Does Chinese Medicine cure disease?
I’m writing an article for a class about using Chinese medicine to deal with common colds and flus. This is one of my passions (I know, weird) and something I feel the general public doesn’t really know about. In the past three years, I’ve suffered two external invasions, one more flu like and one more cold like. During the first two days of both, I went to the clinic. They both resolved the next day, with copious herb intake in the Shang Han Lun style. I’m a believer, you might say. Simply because of my personal experience? No, because of the countless people I’ve seen have similar experiences in clinic.
Everywhere I read about “finding a cure for the common cold” indicates that such a thing has not yet been achieved. The party line goes like this, “While there is no cure for the common cold, there are things you might be able to do to reduce its duration and severity.” Well… yeah. My question is this - how is that not a cure?
The dictionary definitions for cure are many, but the most relevant for our purposes recurrent themes:
A cure is a process
A cure does not indicate that the disease never occurs (that’s more like eradication)
A cure involves treatment
When people talk about “a cure for cancer” I don’t think they mean that cancer would never happen. While a vaccine for cancer (or the common cold) would be nice, usually that doesn’t seem to be what people are discussing. What we want is a way to avoid prolonged suffering and/or death at the hand of the disease process in question. We want, in essence, to reduce the illnesses duration and severity to minimal levels. We want to get better fast and suffer few lasting negative effects from our experience.
I think one other essential piece of the idea of curation involves the ability for the cure in question to be always and everywhere applicable. We wouldn’t call something a cure that sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t. That may be the info behind the claim that no “cure” for the common cold has been found. That being said, under the care of a competent Chinese medical practitioner, I do believe that rectification of cold and flu symptoms can be reliably achieved. If under such circumstances a person still suffers from their symptoms or, perhaps, even worsens (developing phlegm deep in the lungs, for example) this is likely due to some misunderstanding on the part of the practitioner about the pre-existing state of the patient’s body constitution. This is the case, I think, with any medical therapy and any disease. Consider any disorder we consider to be “cured” in modern medical practice. If a person displays with that illness and the therapy is inappropriately applied or some pre-existing condition of the patient renders the therapy ineffective, we don’t cast shadows on the ability of that therapy to be curative for that disease.
For Chinese Medicine, curing a disease simply involves a restoration of the body’s natural balance. Yin and Yang come into appropriate relationship with one another and all the seasons of the body come in their course with a typical expression. The body responds easily to normal daily stresses and no symptoms of blockage (pain, pathological products) exist. Chinese medical therapies, when applied consistently and competently, rectify the state of health for many conditions for many people. Wouldn’t you say?
What is your understanding of “cure”? What would it take for you to consider the common cold to be “cured”? I’ll be interested to read your thoughts in the comments.
Eric
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Tags: chinese-herbs, cold, common cold, cure, cure for the common cold, disease, external invasion, flu, healthRelated posts
How to be sure you’re getting safe Chinese herbs
I’ve read numerous articles recently about the alleged dangers of Chinese herbs. One such article, not focused specifically on Chinese herbalism, can be read here. You know, I get a surge of irritation every time I read one of these articles which quickly dies down to be replaced by an interest in discussing the topic. I want to answer a few of the common questions about Chinese herbs as best as I can - with an eye towards helping people to be sure they’re not hurting themselves more than they are helping themselves by seeing a Chinese herbalist.
1. Be sure your Chinese physician is well trained
I’ve talked in prior articles about finding competent Chinese medicine physicians and/or acupuncturists. In short, find out where your doctor was educated and do the best you can to investigate their training. In general, accredited schools in the US require a basic knowledge of Western physiology, pathology and phytochemistry. We are trained to recognize the basic signs of Western diseases, how to take blood pressure, do CPR and make referrals to Western physicians should we find it to be necessary. In China, doctors receive even more extensive Western training because of the obsession of the TCM sector with thoroughly Westernizing Chinese medicine.
What is FAR more important is that your physician has received top notch supervised training in Chinese herbalism. Let’s be frank. Chinese herbalism has been practiced for THOUSANDS OF YEARS with much documentation of its toxicology (as such), efficacy and implementation. Assuming that people are using the whole plant, assuming they are following the principles of herb combination, assuming you are informing them of Western medications you are taking — Chinese herbalism is absolutely safe.
Please - allow me to repeat myself - when the physician is trained appropriately, Chinese herbalism is absolutely positively without any doubt in the universe SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE. Ok?
2. Be sure your physician sources pesticide and heavy-metal free herbs, preferably organic
Now, the concerns about the state of Chinese herbs themselves are well founded. China is undergoing an industrial revolution, in case you haven’t heard, and there have been documented cases of Chinese herbs being contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and even Western pharmaceutical drugs. Your should feel free to ask your doctor what distributor he goes through to get his herbs and check up on that distributor. There are many excellent companies that subject their herbs to testing more rigorous than the FDA requires: Spring Wind Herbs and Evergreen herbs both come to mind as reputable companies with great quality materials. Be willing to pay premium prices for the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your herbs come from people who care about people and the land.
