Our skin reflects how well our internal organs and systems are functioning. According to TCM, the appearance of dark eye circles under the eyes are usually signs of imbalance within the body. It can be due to 1) Kidney deficiency; 2) Qi and blood deficiency; 3) Qi and blood stagnation (poor circulation) or other reasons.
Hectic lifestyle, poor quality of sleep, work and family stress, social anxiety, lack of exercise and an imbalanced diet usually worsen the problem.
Other symptoms include pale and dull complexion, poor digestion, chronic fatigue, thinning hair, tired and dry eyes, insomnia and irregular menstrual cycle.
TCM believes in balance from within, or in this case, beauty from within.
1.For people with kidney deficiency, dark coloured food and herbs can help to improve kidney health. These include black beans, kidney beans, black sesame, mulberries, goji berries, processed rehmannia root(Shu Di Huang) and glossy privet fruit.
2.Herbs like Angelica, astragalus root, ginseng, poria and red dates can be consumed to boost qi and blood in the body.
3.For people with Qi and blood stagnation, notoginseng (Tian Qi), red sage(Dan Shen) ligusticum(Chuan Xiong), black fungus and dried rose help promote Qi and blood circulation.
And of course, there are beauty enhancing herbs such as bird’s nest, fish maw, snow fungus and schisandra fruit that contains antioxidants and improves skin complexion.
However, note that herbs that increase blood flow are not to be consumed during pregnancy. It is recommended to clarify with a Tcm physician before consuming these herbs, and to check if the herbs suit your body type.
Acupuncture is also an effective option to lighten dark circles. Insertion of needles in the acupoint promotes blood circulation, enhances qi and blood in the body and facial region, thus boosting a healther-looking complexion.
I suggest a consultation with a qualified Tcm physician to get an accurate assessment of the body constitution. Knowing your body is the first step to re-balance it.
