Traditional Chinese
Medicine
Traditional Chinese
Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine is
gaining popularity in the U.S., as more
and more people are learning the benefits
of acupuncture, acupressure, deep
massage, Qigong, and the herbal
medicines.
Westerners are the new kids on
the block when it comes to receiving
these treatments, as over a quarter of
the population of the world practices
Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known
as Oriental medicine.
The National Institute of Health
and the World Health Organization believe
Traditional Chinese Medicine to be a
viable alternative to Western medicine,
and now many health insurance companies
will cover acupuncture as a treatment for
various ailments. Very exciting for those
of us who find acupuncture to be a great
help in lessening pain and improving
circulation.
Acupuncture originated in China
around 3,000 years ago and is the most
common form of medical procedure in the
rest of the world, because the same
treatment not only relieves immediate
pain, it is a preventative procedure
because it realigns the Qi ( pronounced
"Chee.")
The Qi is the body's vital
energy, all things rise from Qi and it
flows and connects a person to the earth
and sky. It is also the source of the
body's natural healing, all disorders can
be traced to a Qi imbalance, and the
acupuncture points on the body release
the bound Qi and allow it to flow
naturally-the body can then begin to heal
itself.
Diagnosis in acupuncture
involves the practitioner asking a long
list of questions, some usually
considered by Americans to be of a
private nature.
The questions consist of
everything from listing sleeping patterns
to a typical day meals to how many times
the patient has a bowel movement in a 24
hour period.
These are necessary questions,
as the more information the acupuncturist
has, the better to tell where the Qi is
blocked.
The patient typically will then
lie down on a massage table (in the East
acupuncture is usually done in the
sitting position) and the practitioner
will insert very thin needles into some
of the 2,000 plus points in the body
which connect to 14 pathways, or
medians.
The insertion of the needles
does not hurt, and contrary to what you
may have heard, he/she does not twist or
bore them into the skin.
They are inserted just
underneath the surface and the patent is
left in a soothing, dimmed room for about
an hour.
There are different sizes and
lengths of needles, each for a specific
ailments and point.
The needles are made of super
thin stainless steel and are pliable;
they are discarded after each
use.
Another form of Traditional
Chinese Medicine is herbal remedies;
these are often used in conjunction with
acupuncture.
Because all things are
interconnected, pains and conditions in
the body have a lot to do with one's
emotions and thinking process.
That is why people who
experience chronic pain are also
frequently depressed. Traditional Chinese
Medicine practitioners will often give
the patient herbs to help relax or calm
them along with the acupuncture
sessions.
This is called tonic herbalism,
and some popular herbs used are probably
already in your kitchen.
Green tea and ginseng are two of
the most well known herbs used in
Traditional Chinese Medicine, but here
are some others-considered ''warm" foods
which will help maintain good health and
restore balance to a depleted Qi: Rice
and noodles, broccoli, egg whites, fish
and chicken.
It is no coincidence that these
are some of the main ingredients in all
Eastern cooking.
In order to get a holistic view
of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have
covered acupuncture (prevention and
treatment), herbal remedies and diet, it
is only right that we should touch on
exercise. Enter Qigong (Pronounced Chee
Kung.)
Qi, of course, still means
energy, and gong means work or
practice.
The art and practice of Qigong
involves practicing posture, breathing,
meditation, and slow regulated movement
of the limbs.
Qigong is a great exercise, and
because of its popularity, you can
usually find classes in your area simply
by opening the phone book.
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