chinese herbs - an intro

A guest post by Kaity

One of my goals in life is to help open other’s minds to the amazing world of alternative healing. There are too many common misconceptions floating around out there and I am determined to challenge those that believe otherwise to give alternative methods a chance. One way I do this is through sharing my personal health testimonial with others, which will be a follow up to this article. (Don’t want to overwhelm you all!)

Today I want to share with you my health revelation that has forever changed the way I view health and wellness- my rendezvous with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Traditional Chinese Medicine is an ancient healing practice originating from Asia, mainly the Chinese Orient, which involves the application of special herbal blends, diet therapy, and exercise therapy to heal dis-ease. The first known documented material is from the Stone Age, allowing this traditional Asian healing method time to mature. I imagine I would know what I’m doing after being around a couple thousand years.

In a nutshell, TCM seeks to restore internal balance and harmony in a natural, non-invasive approach so that the body and mind can function optimally, the way they were designed to. One of the things I like most about Traditional Chinese Medicine is the recognition of individuality. It is so important for any type of doctor to realize that we humans are not created via cookie cutter; we are all unique and therefore require unique healing methods designed to compliment us.

Traditional Chinese Medicine isn’t about just poppin’ a few pills to feel better; its purpose lies in making manageable changes to one’s lifestyle in order to cultivate true, lasting health. While a great deal of attention is focused on the diet, TCM also utilizes natural remedies of Chinese herbal formulas. All the different combinations of herbs, in either teapill or raw herbal form, have been developed and refined over hundreds, some even thousands of years. These Chinese herbal formulas, because of their unique and well-thought out combinations, have the flexibility and focus to address a root problem. The healing power of these formulas is unlike any I have ever experienced; it is quite remarkable.

In order to diagnose disease, TCM focuses on identifying the root of disharmonies within the body through analyzing patterns. Patterns are descriptions of the organ systems’ environmental state, but also describe the interrelationship between organ systems. TCM draws all disease back to five main organ systems: the Spleen, the Liver, the Kidneys, the Heart and the Lungs. Each of these organ systems have specific responsibilities. In fact, they even rule other organs systems and more importantly, the understanding of how they interrelate is essential to TCM’s success.

Another reason why I like TCM is that its practice is founded in nature. All the herbs used are raw, natural, found in nature. Our diet is a natural part of our being and should also be of the earth in order to support our systems properly. You cannot deny that our planet and all its resources and living things were created to sustain and support each other in some way; it is imperative that we respect this and recognize it is essential to our health & wellbeing. This is why TCM has stood the test of time: it is of nature, and that will never change.

I have offered only a small taste of the incredible world of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I encourage you to do a little research and just read about the TCM perspective- it is a truly unique way of looking at how bodies and health operate.

Heaven and Earth Chinese Herbs offers loads of information, all broken down into various topics, making it easy to read what you are interested in. David Akrish is the TCM practitioner that I worked with through my healing journey.

TCM World Foundation offers valuable information that incorporates a more Eastern-spiritual view, but still easy to read & understand. Be sure to read through the different articles that explain the perspectives of TCM!

For more in-depth information, the Institute for Traditional Medicine offers amazingly detailed articles relating to TCM and breaks down certain perspectives. 

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