Simple Health Cures

   The wisdom of traditional chinese medicine observes the relationship between our mind, body and spirit.

   Keeping this in mind, it is a “holistic” approach that promotes healing on multiple levels. so it is fair to say that traditional Chinese medicine focuses on holistic healing.

   Holistic health refers to a philosophy of physical care that is of the view that our body, mind and even spiritual experiences are interconnected. It is the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

   In the same way, traditional Chinese medicines sees the body as a universe, one which must be governed by the laws of balance ( the yin and the yang). Our emotional and mental well being is just as likely to affect our volnerability to disease, and external factors such as work, lifestyle choices, environment and even relationships are crucial to the overall picture of one’s health.

   Contemporary Western medicine describes health in measurable and quantitative processes of chemical reactions. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine uses the idea of the yin-tang, the organ system and the five elements to look at the body and health. we have already discussed the concept of the yin and the yang briefly but it is worth understanding these concepts in greater depth to improve our understanding of many other aspects of traditional Chinese medicine.

   In Chinses philosophy, the body and the universe at large are best described by opposing and separate yet complementary principles that is, yin and yang.

   Yin represents the cold, the feminine, the light, the toward and downward direction and the passive. Yang represents the ot, the masculine, the dark, the outward and upward direction and the active. The two forces are in constant interaction and opposition yet always influencing each other. For example, if one is suffering from symptoms of high blood pressure, chinese traditional medicine would tell you that the heart has too much yang, and prescribe methrods of reducing the yang or increasing the yin of the heart, after consideration of the effects of this on the other symptoms and organs of the body. Therefore, acupuncture therapies seek to increase or discrease yang or increase yin in particular body regions.

   Chi as we mentioned before is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese medical philosophy. Chi is believed to exist in all living things as a critically important life force or spiritual energy. It is generated by our internal organs and we also receive it from food, water, air and sun light. Our body has natural patterns through which chi flows the meridians. It flows though the body to help nourish and regenerate. Illnesses are often the by product of blocked or imbalanced chi in the body’s meridians or an imbalance of chi in the body’s key organs. Traditional Chinese medicine relieves these imbalances by adjusting chi circulation in the body. Acupuncture is one of the ways of achieving an ideal flow of chi through the body

   The Zang Fuare the internal organs of the body. There are twelve main organs in the chinses medical systems, the lungs, kidneys, large intestine, urinary bladder, small intestine, slpeen, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pericardium and the “triple warmer” also known as san jiao ( the entire torso region) Each organs has a particular kind of chi energy associated with it. each organ also interacts with particular emotions on a mental level.

   With twelve major organs, there are twelve types of chi which move through the main channels or meridians. Chinese medicines aims to heal by connecting symptoms to organs. Symptoms are caused by yin and yang imbalances in the organs or due to an unhealthy flow of chi between organs.

   Coming back to the concept of Zang Fu, this theory also returns us to the concept of yin and yang. “Zang” is related to the yin organs lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, liver and the pericardium. The “Fu” on the other hand is related to what are deemed to be the yang organs gall bladder, both the small and large intestines, stomach, urinary bladder and the triple warmer or san jiao.

   Each zang organ is paired or coupled with a fu organ except for the pericardium and the triple warmer. These two both describe functions which are not related to any organ.

   In this arrangement, all of the organs help to regulate one another. Each fu organ has a corresponding zang organ and while one “side” of this organ balance is responsible for negatively regulating its organ, the other one is responsible for positively regulating. The way in which organs interact with each other is described by the five element theory.

   Another fundamental concept in the theory of traditional Chinese medicines is that our body and the universe at large is made up of five main elements in nature. Those elements are woods, fire, earth, metel and water. The elements are connected to each other and each one generates another elements or controls another element. each organ is related to a particular element. Traditional chinese medicine uses this categorization of organs and elements to describe, diagnose and treat medical conditions.

   Example, the kidneys is related to water and the heart is related to fire and these two organs have the same relationship as water and fire. Therefore, following this theory, if the kidney is weak there maybe acupuncture or herbs to cool down the heart or increase the chi (energy) in the kidney dystem.

   1. Wood is related to the liver and gall bladder.

   2. Fire is related to the heart and small intestines.

   3. Earth is related to the spleen and stomach.

   4. Water is related to the kidney and urinary bladder.

   5. Metal is related to the lung and large intestine.

   Diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicines relies on recognizing and estblishing global patters of dysfunction in a patient which can be explained in terms of the five element theory and the yin and the yang theory.

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