Balance for Health

Chinese Medicine uses the body’s innate healing ability and the curative power of plants and herbs. Chinese Herbal Medicine is often used to promote and maintain health.

There is a saying: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The ancient philosophy of Chinese Medicine encourages:

• * A balanced Diet - Consume more grains, fresh vegetables and fruit, consume less fat, sugar and additives.
• * Drink plenty water.
• * Regular Exercise
• * Moderation in everything: diet, alcolhol, exercise, rest, sex, sleep, work and play.
• * Personal Hygiene.
• * Worry less, laugh more.
• * Work with nature, not against it.

Yin and Yang

According to traditional Chinese medicine illness is caused by an imbalance of Yin and Yang. Chinese medicine uses Yin Yang and Five Elemental Forces theory as a method to recognize and describe all things. The Heavens, Earth, and Nature; human physiology and pathology; even diagnosis, treatment and the understanding of medical material, all use Yin Yang and the Five Elemental Forces to summarize, describe, infer, and make conclusions.

In Chinese medicine, health is represented as a balance of yin and yang. Yin and Yang consist of two opposite aspects. Many natural dualities — e.g. dark and light, female and male, up and down, stillness and moement, low and high, cold and hot, substance and function etc — are thought of as manifestations of yin and yang (respectively).

External Causes of Illness and Disease: Perverse Energies

Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that perverse atmospheric conditions — perverse energies — are often the primary cause of, or at least contributing factors in, a long list of common illnesses. Perverse energies include:

Wind, the primary transport system for hundreds of air borne viruses associated with a great number of respiratory diseases;

Cold, which causes the body’s fluids to congeal, impeding the circulation of fluid to the joins and blood through the body, causing poor digestion, diarrhea;

Heat, which causes pronounced sweating and dehydration, skin infections;

Dampness (Wet), associated with inflammatory muscle and joint disease such as rheumatism and arthritis;

Dryness, which attacks the body fluids and is associated with, among other things, increased thirst, dry skin, coughing and constipation.

Other Causes of Illness:

Weak Constitition

Emotions

Lifestyle choices

Over Exertion

Excessive sexual activity

Diet and nutrition

Physical Trauma

Parasites and toxins

Incorrect medication and treatment

Blood and Qi

Qi, Blood and Body Fluids are the most basic substances that constitute the human body and maintain its functional activities. Blood, being instrumental in all-over metabolism of the body contains large amount of fluids. Blood in Chinese Medicine, in addition to being a life-giving substance circulating throughout the body, is also regarded as a force with definitive sensitivities to the influence of Chi. Blood depends on Chi even for its formation from air and food as well as for its ability to move and remain in the blood vessels.

The Five Phases

The system of five phases was used for describing interactions and relationships between phenomena. It was employed as a device in many fields of early Chinese thought, including seemingly disparate fields such as geomancy or Feng shui, astrology, traditional Chinese medicine, music, military stragegy and martial arts. The five elements are: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood

Diagnostic Methods

Palpation, or touching, tongue and pulse diagnosis is made by diagnosing, feeling and tapping local areas of the body to ascertain Painful areas, temperature of the skin (heat, cold), swelling and color. Comprehensive pulse diagnosis includes the head and neck, chest and rig-sides, abdomen, muscles, skin, extremities and Acupoints.

TCM practices include such treatments as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, Tuina and Shiatsu massage. Quigong and Taijiquan are also closely associated with TCM.

© Belinda Meyer publishes information for the Salon and Spa industry. She offers helpful information relating to health, beauty therapy, spa treatments, skin care, hair and more. Want to know more? Visit http://www.salonprofit.net