You've probably heard some version of “eat before you work out” and “don't forget your protein after.” It's not wrong advice. It's just not very useful on its own. Most people leave that conversation with more questions than answers: How long before? How much? Does it matter if I'm doing yoga versus lifting weights?

Did you know there's a special energy channel in your body that quietly supports your strength, clarity, and vitality every day? It’s called the Governing Vessel, or Du Mai—a key meridian in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that runs along your spine and all the way up to your brain.