Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Early Chinese medicine was practised by Shamans and it was
said that incantation alone was sufficient to alleviate disease.
Medicines were empowered by words, rituals and sacred space
and time. In the Yellow Emporers Inner Classic, compiled
between
200 BC and 100 AD, it was noted that because people led more
complicated and less healthful lives they now needed to use
poisonous herbs internally and needles and stones externally!
Observation of the natural world and the rules and relationships
that have universal validity changed the way medicine was
practised and led to the pragmatic, practical Chinese herbal
medicine
we have today.
Ginseng, one of the most cherished and well-known herbs, was
described in the Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia
Medica (compiled in the first century AD):
"Taste sweet and slightly cold. Focuses on tonifying the
five yin organs, calming the essence-spirit, settling the corporeal
and ethereal souls, stopping alarm and palpitations, removing
pathogenic qi, brightening the eyes, opening the heart, and augmenting
wisdom. If taken for a long period of time it will lighten the
body and lengthen ones years".
Our materia medica of today describes ginseng in the following
way:
"Sweet, slightly bitter and mild, it travels to the spleen,
lungs and heart. Its main actions are: powerfully reinforces
extremely depleted source qi, tonifies spleen qi, benefits lung
qi, regenerates fluids and nourishes the blood, reinforces heart
qi and calms the spirit, supports upright qi and disperses pathogenic
qi".
As you can see our view of ginseng has changed very little over
2000 years.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the world’s most
widely used traditional medicine system. It is used throughout
Asia and by Asian communities worldwide, as well as by an increasing
number of others seeking natural healthcare.
Chinese herbs are naturally found ingredients that have medicinal
properties which, when prescribed by a trained TCM herbalist,
can add to the benefits of acupuncture and traditional Chinese
treatments. They can be prescribed without acupuncture.
More than 80 percent of traditional Chinese medicines are plant-based.
At the Wholistic Medical Centre we do not use herbs that are
endangered species.
We have Chinese herbs available in several forms, to best suit
your needs and lifestyles. The most common way to take Chinese
herbs is to boil them up with water, to form a decoction.
We can also supply your herbs in the form of concentrated granules
which require no additional preparation. Just add water and drink.
Some formulations are also available as pills.
Chinese herbal formulas tend to be created for a single patient
and their specific pattern of disharmony. Your formula will be
tailor made for you.
Wholistic Medical Centre practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine:
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