3. Follow all of the instructions your herbalist gives to you
Particularly when you are asked to take an herbal formula home to boil yourself, you need to be absolutely clear what you must do to prepare the herbs safely. Some toxic herbs are used and, when boiled and combined with other herbs, their toxic effects are eliminated. Other herbs will lose their effectiveness if cooked improperly. So, if your doctor doesn’t provide you with explicit instructions, ask her for some. These instructions should include not only information about how to prepare the herbs, but also when to consume them, how often, and when to stop taking them. Be sure you understand and don’t worry about feeling “stupid.” We’re not born knowing how to prepare Chinese herbal medicine. :)
You must also listen to your Chinese medicine doctor when they tell you to avoid certain foods and substances while you are taking your formula. Finally, be absolutely sure you have disclosed all Western pharmaceuticals you are taking to your doctor. There are precious few cases of negative interaction among pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbs, but there are a few and your doctor can’t protect you if you don’t give her the information she needs.
4. Be sure to go to follow up appointments
If your doctor doesn’t ask you to come back (bad business sense!) be sure to ask if you need to have a follow up visit. You shouldn’t keep taking a formula for a long period of time without returning to the physician to be re-evaluated. Chinese herbal formulas are highly individualized and conform to your body’s state as it is presenting. As time goes on and your body changes, your prescription will too. Sometimes your acupuncturist may have you on a prescription for a long period of time to treat a constitutional weakness, support your body in a healing process or to ward off flare ups of a particular pathology. Just be sure you know how long you should go between appointments and under what conditions you should stop taking the prescription.
5. With the exception of teas, avoid taking Chinese herbal supplements without a Chinese medicine doctor’s approval
This isn’t going to make me super popular with people who might otherwise advertise on my site. But, personally, I think it’s a mockery of Chinese medicine that people are able to buy full strength herbal formulas in pill or tablet form without a prescription. Some formulas might be alright, because their action is weak enough that any negative effect is minimized. But, then, why take them? They aren’t enjoyable like tea is and they are frequently expensive! Chinese medicine is medicine, not supplementation. You shouldn’t be taking a formula or single herb that a doctor hasn’t asked you to take and you shouldn’t take it for any longer than they recommend.
I think it’s okay to drink teas made of Chinese herbs so long as you don’t go to special lengths to concentrate them. I’ve already talked about how much I love Gou Qi Zi + Ju Hua tea and the only effects I’ve observed from this practice has been positive. I also enjoy ginger, mint and other single herb teas - sometimes in response to particular pathological states and sometimes not. I feel that these low strength efforts fortify me as well as tasting good and providing me with something to warm my belly on cold nights.
6. Be sure to tell your Chinese medicine doctor your experiences while on an herbal formula
Some people are embarassed to tell their doctor that their herbs gave them diarrhea or some other symptom. This effect is not going to make your doctor think they are incompetent or make them think badly of you. Sometimes the formula isn’t quite perfect and needs to be shifted in one direction or another. In fact, your report back to your herbalist will help them to further understand your pathological state! You can feel free to call your doctor if you have a particularly strong reaction - they will be more than happy to help you understand if this is expected or unusual. Don’t stop taking the herbs simply because you have a mildly negative reaction - call your doctor to let her know and follow her advice explicitly.
If you follow these simple rules you will be safe - and that’s that.
Eric
Tags: chinese-herb, chinese-herbs, chinese-medicine, professional-development, safetyRelated posts
What is Qigong?
It occurred to me today that although I have made frequent mention of Qigong in articles, I’ve never really discussed the nature of this important pillar of Chinese medicine practice. I guess it’s one of those situations where you don’t know what others don’t know and so fail to explain things! Qigong has become such a normal part of my life that I forget that many people don’t know about it!
I am in no position to provide an even incomplete history of Qigong, nor am I knowledgeable enough to provide a complete description! The best I can do is offer a brief explanation and my observations - I hope it is useful. I’d be happy to hear about your experiences with Qigong in the comments.
Basic Explanation through Chinese character etymology
Many people start their explanations of Qigong with a comparison to Taiji (also known as Tai Chi). While this comparison is certainly useful, I’d rather start with a little etymology. Qi Gong : 氣功 is made up of two important characters. The first, Qi 氣 is ubiquitous in Chinese medicine texts, but has a wide variety of interpretations that have sometimes been the subject of controversy. Most dictionaries list Qi as having the following set of meanings: air, vapor, energy, vital energy and spirit. The character is composed of two portions, the uppermost 气 a picture of steam rising or simply air moving. The bottom portion of the character, 米 is a picture of rice. So many interpretations suggest that the first understanding of Qi developed from this idea of vapor rising from something cooking. What does this mean? For me it evokes the multiple meanings of Qi. Qi is nourishment, but it also has ethereal qualities - it is vaporous, but not simply air, but air with something IN IT. Palpable air. It is moving and warm. It is in an “in between” state between fully material and fully etheric.
