BALANCING ACT
Give the gift of good health to yourself and your friends over the holiday season with Chinese medicine specialist Wai Yuen Tong
We all know what it’s like to push ourselves. In modern society, it’s all too common to put other responsibilities—especially our jobs— before our health. If it’s hard enough to achieve a work-life balance in our everyday lives, however, then how can we ever expect to find the balance within our own bodies?
The dangers of health imbalances shouldn’t be ignored—particularly during the festive season, when it’s all too easy to overindulge and fall victim to guilty pleasures: eating and drinking too much, not sleeping enough and putting in too many overtime hours at work before the end of the year. All these stresses lead to imbalances of the body and mind, opening the doors to illnesses and general impacts on our health and wellbeing.
The world is moving towards a philosophy that’s based on prevention rather than cure—wisdom that’s long been known but seldom followed. And so, in societies both Eastern and Western, people are looking to supplements that can keep their bodies healthy and happy so they can ward off minor and major ailments.
Achieving balance is a constant lifelong pursuit. And it’s a pursuit which Hong Kongbased Chinese medicine specialist Wai Yuen Tong has much experience—over a century’s worth, in fact. While conventional Western practices might identify key vitamins and minerals that boost the body’s immunity based on certain deficiencies, Eastern learning takes a more holistic approach to the body’s entire underlying structure by regulating and balancing it. In this way, it’s believed that individual ailments will be alleviated.
Sleep, certainly, is one facet of life that likely needs regulation during the holiday season, if not on a day-to-day basis. Insomnia and fatigue are the body’s indicators that something is amiss and Wai Yuen Tong’s Young Yum Pills have been formulated to bring balance back to the system, strengthen the spleen and heart, and ultimately restore “qi”—the vital life force—to the body, giving it a strengthened foundation. The pills come in both convenient tablets that resemble wrapped candies and in sachets that contain a soluble powder, so they’re perfectly packaged for an on-the-go lifestyle. The late nights and overindulgences that are so inextricably linked to Christmas celebrations can also cause “heatiness”—where too many “hot” foods are eaten, a Chinese medicinal term covering treats like nuts, chocolate, duck and deep-fried delights—as the body works to evict its toxins and regulate its systems. All the festivities over the holiday season can lead to too much “heatiness,” which can trigger heart and brain problems, dizziness, weakness and fever, and Wai Yuen Tong recommends its Angong Niuhuang Wan pills as your first line of defence against infection as they assist your body’s detoxification and relieve symptoms including pain, nerves and inflammation. Another option is one of Wai Yuen Tong’s revered treasures: its hand-picked cordyceps. This fungus is known for its ability to boost the body’s immunity and in particular it is believed to resolve issues relating to the kidney and respiratory system. Wai Yuen Tong’s highquality specimens are prized as an ancient heal-all formula: fighting free radicals, reducing inflammation and making sure the body runs like clockwork. Though extensively known as a traditional Chinese medicine cure, cordyceps have been gaining favour in Western schools of thought and have been billed in health circles as a superfood—what else would you call a fungus that is believed to lessen your risk of critical illnesses, control autoimmune disorders, slow down ageing, boost energy and even resolve some reproductive issues? One of this year’s most talked-about wellness trends has been the incorporation of “adaptogenic herbs”—plants with health revitailising or restorative properties—into everyday lifestyles. Cordyceps tops the list. It’s an “adaptogen” that’s particularly suited to combatting those end-of-year excesses. Looking after your body isn’t just for Christmas. A strong immune system is invaluable at any time of the year. So give your friends and family some healthy treats this festive season from Wai Yuen Tong. And, after all those feasts and all that fun, don’t forget to give yourself the greatest gift of all: good health.