Talk about snake oil, and you will most likely think about traveling conmen who used to visit the various villages and townships as they were eked out of the dusty sands and green prairies by settlers. With promises of longevity, virility, fertility, and lasting beauty, these dubious purveyors of remedies would sell commonly useless concoctions with fantastic claims. Frequently borrowing heavily from the lore and scientific achievements of far away countries that most early Americans only knew to exist from books, the traveling conmen would claim to either be trained in the secrets of these medical breakthroughs by dying Chinese mystics, lone Native American raiders, or the famed writings of Arabic princes and Egyptian pharaohs made available to the learned in far away England.
Adherents to traditional Chinese medicine who suffer from recurring bronchitis and other lung related ailments which do not seem to respond well to nutritional regimens, herbal supplementation or other approaches will frequently resort to the practice of fire cupping. Yet for Westerners, especially the somewhat squeamish set, the question that is frequently being asked is simple: is fire cupping a safe modality of Chinese medicine? Thus, should it be taught Chinese medicine training centers and should novice healers have the permission to attempt the practice on test subjects – albeit it willing participants?
Even as Chinese medicine is finally entering the mainstream of Western thinking and also medical treatment options, the sad reality points out that there is a lot of quackery being done in the name of Chinese medicine. This, of course, greatly detracts from the positive aspects of the discipline and erodes the gradually building trust Western patients are developing for the age old practice that is part and parcel of everyday life in China.
There are some clear indicators that a practitioner who professes allegiance to traditional Chinese medicine is quite possibly a quack:
In China the combination of art, science, and spirituality that in its combination makes up the bulk of traditional Chinese medicine can be learned at many an institution of higher learning. In addition to the foregoing, there are ample opportunities to apprentice with a learned and experienced healer who will pass on not only the nuts and bolts of what makes this medical approach work, but also imbues the adept with an almost instinctual understanding of the body's condition. Chinese medicine education in the United States, however, is a much more difficult proposition.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on centuries of mapping out the subtle underlying networks that comprise the human body. There are systems that are obvious like the nervous system, the respiratory system, the endocrine system, the circulatory system and the lymphatic system. These are the systems that western medicine concentrates on when making diagnoses and when prescribing treatment. Beyond these systems are networks that form interrelationships between these systems that operate on a cellular level within the body.
Chinese practitioners and researchers have used these networks to map out acupuncture points that when stimulated set off positive changes within the body that promote healing.
Chinese medicine has long since been known to achieve astonishing results in the healing of illnesses and also management of pain. This is perhaps the most important reason why many a Westerner who is disillusioned with the kinds of medicines prescribed by their physicians will look for new options to explore. The side effects of the medications currently in use to cure anything from blood pressure to high cholesterol are at times so severe that they may cause other health concerns which then in turn will quite possibly require medications. To escape this vicious cycle, the combined modalities of Chinese medicine are oftentimes looked at as an acceptable alternative.
When you hear the words Chinese medicine, most people will think of acupuncture. Chinese medicine is so much more than acupuncture. The major components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the clinical diagnostics that go into discovering the causes of disharmony within the body and herbal medicine which is a therapy used by Chinese practitioners to treat certain illnesses and conditions and is also used as a preventative or strengthener.
Qi is very important to Chinese medicine because it is the basic component that is responsible for the metabolic processes and physiological events of the human body. It is the "energy" that drives the functioning of the body. There are 5 basic functions that Qi's actions perform.
In the Western world, Chinese medicine is a bit of an enigma. Surrounded by lore, frequently imbued with mystical powers – usually at the behest of the Hollywood producers – and sometimes utilized to make the squeamish squirm, it is the kind of practice that has its fair share of supporters, detractors, and then those who are unsure. It is the latter set that is frequently swayed by negative reports, warnings, online hoaxes, and of course the time when Chinese medicine makes the five o'clock news.
Unlike modern Western medicine that revels in the ability of drug companies and research firms to find medicinal cures and treatments for a plethora of ailments in time spans commonly measured in fiscal quarters, Chinese medicine capitalizes on millennia of tradition. Think of this wellness system as a pyramid wherein a number of incidental findings and accidental revelations were banded together, summarized, cataloged, relationship checked, and gradually crystallized.
Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to treat various diseases and conditions as well as to prevent illness. Each herb has its own properties and a knowledgeable herbalist or practitioner must be consulted when herbs are being used.
Herbs have properties that include energy, flavour, and its movement as related to meridians that it connects to. There are 4 types of energies – cold, cool, warm and hot. Herbs that are cold or cool are used to treat fever, thirst, sore throat and in general for heat diseases. Herbs that are hot or warm are used to treat limbs that are cold, for cold pain and in general for cold diseases. The 5 flavours of herbs are bitter, pungent, salty, sour or sweet.