Gong, the other half of the term Qi Gong, is a very simple character but is likewise full of meaning. It is composed of two portions, the leftmost being 工 which is often simply translated as work or labor. Some sources suggest that it is a picture of a tool used to flatten earth. The right portion of the character 力 is usually translated as strength and is a picture of an arm doing something that uses muscle. So Gong as a total character refers to work that involves strength, or work that creates strength. Put together, Qi Gong simply means work using and/or creating strength that involves the Qi. You could think of this as work with Qi, so to manipulate and strengthen the Qi but there are certainly other interpretations possible.
How Qigong is practiced
Just as with other martial arts, Qigong has many many schools. I don’t know the exact number, but one of our professors suggested that there are many thousands of schools of Qigong in China. Some of these may be practiced only by one family, passed along from generation to generation. Others are published in books and DVDs! Originally, as with most martial arts, Qigong knowledge was passed from Master to Student and often involved an element of secrecy. Qigong has been and can be used for a variety of purposes from increasing longevity to dispelling particular elements of disease to simply exercising the body for general health purposes. As with many martial arts, the packaging and distribution for mass consumption almost always removes many elements that make it most effective.
For this reason, if you are interested in Qigong, I suggest you search carefully and find a Master who you can study with in person. Find out from the teacher or other students the nature of the Master’s background and their connection to the lineage they are teaching. Qigong practitioners can vary widely in personality and temperament, but you should feel comfortable with the instructor and the form they are teaching.
There are forms of Qigong that are quite strongly moving and will give you a workout. On the other hand, there are sitting forms of Qigong that focus on internal movement and meditation. The lineage that I am privileged to learn has the full range of sitting, standing and moving forms. Qigong seems to almost always involve the intentional opening and moving of Qi in the acupuncture channels. This may involve stretching, striking of the channels with the hand, shaking or even simply internal focus on the movement of energy through the channels. Qigong is also often a very balanced activity. If you do quite strong motions they will often be followed by something quieter. If you do a lot of activity with the upper body it will often be followed by a lower body focus. You get the idea…
My experience with Qigong has been wonderful. I have done quite a bit of Yoga and Taiji in my life, but didn’t do Qigong until I came to NCNM. While I still enjoy both Yoga and Taiji, nothing has been as wholly positive as Qigong. I find it really helps to keep my energy flowing, boosts my productivity and serves as a convenient vehicle for me to do my daily meditation. I am quite fortunate to have access to the very special form I have access to - but I know that others have had great success with other more widely available forms. I hope this brief introduction will encourage you to seek out a Qigong practitioner in your area. If you have any questions, suggestions or personal stories please do contribute to the conversation in the comments - no registration is necessary.
Edit: If you cannot find a Qigong class near you that you are interested in - you can consider learning from DVD. It’s not ideal, clearly, but I do know of one great product: Master Wu’s 5 Elements Qigong DVD. This incredible man is a true master and used to teach at NCNM. Check it out.
Eric
Tags: Acupuncture, Character, chinese-medicine, classical-chinese-medicine, deep-breathing, erics-habits, etymology, Personal Development, QiGong, stress, studentsRelated posts
What is Chinese Medicine? — Lifestyle counseling and dietary therapy
Every modality that falls under the umbrella of “natural medicine,” as Chinese medicine does, promotes nutrition and other lifestyle factors as a cornerstone of health. Although practitioners place differential emphasis on modalities within their profession, any Chinese medicine doc worth her salt is going to be able to provide you with dietary and exercise recommendations for your condition. The breadth and depth of the recommendations you get are, of course, going to be based on the doctor’s interest in that type of therapy as well as the strength of their training. At NCNM, we take a three term long course concerning nutrition and dietetics. Additionally, our Chinese herbs professors frequently refer to diet, since foods are the original (and often best) herbs. Our medicinary is making efforts to stock more commonly recommended dietary therapies, such as congee - a kind of rice porridge excellent for regenerating the Spleen/Stomach function. Other schools have varying emphases on nutrition and dietetics, as well as other aspects of lifestyle counseling.
