Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine

Wisdom from the East ...for Living in the West Discover the foundation behind this fascinating system of holistic health based on several thousand years of real clinical experience. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a unique, comprehensive, and scientific system, maintaining that the root of a disease must be found, and that a patient must be treated according to their whole being as well as their surrounding natural conditions. Viewing the human as a single, integrated entity that relates with nature, TCM maintains that the human body is affected by any changes that occur in nature, and must be treated as such. Since its beginnings, not only has TCM been well preserved and documented but it has also been continuously developing and growing. Having remarkable curative abilities and few side effects, it is an effective means to prevent and treat diseases and to keep yourself strong and healthy. Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine is systematic, concise, practical and easy to read. Originally published in China, this re-edited edition (the 3rd book in our Practical TCM series) will provide you with the principles of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. Discover the principles of treatment and prevention of diseases. Learn essential primary theories, such as Yin and Yang and the Five Elements Theory, as well as their use in clinical applications. Discover the foundations for diagnostic methods. Essential for today's alternative health library.

This volume presents texts written by Austrian and Chinese experts in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The issue the authors worked on is the basic problem how to make a different system of medical thinking plausible for the Western world, especially for Western medicine. This issue is considered from different viewpoints - from the viewpoint of Western medicine that is familiar with Chinese medicine and contrariwise from the viewpoint of Chinese Medicine that is familiar with its Western counterpart and from a philosophical viewpoint. In this way both differences in the theoretical systems of Western and Chinese medicine and problems of adequate translation are profundly discussed.

The ancient art of Chinese medicine is known throughout the world for its unique methods of diagnosis and treatment. To many, its image is that of an esoteric art. Essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine provides a comprehensive and in-depth coverage of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Topics ranging from theories, practical experience and traditional material to modern technology offer a good foundation for understanding TCM. Diagrams and illustrations enhancing understanding of the text. The practical aspect is made relevant and applicable; stories of famous physicians are put across in a lively manner. All these make this book an easy and informative read. This book illustrates, in an easy-to-understand format, its fundamental concepts and history:

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with a history of thousands of years, is the crystallization of the ancient Chinese''s experiences in their struggle against diseases. It is also an integral part of the Chinese''s splendid culture. Under the influence and direction of classic Chinese philosophies, it has undergone long-term medical practice and infiltrated into, as well as absorbed from, other subjects in that point in time, thus gradually evolving into a unique medical theoretical system that contributed and is still contributing significantly to the healthcare of the Chinese and the prosperity of the Chinese nation.The basic theories of TCM are the theoretical foundations for guiding traditional Chinese preventive medicine and clinical medicine, and encompass aspects such as the philosophical foundation for TCM, understanding the effects of TCM on the physiology and pathology of the human body, and the principles in TCM for life cultivation, rehabilitation, diagnostics, and therapeutics. In this sense, the basic theories are regarded not only as an important part of TCM, but also as a compulsory course fundamental to the study and research of TCM.This book is compiled to allow the majority of readers to understand the theory of TCM and its methods of diagnosing and treating diseases in a relatively short period of time. It provides a brief introduction to the basic characteristics and theory of TCM, and a detailed schedule of learning commonly occurring diseases and patterns and their estimated 60 corresponding prescriptions. This is a great attempt in initiating more people to understand and apply the theory of TCM to diagnose and treat common diseases and provide corresponding formulas.

The type of traditional medicine based on ancient Chinese medical practices, including qigong, tui na, herbal medicine and acupuncture, is known as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is based on the belief that a body's vital energy, called qi, flows through channels, known as meridians, which have branches connected to bodily organs and functions. The Yin-Yang theory and Wu Xing theory are the main philosophies of traditional Chinese medicine. This field emphasizes that diseases are the imbalances or disharmonies in the functioning of qi, yin, yang, meridians, xue and zang-fu. This book attempts to understand the multiple branches that fall under the field of Chinese medicine and how such concepts have practical applications. It strives to provide a fair idea about this discipline and to help develop a better understanding of the latest advances within this field. The extensive content of this book provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the subject.

A reference guide to understanding the natural rhythm of our organs and learning to support them in a holistic way • Explains the Organ Body Clock from Traditional Chinese Medicine and which organs and meridians are dominant during different hours of the day • Describes exactly what happens inside the body during each organ’s active time and shows what we can do to support the organs with plant medicine, homeopathy, our behavior, and simple daily practices • Explores the mental and emotional states each organ is related to and their connections to the teeth, the other organs, and the Five Elements of TCM All of our organs are energetically interconnected. They each have regular rest and active cycles throughout the day, with different organs becoming dominant at different hours. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is known as the Organ Body Clock. In this accessible guide to the body clock in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the author shows how to support the body’s natural rhythms of activity, recognize the body’s signals of imbalance and find their sources, and achieve healing on the physical and energetic levels. He explains how the body clock can provide deep insight into our physical and energetic health. For example, if we always wake up at a certain time at night, we should look up which organ is associated with that time, which will lead us to discover the part of our body that needs special attention and help. The author explores the 12 major organs of the body, describing their active and rest hours, their function inside the body, the mental and emotional states they are related to, and their connections to the teeth, the other organs, and the Five Elements of TCM. The author describes exactly what happens inside the body during each organ’s active time and shows what we can do to support the organs with plant medicine, homeopathy, our behavior, and simple daily practices. By working with the body clock and better understanding our bodies’ rhythms, we more easily trace our ailments and conditions to their source for faster relief, sustainable healing, and energetic balance.

For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has helped countless people with their health, and is still widely sought after today—especially by those all over the world who are intrigued by natural healing and healthcare.The culture underlying TCM is broad and the information incredibly extensive, which means it can be difficult to know where to start for those who are interested in learning. This book does just that, providing both an encyclopedia of knowledge in the field, while also acting as a practical manual to guide readers to greater health. It offers an effective, easy-to-learn set of daily TCM skills and expert advice on how to use them.Through this book, you can learn:•Basic concepts such as yin-yang, the five elements, meridians and acupoints, qi, blood flow and constitution•How to judge your own health status through constitution tests and develop a personalized health plan for yourself•How to make external adjustments for your health through TCM practices such as acupressure, cupping, scraping, heat treatment, acupuncture, massage and other methods•TCM methods of natural internal adjustments including food therapy, herbal medicine, breathing techniques, sleep, meditation, qigong and other practices that will enhance your physical and mental health from the inside out•A twelve-hour regimen with adaptations for each of the four seasons, stages in life, times of day, and place where it is practiced, allowing readers to customize the plan to their lives.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of Chinese medicine terminology translation, defining the most central concepts in Chinese traditional medicine, providing simplified Chinese characters, Mandarin Pronunciation in pinyin, citations for 111 of the most key concepts in traditional Chinese medicine and culture. Covering definitions of terms relating to essence, qi, yin-yang theory, five elements and visceral manifestation in traditional medicine, it offers a selection of English versions of each term in addition to a standard English version, drawing on the translation history of traditional Chinese medicine. It provides a useful resource to understand the fundamental terms of traditional Chinese medicine and culture in Chinese and English, and their relevance to cross-cultural discourse.