Many common health issues that modern men face today can be addressed holistically with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Qigong energy exercises, as well as healthy lifestyle choices, diet, and stress reduction. Generally speaking, most men's health problems can be traced back to an imbalance in or low energy of the Kidney organ, especially if they exhibit symptoms such as the following:
-- Impotence
-- Low libido
-- Premature ejaculation
-- Infertility (low sperm count, poor sperm morphology)
-- Prostatitis
-- Lower back or knee pain

While these symptoms may not immediately appear to be life-threatening or even related to major chronic diseases, Chinese medicine takes them seriously as early warning signs.  The Kidney is a very important organ that acts as the powerhouse of reserve Qi, sending backup energy to other organs that need extra energetic support. When the Kidney itself runs low on energy or is not functioning properly, one by one the other organs in the body will begin to suffer, manifesting as cardiovascular disease (Heart), lung cancer (Lung), prostate cancer (Bladder), and stroke and depression (Liver). Once the Kidney's limited reserve of precious energy is completely used up, the body's other organs cannot go on.

Clearly, ignoring these bothersome symptoms will not only impact your quality of life as a man but may also eventually affect your longevity and result in the development of more serious diseases. Taking preventative action is a key tenet of Chinese medicine for health and wellness: if you have any of these symptoms, address the underlying imbalances in your body and lifestyle today to ensure a long and healthy life.

Some simple self-care tips that can help you preserve the energy and healthy function of your Kidney energy:
1. Reduce and find health outlets for stress! Chronic stress continually forces the Kidney to give extra energetic support to the Liver, the organ most affected by stress. Even 10-20 minutes of Qigong a day can significantly help body, mind, and spirit recuperate from stress.

2. Start the day with a healthy breakfast! Food is the body's primary source of renewable energy, metabolized by the Stomach and Spleen to fuel the rest of the organs on a daily basis. If you skip breakfast, your body draws on its limited reserve of Kidney energy to fuel its activity, instead of using renewable Stomach energy generated by your digestive system.

3. Eat foods to support your Kidney Qi. Incorporate seafood (especially salmon, oysters, clams, shrimp, and lobster), beans (red and black), nuts (walnuts, cashews, pine nuts), and seeds (black sesame seeds) into your diet, as these foods contain a healing essence that supports your Kidney. Also bee pollen, cauliflower, seaweed, watermelon, and bone broth or marrow.