Facial Zones and Health Conditions
Words by Katherine C. Eustaquio
Published in Total Fitness Magazine September 2011 issue
The Chinese believe that the face reveals what’s happening inside the body. In Chinese Medicine, the face is divided into five facial zones—forehead, nose, chin, left cheek, and right cheek. Ying Yang Elements are represented by the zones which are connected to various internal organs.
They believe that the appearance of these zones can aid in detecting underlying health conditions. With the facial zones as guides, examine your face to see what they say about your overall health.
Forehead
Element: Fire
Link: Heart, Small Intestine / Mind, and Spirit
Visual Cues: Redness and discoloration caused by small blood vessels can indicate a heart condition while a subtle bluish-green tint combined with dizziness, subtle pain in the left arm, palpitations, and labored breathing could be a symptom of an imminent heart attack. The reddish tint can also be an upshot of an emotionally-charged event such as anger or loss.
Nose
Element: Earth
Link: Stomach, Spleen, Pancreas
Visual Cues: Chinese Medicine suggests that acne on the tip or sides of the nose indicates internal turmoil that stems from poor eating habits and can lead to diarrhea or constipation. Excess mucus and congested lungs can result in puffy nostrils while broken capillaries plus redness signify stress and alcohol hangover.
Chin
Element: Water
Link: Bladder, Kidneys, Hormonal System and Glands
Visual Cues: Discoloration, breakouts, and blemishes in the chin can suggest bladder and kidney problems. These symptoms can also indicate hormonal imbalance due to excessive production of testosterone or estrogen. They may also come with prostate problems in men and menstrual irregularities in women. The philtrum—small indentation above the lips—is linked to female ovaries and the male prostate and genitals. Blemishes and discoloration in the philtrum can be symptoms of uterine fibroid cysts or endometriosis which can lead to fertility problems in women.
Left Cheek
Element: Wood
Link: Gallbladder, Liver
Visual Cues: A yellowish tint under the left eye can be an indicator of high cholesterol levels, particularly the triglycerides, or gallstones. Heightened emotional stress and increased blood pressure can lead to the appearance of bulging veins and rashes. If there’s reddish discoloration on your left cheek couple with broken capillaries that reach up to the bridge of your nose, this could indicate inflammation or worse, toxins in the liver.
Right Cheek
Element: Metal
Link: Lungs, Large Intestines
Visual Cues: Reddish or greenish-blue tints coupled with rashes can denote a forthcoming cold, an asthma attack, or respiratory tract inflammation. Skin problems like acne breakouts can be a sign of a problem in the large intestine and lung network. White blotches on the cheeks can be symptoms of high blood sugar levels and/or yeast infection.
Published in Total Fitness Magazine September 2011 issue
The Chinese believe that the face reveals what’s happening inside the body. In Chinese Medicine, the face is divided into five facial zones—forehead, nose, chin, left cheek, and right cheek. Ying Yang Elements are represented by the zones which are connected to various internal organs.
They believe that the appearance of these zones can aid in detecting underlying health conditions. With the facial zones as guides, examine your face to see what they say about your overall health.
Forehead
Element: Fire
Link: Heart, Small Intestine / Mind, and Spirit
Visual Cues: Redness and discoloration caused by small blood vessels can indicate a heart condition while a subtle bluish-green tint combined with dizziness, subtle pain in the left arm, palpitations, and labored breathing could be a symptom of an imminent heart attack. The reddish tint can also be an upshot of an emotionally-charged event such as anger or loss.
Nose
Element: Earth
Link: Stomach, Spleen, Pancreas
Visual Cues: Chinese Medicine suggests that acne on the tip or sides of the nose indicates internal turmoil that stems from poor eating habits and can lead to diarrhea or constipation. Excess mucus and congested lungs can result in puffy nostrils while broken capillaries plus redness signify stress and alcohol hangover.
Chin
Element: Water
Link: Bladder, Kidneys, Hormonal System and Glands
Visual Cues: Discoloration, breakouts, and blemishes in the chin can suggest bladder and kidney problems. These symptoms can also indicate hormonal imbalance due to excessive production of testosterone or estrogen. They may also come with prostate problems in men and menstrual irregularities in women. The philtrum—small indentation above the lips—is linked to female ovaries and the male prostate and genitals. Blemishes and discoloration in the philtrum can be symptoms of uterine fibroid cysts or endometriosis which can lead to fertility problems in women.
Left Cheek
Element: Wood
Link: Gallbladder, Liver
Visual Cues: A yellowish tint under the left eye can be an indicator of high cholesterol levels, particularly the triglycerides, or gallstones. Heightened emotional stress and increased blood pressure can lead to the appearance of bulging veins and rashes. If there’s reddish discoloration on your left cheek couple with broken capillaries that reach up to the bridge of your nose, this could indicate inflammation or worse, toxins in the liver.
Right Cheek
Element: Metal
Link: Lungs, Large Intestines
Visual Cues: Reddish or greenish-blue tints coupled with rashes can denote a forthcoming cold, an asthma attack, or respiratory tract inflammation. Skin problems like acne breakouts can be a sign of a problem in the large intestine and lung network. White blotches on the cheeks can be symptoms of high blood sugar levels and/or yeast infection.
