Next time you look in the mirror, you may see yourself very differently. “Face mapping,” a practice that began more than 5,000 years ago in China is now becoming more and more popular among health and beauty practitioners to help diagnose, prevent, and cure disease. It works on the principle that imbalances and dysfunctions in your body show up on your face. You just have to know where and how to look.
Your Face Tells the Story of Your Health
I had a patient who had been trying to find the source of her severe headaches and fatigue for eight months, going from doctor to doctor. By using face mapping, I was able to locate the problem almost immediately. I noticed an indentation and discoloration just under her nose. That zone, which includes the chin, is associated with hormonal health. As it turned out, her health issues were hormonal, which was confirmed by blood tests. I treated her with meditation, acupuncture, and a specialized mixture of herbs from my Tao of Wellness practice.
Face mapping keys in on five specific zones of the face: the forehead, nose, chin, right cheek, and left cheek. Each of these zones corresponds with the Chinese 5-Element network (fire, earth, water, metal, and wood), which in turn corresponds to particular organ groupings – such as your heart, stomach, hormones, and even your mind and spirit.
The Forehead
According to face mapping, the forehead corresponds to the fire element. This is the area associated with the heart and small intestine, as well as the mind and spirit. A blue or green discoloration in the forehead shows an imbalance in the heart. I also look for redness or small blood vessels that appear as discoloration. A heart attack can often be foretold by a subtle bluish-green hue on the forehead.
The Nose
This area is connected to the earth element, which corresponds with the stomach, spleen, and pancreas. A pimple on the side or tip of your nose could have something to do with your diet if it includes a lot of spicy, deep-fried, fatty, or rich foods. It goes deeper than being just a dermatological issue; it could correspond with indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea.
Broken capillaries or redness across the bridge of the nose could mean you need to monitor your alcohol intake, or it may simply point to excessive worry and stress, which could upset the balance of your earth element network.
The Chin
This zone is related to the water element, which is internally associated with your kidney and bladder organ network, including the hormonal system and glands. This zone also includes your philtrum – the indentation just above your lips. This small area relates to the uterus and ovaries in women and the prostate and genitals in men. Horizontal lines, blemishes, or discolorations across the philtrum could indicate problems with the reproductive organs.
Right Cheek
This is related to the metal element, the zone that reflects the lung and large intestine network. Problems in this network could manifest themselves as discoloration, blemishes, and skin problems on the right check. A mild acne breakout, eczema patch, or slight redness may mean a cold is coming on. Lung illness or upper respiratory ailments also trigger visual symptoms on the right cheek.
Those who are prone to respiratory allergies or asthma tend to have a reddish, scaly eczema, a slight rash or slight bluish-green hue along the right cheek. This shows that there’s too much heat or inflammation in the respiratory system, or a lack of oxygen from bronchial constriction. One of my pediatric patients who suffered from allergic asthma always displayed an eczema-like patch right before an allergic attack – a very useful tip off!
Left Cheek
The left cheek corresponds to your wood element, or the liver-gall-bladder network. Broken capillaries and redness – especially right up next to the bridge of your nose – indicate heat from the liver, inflammation, or congestion. Bulging veins, redness, and rash can be a signal of high blood pressure or pent up anger (which can cause high blood pressure). Yellowish deposits under the left eye may indicate gallstones or high triglycerides or high cholesterol, which are processed by the liver-gall bladder network. Since this network includes the nervous system, depression can also show up in the wood-element side of the face.
I believe that by learning about face mapping, you can be proactive about your health. And by staying on top of changes you see in the mirror, you can stay ahead of sickness!
Bonus Tip: Herbs are one strategy to maintain health and balance. Keep all five elements healthy and get a whole body tune-up, try a balanced combination of 44 traditional Chinese herbs that support healthy function of the bodily systems, the Five Elements Longevity Formula.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
Dr. Mao Shing Ni, best known as Dr. Mao is a bestselling author, doctor of Oriental Medicine, and board certified anti-aging expert. He has recently appeared on “The Ricki Lake Show,” “Dr. Oz,” and contributes to Yahoo Health and The Huffington Post. Dr. Mao practices acupuncture, nutrition, and Chinese medicine with his associates at the Tao of Wellness in Santa Monica, Newport Beach, and Pasadena. Dr. Mao and his brother, Dr. Daoshing Ni, founded the Tao of Wellness more than 25 years ago in addition to founding Yo San University in Marina del Rey. To make an appointment for evaluation and treatment call 310.917.2200 or you can email Dr. Mao at contact@taoofwellness.com. To subscribe to his tip-filled newsletter, visit www.taoofwellness.com.
