hina’s healthy myst Dr. Kim Vanderlinden Contributing Writer B RECENTLY, across “North America and “Europe, there has been “a tremendous interest fin Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). “3 There is a natural mystique sabout a healing method never “ before encountered — some- thing that claims pain relief by inserting a small needle. Is ita M. placebo? Do we want relief sa § - badly char we allow our minds to heal ourselves? The. fact is we do want relief. Our minds can help in - the healing: process and, yes, acupuncture is much more than a placebo. «The Vancouver General ‘-: Hospital recently dedicated an entire wing to the study and » efficacy of traditional medi- * ines, with “an émphasis on Orienta! medicine. The obvi- ons irony is thar TCM is not ‘new: at-all; There are classical Chinese. medicine texts that are more that 2,000 years old. Bet“ TCM. modalities There are two main thera- “pies used in TCM. The first is actipuncture or the insertion * of very: thin’ diameter needles to specific points on the body. _. ‘Today, the necdles can be stimulated with a light electri- cal, current: for ‘a: stronger ~ effect.” Needles are © often warmed by a_- technique known as: ‘moxibustion, A moxa stick:looks ‘quite similar 19. cigar-and ‘is made up of : herbs As the mona stick sim- it'is Held-close to the The -needle, . being made of metal,’ very effective- Vv conducts the heat down its north shore news ALTERNATIVES shaft. Conventional methods of heating, such as ultrasound or kor packs, simply cannot penetrate as deeply or accu- rarely as moxa. A treatment of moxibusion is'an effective way of drawing out cold and dampness, as in the case of rheumatism or cer- tain forms of arthritis. The West's fascination with Chinese medicine has really focused on acupunc- ture, but in fact acupuncture is not the primary form of treatment in TCM. In the West, we typically use one or two pharmaceuti- cals or botanical medicines for a particular condition. For example, Prozac phar- maceutically or St. John’s wort extract herbally would -be used to trear depression. Another example would be Zantac pharmaceutically or DGL herbally to treat duode- nal ulcers. In contrast, Chinese herbal formulas typically have five to 12 ingredients, cach with a specific function. Maay ingre- ients allow a TCM doctor to design a formula, raking into account both the character of the disease and the patient’s individual condition. The flexibiliry of TCM is reflected in the saying “Many formulas are necessary to treat one condition but that one formula can treat many dis- cases.” Chinese medicine no doubt, starred out treating with only one or two herbs. However, the information collected over time allowed for the effective combining of herbs and a more complete and holistic approach to health. 5 Element Theory A systematic approach to Chinese healing occurred when attempts were made to explain why certain herbs and acupressure points were eftee- tive. For example, questions would be posed such as, “Wh: is Ginseng an effective energy or Qi tonic?” Kev observa- tions were strung together ta form what is known as the 5 Element Theory. The 3 Element Theory provides a basic cause and effect systeni of medicine thar takes advantage of — the observed correlation between symptoms, and other variables such as the seasons, nutrition, enrotions, etc. Iz is also very important to realize that Chinese medicine is based upon herbs and tech- niques with a history of effica- cy. This is quite unlike Western medicine. where pathophysiology is studied intensively and then 2 medi- cine is soughe that may affect the biochemistry. Yin and Yang The term’s “yin” and “vang” are often used in Chinese philosophy to explain man’s relationship with carth and the heavens. They are also central to Chinese medicine as they are used co describe the physiciogical state of the organs and the overall health and homeostasis of the patient. Yin is used to describe the condition of all body fluids such as blood, sweat, semen. and — saliva, while yang describes the energy or vitality of the individual or his/her organs: It is really the concept of energy of Qi that separates Eastern trom Western medical thought. The theory of acupuncture is based on the belief thar 12 main energy meridians and over 350 acupuncture points exist. Much of the potency associated with Chinese medi- cine is due to its abiliny to manipulate and increase ener- gv levels. This is especially profound in situations where, according to Western medi- cine, no overt pathology exists. In addition to botani- cal medicine and acupuncture, the Chinese have also devel- uped physical exercises such as Tai Qi and Qi Gong, which are designed to move and enhance energy levels, TCM has a tremendous amount to offer, especially in the area of chronic disease and pain relief. Current and future research will, no doubt, vali- date many of the age-old techniques, offering us new hope... For those considering TCM, there need not be any fear of having to choose between Eastern and Western medicine. In China, TCM is utilized in a very harmonious and complementary fashion together with Western :medi- cine. Having both and Eastern and Western perspee- tive to a situation merely offers the patient more and greater opportunities for health. : Dr Kim. Vanderlinden practises ac the West Vancouver Clinie of. Naturopathic Medicine and is a faculty member and lecturer at the International College of TCM in Vancouve- TPERSONAL INJURY | Free Initial Consultation Douglas W. 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