All living beings (animals, plants and humans) go through different stages during their development. Each stage of life has its own characteristics and, in a certain way, prepares us for the stage that follows.
In biology, human development goes through several distinct phases (gestation, early childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age). In traditional Chinese medicine, there are five periods, each with its own characteristics.
What are the different stages of life in TCM, and how do they influence our state of health?
How do diet, emotions and overwork affect our health?
Among the factors that influence our health in traditional Chinese medicine are diet, emotions and overwork.
Indeed, from a very young age, our food choices and eating habits have a colossal impact on our health. That is why traditional Chinese medicine stresses the importance of eating well and taking care of one's health.
Emotions are among the frequent causes of discomfort. Influencing our emotional life, our emotions are at the heart of our balance and mental health. For example, feelings such as fear or worry threaten our inner harmony and exhaust our Qi.
Overwork is also a major cause of discomfort. Indeed, referring to a state of general exhaustion, it causes a decline in physical and mental fitness, sleep disorders and stress, and can even give rise to pain (e.g. backache, sensitive eyes..).
So if we do not pay attention to all these factors, we risk paying the price and having deep-rooted health problems at different stages of our life.
The five stages of life in Chinese medicine
Childhood: a very important period
A golden age, childhood is a fundamental stage of life in Taoist thought. Lying between birth and puberty, childhood is a very important period of human development, since it affects all the others.
Childhood is generally divided into two phases: early childhood (from birth to 6 years old) and when the child is “older” (from 6 years old to adolescence).
During childhood, there are three main causes of illness: the climate, a poor, irregular or unsuitable diet, and a weak hereditary constitution. Indeed, the state of health a child inherits depends on the parents' health and on the innate Jing, also called “prenatal Essence”.
As a general rule, the climate rarely affects the health of the very young. During early childhood, hereditary factors are most often at the root of discomfort. For example, according to Chinese medicine, the onset of eczema or asthma is the result of a hereditary weakness of the Lung's Wei qi (or protective Qi).
In children (from 6 years old to puberty), poor diet, emotions and trauma are the main causes of illness. For example, some children suffer from severe migraines: according to TCM, this is generally the result of trauma or of a diet that is too meagre, too rich or unbalanced.
Adolescence: a vulnerable stage of life
A landmark time, adolescence is generally not an easy stage to live through. It begins at puberty and ends more or less around the age of twenty. This period is seen as a tumultuous time, full of emotions and scattered with ups and downs, especially for girls.
A period of vulnerability, adolescence has a considerable influence on our future life. Indeed, traditional Chinese medicine considers that the disorders we suffer from in adulthood are very often linked to the way we lived through our adolescence. For example, when a woman has suffered from intense headaches since her first periods, the eating habits adopted during adolescence are considered to be the cause. Indeed, experiencing migraines during periods can sometimes stem from a Liver Blood deficiency caused by a poor diet. Moreover, when a woman has always had a difficult and painful cycle, it is said that Cold invaded the Uterus at the beginning of adolescence.
Finally, this period is very trying on an emotional level. Indeed, many changes turn adolescents' lives upside down. So the emotional disorders that can arise in adults very often have their roots in this stage of life. Consequently, it is very important to take care of your physical and also your emotional health during adolescence.
Adulthood: a phase of change
Adult life goes hand in hand with energy and independence. Moving house, career, social circle, relationships, family life…. Many changes that adolescence has gradually prepared us for.
Lying between our twenties and our fifties, this central period of life in turn influences the stages of maturity and old age. Indeed, leaving the family home brings many changes, notably in eating habits (generally characterised by irregular meals and frequent recourse to fast food). These bad habits can encourage the onset of a Blood deficiency, a syndrome that may be at the root of many digestive disorders…
Adulthood also goes hand in hand with work and independence, and consequently it is a period that can prove very stressful. This is even more true when one has lived through trying events during childhood or adolescence! So if the pulse is wiry (that is, a hard, narrow pulse that feels like a taut guitar string), the patient may have experienced situations in the past that caused them frustration, anger and resentment.
Maturity: a synonym for rest?
The age of “maturity” generally lies between forty and sixty. In TCM, the causes of discomfort during this phase are mainly linked to emotions, overwork and diet.
On an emotional level, this period is not easy! Indeed, while some people have managed to heal their wounds and face the emotional difficulties they have experienced, others unfortunately continue to suffer from them in maturity…. and that does not bode well for health!
According to Chinese medicine, overwork is also a source of discomfort, and it is very common in maturity. Indeed, it is at this stage of life that most people reach the peak of their professional careers, and this climb generally requires a lot of energy.
During this period, many people put their bodies through too much effort, ignoring their physical health, which gradually diminishes. At the same time, Kidney Qi, responsible among other things for growth and development, also begins to decline…
Overwork is very widespread in the West during the age of maturity, and it is a major cause of Kidney deficiency. So, at this stage of life, it is essential to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs.
Old age, the age of serenity
Although it has no fixed age, it is commonly thought that sixty marks the arrival of old age. But don't panic, because as the saying goes: “it's all in the mind”!
It is uncommon for an illness to be triggered at this stage of life. As a general rule, old age is to blame for the pains and discomforts that people suffer from after sixty. When there are discomforts, they are generally disorders that surfaced during the previous phases of life.
If diet and emotional disorders continue to affect the health of older people, it is unfortunately too late to change the game... Indeed, rethinking your lifestyle in old age will unfortunately have very little impact on health.
For example, if a person suffers from Phlegm at the age of 80 as a result of a very fatty diet and suddenly decides to eat better, this change, although beneficial, will have very little impact on their Phlegm problem… However, this does not mean that changing their habits will not have a positive effect on the person's general health! Quite the contrary, it is never too late to take care of yourself; however, to preserve your health, it is best to adopt good habits from a very young age!
Consequently, each period of our life is precious and deserves to be lived to the full. Of course, it should be pointed out that the age limits are defined in general terms and that our fitness depends above all on our physical and emotional state! So let's preserve our health at every stage of our life by choosing natural care that benefits the body!