WHAT IS CHINESE MEDICINE?
Chinese Herbal Medicine is one of the great herbal systems of the world, with an unbroken tradition going back to the 3rd century BC. Yet throughout its history it has continually developed in response to changing clinical conditions and has been sustained by research into every aspect of its use. This process continues today with the development of modern medical diagnostic techniques and knowledge. Because of its systematic approach and clinical effectiveness it has for centuries had a very great influence on the theory and practice of medicine in the East, and more recently has grown rapidly in popularity in the West. It still forms a major part of healthcare provision in China and is provided in state hospitals alongside western medicine. Chinese medicine includes all oriental traditions emerging from Southeast Asia that have their origins in China. Chinese Herbal Medicine, along with the other components of Chinese medicine, is based on the concepts of Yin and Yang. It aims to understand and treat the many ways in which the fundamental balance and harmony between the two may be undermined and the ways in which a person’s Qi or vitality may be depleted or blocked. Clinical strategies are based upon diagnosis of patterns of signs and symptoms that reflect an imbalance. However, the tradition as a whole places great emphasis on lifestyle management in order to prevent disease before it occurs. Chinese medicine recognises that health is more than just the absence of disease and it has a unique capacity to maintain and enhance our capacity for well being and happiness.
BENEFITS OF CHINESE MEDICINE
Reducing inflammation in your body is extremely important because inflammation serves as the root cause of a wide variety of different diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer.
Traditional Chinese medicine can help to reduce inflammation and the consequences associated with it through a number of different means, including herbal treatments, acupuncture, and acupressure.
In the process, Chinese medicine can also help you to stop any lifestyle habits that are harmful to your body and make inflammation worse, such as eating too much, smoking cigarettes, or drinking too much alcohol.
When we want to improve strength and flexibility in our muscles, we commonly turn to strength training exercises. That’s great, but traditional Chinese medicine is another way you can improve your muscles as well. In fact, practicing tai chi regularly provides you with an important aerobic workout, and practicing it for just three months can improve your balance, help you maintain or even enhance your flexibility and agility, and boost the overall strength in your muscles.
Protecting your physical health should be a top priority for you, but equally if not more important is to protect your mental health, and yet again traditional Chinese medicine is great for this.
Chinese herbs don’t just help reduce inflammation, they can also help to relieve stress in the process. This is because Chinese herbs can effectively regulate the hormones that protect your brain, which also serves to control the immune response of your body. Using Chinese herbs decreases the risk of you developing dementia later in life as well.
Most medications and stimulants designed to help the body often come with a number of bad side effects, but fortunately, this is not the case with Chinese medicine. In fact, the few side effects that do come with Chinese medicine are practically harmless.
Last but not least, traditional Chinese medicine can help to improve the overall quality of your sleep. The typical adult needs an average of eight hours of high quality sleep each night, and getting this sleep helps improve blood circulation, calm anxiety, and improve your cognitive strength.