Ask anyone exactly what their organs do and with the exception of the heart and stomach, most people are only aware of rudimentary facts surrounding the functioning of their organs. In Chinese medicine, however, the understanding of the organs and the various functions they perform are part and parcel of everyday life. Even though you may be surprised to learn some of the functions ascribed to various organs, incorporating that understanding into your increasing grasp of alternative medicine as a whole and Chinese medicine in particular will be of the utmost importance.
At face value, the question of whether treating the elderly with Chinese medicine is a good idea or not is odd, especially considering that for thousands of years the elderly, the middle aged, the young, and the very young were treated and treated themselves with just the herbs and diet that are available today. Cures, pain relief, and for the most part an increase in the overall wellbeing of the person has been tested, documented, and repeated time and again for hundreds of years, yet at this point in time Westerners are unsure whether to proceed in this fashion.
The mere presence of a plethora of drugs designed to alternate wake up and put to sleep those who would purchase them will tip you off to the fact that as a society the idea of restful sleep and productive waking hours a thing of the past. Even though so much is written about relaxation, there appears to be precious little to be going around. Subsequently, the sight of those self-medicating with caffeine laden beverages, pills, supplements, and other ingestible materials that offer quick pick-me-uppers is commonplace. Yet hand in hand with this phenomenon goes the experience of being consistently tired, exhausted, and worn out, thus simply not able to deal with the challenges of life.
Perhaps not surprising, adolescents and even those who suffer from adult acne will look high and low for ways to rid their complexions of the unsightly blemishes. While mild cases may be covered up with make up, the more severe ones actually do require intervention. Several pills and tinctures are now available that have produced passable and even amazing results, but unfortunately there is also a high price to pay: in some cases the use of these medications will lead to birth defects in the unborn while in other cases severe allergic reactions make the person's visage look and feel worse than before! What is more, once the medications are stopped, the acne will most likely return within a short period of time.
Chinese medicine is the stuff of myth and legend and to the Westerner it is a discipline filled with intriguing scents, odd practices, and at times even nonsensical applications. Part of the problem of course is a natural born skepticism that opposes anything and everything that is different – this is the same kind of skepticism that causes followers of traditional Chinese medicine to refuse medical treatment of any kind even if it means their certain deaths. Another part of the problem is the fact that Westerners have not had the kind of exposure to Chinese medicine which would help them to truly appreciate the depth and intricacy of the practice. Unfortunately, thus far the lion's share of this exposure is usually directly linked to martial arts movies with more liberties taken than reality portrayed.
Peruse the herbal supplementation aisle at your local health food store and you will most likely be overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of supplements that are for sale. All of them claim to be safe, effective and specially formulated to fit your needs. Some assert that their formula has been handed down from generation to generation of a Chinese family of herbalists, while others are packaged in such a manner that they suggest a Chinese heritage, even if they do not directly come out and make that claim in writing. It is the use of the bottle's shape, color, and even stylized writing that suggest Chinese origins. Since this is not expressly stated, the company does not run the risk of incurring charges of false advertising.
In the wake of the recent carbohydrate mania most everyone in America is only too familiar with the notion of bad and good carbs, which pairings lead to adverse dieting results and which support your weight loss goals. It is thus not surprising that for the sake of health and overall wellbeing, the practitioner of Chinese medicine keeps an eye on food combinations so as to ensure that the body's life force, also known as qi, will flow unimpeded by the body's response to the ingested items.
Chinese medicine for those in China is a complete medical system that diagnoses, treats and prevents illness. This system has been in existence for more than 23 centuries. Chinese medicine can remedy illness, alter an individual's state of mind, improve the recuperative power of the human body, boost your immunity and increase your ability to obtain balance and pleasure from your life. The western world basically sees Chinese medicine as alternative medicine. The scope of Chinese medicine involves a host of ancient and modern therapy that includes acupuncture, acupressure, heat therapy, herbal therapy, massage, healthy foods and proper exercise. It focuses on the balance of forces within the body being one with the environment.
Nutritional treatments are an important tool of Chinese medicine and it is not surprising that with the burgeoning popularity of this alternative form of health care in the West the demand for specialty food items is also increasing. Take for example the treatment of asthma, hyper activity, inability to concentrate, indigestion, and lowered sex drive which is sought to be accomplished by including bird's nests into the diet of the patient. These nests are the actual homes of the swiftlet crafted during breeding season by a small bird native to certain regions in Asia. It is interesting to note that the bird uses almost solely its saliva to craft the nest which looks a lot like a coup or bowl, and which serves to hold the eggs and hatchlings, while the nest itself is attached to the rock faces of various formations.
Is Chinese medicine for you? You may be surprised to learn that more and more Westerners are enthusiastically visiting the offices of Chinese practitioners, but to some it is little more than the latest fad that is here today and gone tomorrow. Soon they will lose interest and no longer follow up on the recommendations of the healer. Much like any diet that is followed for only a short period of time and then disregarded, the positive effects you may have experienced as a result of your therapy will soon go by the wayside. If you are not quite certain if Chinese medicine is a direction you wish to explore in your healthcare options, here are some tips that might make the decision easier.
