Traditional Chinese Medicine

In 2011, Chinese scientist Tu Youyou, age 80, won one of the most respected science prizes on Earth for isolating artemisinin, now considered the world’s most important malaria drug. She discovered it where? In an ancient Chinese medicine.

We love that story, because it proves how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) bridges the gap between ancient beliefs and real-world 2014.

The practice itself embodies the characteristics of many of the therapies in this book: a strong mind/body component, use of herbs, physical activity, massage, nutrition and lifestyle changes—the usual stuff you’d associate with Natural Health.

But TCM also has a very unique—critics and fans both might say “holistic”—view of the human body. We’ll outline the complex concepts here, before you dig deeper into our chapters about acupuncture, acupressure and tai chi.

Essential Concepts

TCM is based on the ancient Chinese concept that humans and nature are interconnected, that the body’s organs and tissues are interdependent—and that a balance of these organs’ energies is essential to health.

The theory of yin and yang is central. In short, practitioners believe that each of our organs, our tissues and our food have a yin or a yang force, and that when one side’s more powerful than the other, our bodies are at risk for disease.

Another essential concept is the theory of qi (pronounced “chee”), the vital energy or life force that circulates through your body along pathways called meridians. Qi embraces all energy, from the most material—such as your body, the ground you stand on and your iPhone—to the ethereal, such as heat, light, thought, movement and emotion.

Yin and yang are the opposite qualities of qi. For example, yin qualities are cool, dark, passive, solid, heavy and material. Yang refers to qualities of qi that are bright, aggressive, active, immaterial, expanding, hollow, light and ascending. Everything that is yin has some element of yang; everything that is yang has a little yin. Wellness is achieved when the yin and yang elements of qi are balanced and in harmony with each other. When yin and yang are not in harmony, when there is too much or too little of one aspect of qi relative to another, then there is illness.

TCM uses eight principles to categorize conditions and symptoms: yin/yang, cold/heat, interior/exterior and excess/deficiency. Herbs, therapies and foods are prescribed to help address each. For instance, say you have congestion. Your TCM practitioner might give you herbs called “lung heat” because phlegm is considered an Excessive Hot Interior condition. Then she’d ask about your diet. “Cooling” foods—like cucumber, grapefruit, buckwheat, eggs and green tea—are believed to clear heat and toxins. “Warming” foods—such as mango, greens, walnuts, rice, chicken, cinnamon and many other spices—increase the yang energy to improve circulation and warm the organs. Cold hands and feet, lack of energy and stomach distress are thought to be signs of a deficiency in yang. Since most of qi is extracted from what we eat and the air we breathe, TCM considers good food, herbs, physical comfort, clean air, mental stimulation, social interaction and love very important.

The principles of TCM are difficult for Westerners to understand, and it’s especially difficult for medical doctors and skeptical researchers to accept the theory of qi, which cannot be measured. A number of studies have suggested that the therapeutic actions of acupuncture can be attributed to the release of endorphins at the points where needles are inserted. Most studies on TCM have been done in China, and while medical doctors might believe in TCM’s efficacy, they have a tough time understanding all of the principles, and again, believing in that qi.

Try It Out

A visit to a TCM practitioner starts with observation and information gathering. He/she will talk to you, listen and observe your demeanor, movements, voice and complexion. She also will look at your tongue and feel your skin, muscle tone and internal organs. She is looking for disharmony and imbalance; with this information she’ll make a diagnosis.

Then, she will employ any number of treatments, including herbal medicines, acupuncture, massage/acupressure, cupping and lifestyle counseling, and will give you some things to practice at home, such as meditation, dietary changes, stretching and other physical activities.

If any of this sounds too “out there,” remember you’ll hardly be alone: The National Health Survey estimates that about 3.1 million American adults use acupuncture each year, and 17% use Chinese herbs and other products. Thousands practice tai chi and qigong, and studies have found that tai chi can reduce the symptoms of prenatal depression, improve neuromuscular function in the elderly and help curb cocaine addicts’ cravings. Research in China recently found that an herbal formula compared favorably with an anti-hypertension drug, and acupuncture has been showing promise in boosting the success of IVF and reducing symptoms of menopause. A small study in the U.K. found that acupuncture during labor enhanced women’s birth experience.

* BEST FOR: TCM is used with success for chronic and degenerative conditions, and complex diseases with multiple causes. TCM herbal medicines are used widely to treat asthma, allergies and respiratory illness, including colds. Acupuncture is used to treat low back pain, addictions and emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety, digestive issues (such as GERD and IBS), fibromyalgia, migraines and arthritis. Acupuncture is very effective for treating pain, is showing promise for Parkinson’s disease and is being used to boost IVF success for pregnancy. Moxibustion is used to turn a baby who’s in a breech position. Trials are ongoing to test the efficacy of herbal medicine and acupuncture to treat HIV/AIDS. Acupressure is also a part of TCM, and is being used for pain, relief from nausea and weight loss.

Precautions

• Always tell your doctor if you are seeing a TCM practitioner, and list any herbs you are prescribed.

• Make sure to tell your TCM doctor about any prescription and OTC medications, herbs and supplements you are taking.

FIND A PRACTITIONER

Word-of-mouth is a good place to start, and you can always ask a school of Oriental medicine for referrals. Practitioners of acupuncture and TCM come with myriad different licenses, and the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine accredits TCM schools and colleges that teach it. Only six states in the U.S. do not regulate the licensing of the practice of TCM. Titles include D.O.M. (doctor of Oriental medicine) L.Ac (licensed acupuncturist), but since an NCCAOM certification is a prerequisite of licensure in most states, it’s a good place to start. Also:

• Check education and certificates.

• Try to set up a pre-appointment phone call, to check out how you might get along with the practitioner.

• Look for a TCM practitioner with a wide range of therapies, not only acupuncture and herbs.

• Also, stay open: You are going to be learning some very different concepts about health and the human body, so ask questions and listen carefully.

The National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) maintains a database of nationally certified TCM practitioners.