Chinese Dietary Therapy
Chinese Dietary therapy is based on the same principles as the rest of the medicine. Foods and herbs are discussed with very similar language. Most frequently discussed are the properties of flavor and nature. I briefly discussed these elements in my article, What is Chinese medicine: Herbal medicine. The basics are relatively easy to understand. Flavor is an aspect of the herb that does include the experience we have when we put the herb in our mouth (common understanding of the word “flavor”) but also includes some aspects of the action of the herb. For instance, pungent flavored herbs/foods will likely have a “spicy” quality but they will also act like other pungent herbs in their dispersing nature. Aside from pungent, flavor can be sweet, sour, bland, salty and bitter. Nature refers to the temperature-like quality of the herb/food. This ranges from hot to cold, with several gradations in between. Nature is a very simple way to understand the yin yang aspect of food. Nature is a more ethereal quality, but has clear consequences. Very hot herbs are intensely moving and support the Yang of the body. Very cold herbs are intensely congealing and support the Yin of the body.
In general, your instincts about foods are going to correspond to the Chinese properties of foods/herbs. What would you think watermelon would be classified as - cold or hot? If you said cold, you’re right. That’s why it’s such a great food for beating the negative effects of summer’s intense heat! What flavor would you expect watermelon to have - see the quick list above to remind yourself. If you said sweet, you’re right! It’s really quite simple in most cases. Some are a little counter intuitive, but the experience of thousands of years of Chinese medicine practitioners have led them to classify the foods in this way. When we take this information seriously, we have great results.
Tags: Acupuncture, chinese-herb, chinese-herbs, dietary-therapy, flavors, food, habits, nutrition, Personal Development, seasonal-livingRelated posts
Can children get acupuncture? 6 Reasons why the answer is Yes.
I am often asked whether children can, or should, get acupuncture. Well, the quick answer is yes. :) Obviously, in China, children get acupuncture all the time! In the United States, the idea is going to take some time to get used to - but I have seen kids at the school clinic and I have friends who are practitioners who see children regularly. The key is this: the kid is likely to match the energy of the parent with regards to fear/openness to acupuncture. If you build it up to be a huge deal, they’re going to think it’s a huge deal. In China, it’s not a huge deal, it’s a way of life. Like Western medicine, Chinese medicine has pediatric study and Chinese medicine excels at treating common childhood conditions like fevers, contagious diseases (Chickenpox, etc) and appetite/digestion problems.
There are obviously differences in how children are diagnosed and treated. The quickest example that comes to mind is the fact that children’s’ heart rates are much higher which must be accounted for in pulse taking. In treatment, needling must be done with appreciation for the child’s age. Infants can be needled with no pretense, as they don’t yet have psychological barriers to needles. Unfortunately, it’s a little difficult to get them to stay still long enough! But my understanding is that a quick in-and-out insertion is all that is needed to have a great effect. Why is this?
In Chinese medicine circles, sometimes it is said that children are “all Yang,” I’ve also heard it as “all Wood.” Now, of course, all organisms must have a balance of all the elemental energies to be existing, so what does this mean? Infants and children are in a very rapid phase of growth, obviously. All the body systems are maturing, all the body tissues are dividing and connecting and reconnecting, cognition is rapidly advancing. This is a very Yang process! It also mimics the energy of weeds taking over a patch of recently disturbed Earth. One day it’s bare ground, the next day it’s covered with green things! That’s certainly been MY experience of the growth of my daughter! :) Because of this high energy state, only a very brief contact with the needles is necessary to send a message to the body.
My daughter has had acupuncture on several occasions. She’s 10, so has well-established fears about sharp things. I think her first time was also difficult because of the foreignness of everything in the office - the smells, sights, sounds - everything was outside of her everyday experience. Because of her tenseness about the procedure, the doctor did a lot of work to reassure and distract her. He chose only one point to needle at first, and told her that if she was ok, he would do one more. After some deep breathing and gentle conversation, she was ready. She barely felt the needle and had a nearly instant change in her countenance. She was calm and ready for the rest of the treatment. She responded very well to the treatment overall and was fine with going back on a couple of separate occasions, all successful treatments.
I think it’s actually an incredible idea to have young people get acupuncture. I can think of a few reasons why.
- Many childhood illnesses are poorly treated by Western medicine. I’m thinking here of common colds and other viral and bacterial troubles. Antibiotics are heavy handed, and although “just go home and drink plenty of fluids” is great advice, Chinese medicine can offer symptom relief that both treats the cause and avoids side effects.
- Adult emotional and psychological problems often begin with issues in childhood. Working these out with an acupuncturist while the person is young means they don’t have to suffer those adult problems. A problem is always easier to deal with when it is still small.
- Getting them used to alternative medical treatment early on means that they are probably more likely to use these treatments when they are older. So, you are setting your child up for health success.
- Working on their overall balance will help them resist the many insults their system endures by being in contact with so many kids, with the weather and with all the other trials and tribulations young people are exposed to every day.
- It is a low-cost and low-risk way to help them have an ideally healthy childhood.
- It’s easier to get them to take a needle than to take herbs. :D Trust me.
Has your child had acupuncture? Let me know your experience in the comments.
Tags: Acupuncture, children
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