Chinese Ginseng is Ideal Tonic

Chinese ginsengGinseng, reputedly known as the "king of hundred herbs", has been regarded as the ideal tonic since ancient times. Ginseng today is either collected from the wilderness or cultivated. Ginseng also has a predominated role in traditional Chinese medicial treatment. The Changbai Mountains in northeast China produces the best wild ginseng. It generally takes severa...

Cupping－One Effective Treatment in TCM

Cupping tools Cupping is one of the TCM treatments that is based on the 'Meridian theory' of a human body. TCM believes that cupping results in two effects. On one hand it helps to remove any kind of stagnations and 'open' the Meridians that encourage 'Qi' movement in the body and internal organs thoroughly. On the other hand, it helps to rejuvenate certain meridians and or...

Qigong－Powerful Self-healing Traditional Chinese Remedy

The history of Chinese Qigong commences in the mists of prehistory. While Qigong has strong roots into philosophical ground, the practical healing and stress management applications are the most popular aspects of the tradition in China today. Both the health and spiritual applications are rapidly gaining popularity in the West as people find that disease and stress are relieved by peace of mind...

Commonly-used Chinese Herbs

In Chinese herbology, there are 50 "fundamental herbs." Here is a collection of commonly used varieties. Agastache rugosa- huò xiāng (藿香) Alangium chinense- bā jiǎo fēng (八角枫) Astragalus propinquus (syn. Astragalus membranaceus) - huáng qí (黄芪) or běi qí (北芪) Camellia sinensis - chá shù (茶树) or chá yè (茶叶) Cannabis sativa - dà má (大麻) Carthamus tincto...

A Basic Idea on Chinese Herbs

Chinese herbsChinese herbs, mostly of plant origin, are different from western herbs due to its special theory and method of usage. One reason is that the origin of the herbs are not the same. In general, only those herbs that are used based on the theory of TCM are known as Chinese herbs. First of all, Chinese herbs can be divided into four main types according to their proper...

Ways to Categorize Chinese Herbs

Chinese physicians used several methods to classify traditional Chinese herbs, that is, the Four Natures, the Five Tastes and the Meridians. The earlier (Han through Tang eras) Ben Cao (Materia Medicae) began with a three-level categorization: Low level -- drastic acting, toxic substances; Middle level -- medicinal physiological effects; High level -- health and spirit enhancement. Dur...

General Development of Chinese Herbal Medicine

Types of Chinese herbThe system of herbal medicine in China differs from European herbal medicine in several key ways. The most obvious difference is that the Western herbal tradition focuses on “simples,” while traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM) makes almost exclusive use of herbal combinations. More importantly, these formulas are tailored specifically to the individual ac...

Application of Animal Products in TCM

Dried seahorsesAnimal products are used in certain Chinese formulae. The practice of using endangered species is controversial within TCM. Many substances fall into this category. Some claimed uses of certain animal derived ingredients, such as use of the tiger's penis for impotence, cannot be considered true, because the substances in question do not appear in the ingredients li...

Tui na－One Effective Therapy in TCM Treatment

Tui na is a hands-on-body treatment using acupressure whose purpose is to bring the body into balance. The principles being balanced are the eight principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The practitioner may brush, knead, roll/press and rub the areas between each of the joints (known as the eight gates) to open the body's defensive (wei) chi and get the energy moving in both the meridians an...

Some Methods of Chinese Treatment

The following methods are considered to be part of Chinese medicine: How ancient Tui-na works1.Acupuncture (from the Latin word acus, "needle", and pungere, meaning "prick") is a technique in which the practitioner inserts fine needles into specific points on the patient's body. Usually about a dozen acupoints are needled in one session, although the number of needles used may r...