Traditional Chinese Medicine is an historically proven herbal system of ethical health therapies. Our body is a self sustaining complex eco-system. Throughout our lifetime synthetic and artificial chemical abuse and unhealthy lifestyle choices contribute to imbalances in our internal delicate systems.
Traditional Chinese Herbal doctors and practitioners are trained to look at the mind, body, and spirit as one system, Western Doctors however are taught to regard each of these parts of the body separately. Despite TCM‘s dramatically different approach, Westerners are today more than ever adapting Traditional Chinese Medicine as an alternative form of healing, one of the reasons being is that it places emphasis on healing the whole person by seeking the root cause of the illness or disease. For instance, there isn’t any direct translation based on how a TCM doctor or practitioner might explain a patient’s condition as “cool with dampness,” or an “imbalance in water,” with a need to “tonify the kidneys” or “replenish Qi“.
FIVE ELEMENT THEORY
Theory of the five elements, also called the five-phase theory, holds that all things in our universe, including our health, is ruled by five natural elements: wood, earth, fire, metal and water. This theory underscores that the Chinese perception of mankind, both physically and mentally, are intertwined with nature. This concept is fundamental to the understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Kidney and Liver:
The liver promotes flowing and releasing of energy (qi) movements. It also stores the blood and regulates the supply. The kidney’s enhance and nourish the liver so it can function normally. In partnership the liver through blood promotes the flowing and releasing movements while the kidney’s promote storing functions.
Kidney and Heart:
The heart promotes the flow of blood. The Kidney’s function is to store essence (i.e. Prevent leakage e.g. Protein). Blood and essence form the essential substances in maintaining healthy life and activities. The kidney essence can transform into blood, and the blood can transform into essence. When both work efficiently, all other organs benefit from this harmony.
Kidneys:
Belong to the water element. The kidneys support the birth, development and maturation of humans and store essence just as water supports the growth and development of plants. In TCM the kidneys are known as the root of life. That is why when kidneys fail, the rest of the organs and body would start to be affected.
Kidneys and Lungs:
The lungs draw clear external qi and the kidneys store internal qi (essence). In order to have strong and clear respiration, the kidneys must be strong in TCM when a kidney starts to fail, it can lead to respiratory problems like difficulty in inhaling with longer exhalation times. in TCM this is called failure to retain the breathing qi in the kidneys.
Kidney’s and Spleen:
While the kidneys are regarded as the root of life, the spleen is regarded as the source of qi and blood production. The two organs mutually nourish and promote each other. In TCM the spleen promotes digestion because it rules transformation and transportation. It is the primary organ for digestion absorption and distribution of nutrient essences to the entire body. In order to work properly, the spleen depends on the warming and propelling activities of kidney-yang.
PRINCIPAL OF THE FIVE ELEMENT THEORY USED IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
In his book “Alternative Medicine – The Definitive Guide (Future Medicine Publishing 1993), Mr. Burton Goldberg wrote “Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been chosen by the World Health organization (WHO) for worldwide propagation to meet the health care needs of the Twenty First Century.” Traditional Chinese herbal medicine is a widely accepted and historically proven ethical health program. Spurred by the safe and excellent results of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, more and more Americans are turning to alternative health care system. Dr. David Eisenberg in his research article (Unconventional Medicine in the U.S.) discovered that 52% of the American population turned to alternative health care system in 1991. By 1995, in another research by Deidre O’Connors (Integrating Management Care and Alternative Medicine – San Francisco USA – Dec 1st 1995), 74% of the American population now prefers the natural approach. WHO estimated that approximately 78% of the world’s population use herbal products. Basically there are two main reasons:
1. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine IS safe.
In a research article – The Case for Natural Med by Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman, between 60,000 to 140,000 people suffer from adverse drug reaction annual
2. Western drugs are often unsafe (side effects) and ineffective.
In her book “Your Perfect Medicine (Future Medicine Inc. 1994), Martha M. Christy wrote, “According to FDA Director of OTC Drugs Evaluation, Dr. William Gilbertson found that two thirds of the ingredients in prescription drugs are found to be unsafe and ineffective and these drugs are prescribed prolifically, regardless of the detrimental effects many people suffer through this form of treatment
3. Chinese Herbal Medicine – Proven
Western minds say that herbal products are not proven. Why do they say that? Traditional herbal products are based on formulation (unlike allopathic drugs that use single concentrated chemical that are often very destructive to the body). Herbal formulation cannot be based on laboratory research because the immense complexity of a herbal formula made it far too costly and time-consuming. How to do research on a single formula that has 500 to 3,000 phyto-nutrients? (Plant nutrients) Where does a scientist start? Herbal formulas are secret recipes, therefore they would not do research because it does not bring them economic benefit as herbal formulations are very difficult to patent.
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4. Chinese herbal medicine Vs. Western medicine
Western mind has no concept of rejuvenation because they have not discovered the secret yet. When organs are weakened or damaged, the concept of strengthening these organs through rejuvenation does not exist in western science and so they say there is no cure. One western scientist says ‘When doctors say there is no cure, what they actually mean is that they do not know how.” When herbal formulas are used to strengthen these organs, they say it is not proven. The immense complexity of herbal formulation (too many phyto-nutrients) makes it impossible for western science to do research because it is too costly to try to determine which group of phyto-nutrients is doing the work. They would not do research on a particular herbal product to prove that it works because it does not bring them economic benefits because the formula is a secret and they cannot reproduce it. Therefore, they would just say there is “no cure and not proven”.
Not too long ago, western science said that there is no cure for prostate cancer. In a local newspaper article (NST May 28, 2000), scientists in America tested the Chinese claim that a formula made up of seven Chinese herbs can be used to treat prostate cancer effectively. They found it to be true and quickly patented the product. The term “daylight robbery” has taken on a new meaning. The Western scientist did not know which combination of the phyto-nutrients in the formula is doing the work. All they know is that the formula works. It is the same with any other Chinese herbal formula. It is very difficult to explain scientifically but that does not mean it does not work. When they say “no cure”, it means they have insufficient knowledge to treat a particular ailment.
Chinese herbal medicine formulas are at second stage of truth. The Chinese Ancient Manuscripts are based on actual clinical experience of generations and generations of Chinese physicians through scientific observation. The western scientists do it in the laboratory on rats and monkeys whereas the Chinese physicians’ data and results are from their patients. Rats and monkeys are not the same as humans. If they do not work, how did the Chinese take care of their health problems for the last 4,500 years. Therefore, the conclusion is this, if I do not have the technology to circle the earth or if I refuse to take an airplane and circle the earth (because it does not bring me economic benefit), it does not give me the right to say the earth is flat. In the same manner, if western scientists do not know how to formulate herbs and if they do not know how to identify which group of ingredient is actually doing the work or if they refuse to do research on the whole formulation itself to verify the claims, it does not give them the right to say it is not proven or no cure.
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