s life.
© Kimberly Hindman, 2008