| Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a | | | | calmed and dryness is moistened. |
| long history of over 4,000 years. For | | | | Advantages of TCM |
| centuries, millions of people in China | | | | Western medicine has approached health |
| have relied on TCM for their health and | | | | and a well being from a very different |
| treatments. | | | | angle and viewpoint. It is reactive, |
| What is TCM | | | | rather than proactive. Science and |
| TCM joins the power of acupuncture, | | | | symptoms is the main drivers. Western |
| Chinese herbs, and energetic exercises | | | | medicine examines and dissects to |
| to correct imbalances found in the body. | | | | determine the conditions of the body and |
| This not only allows the body to heal | | | | attempts to introduce external, often |
| itself but also helps to prevent other | | | | synthetic drugs to restore health. TCM |
| illness. TCM has been used to treat | | | | on the other hand, focus on why the body |
| various ailments, from acne, cellulite, | | | | is not functioning properly and attempts |
| dandruff, gout, insomnia, menopause, | | | | to use individualized organic herbal |
| weight loss and wrinkle to other more | | | | formula to rejuvenate and to restore the |
| serious health conditions such as | | | | body to its natural state. Modern drugs |
| arthritis, cancer, cholesterol, | | | | may cause side effects in the long term |
| depression, diabetes and heart diseases. | | | | and creating another disease while |
| Ying and Yang | | | | treating the other. |
| Chinese believe that the imbalances of | | | | Disadvantages of TCM |
| organ energies (or Qi) may cause disease | | | | One of the shortcomings of TCM is the |
| that affects the health. The TCM | | | | lack of research in the area of toxins |
| approach is fundamentally different from | | | | and heavy metals. This is because TCM |
| that of modern Western medicine. In TCM, | | | | was established centuries ago when the |
| the understanding of the human body is | | | | world was not polluted by industrial |
| based on the holistic understanding of | | | | waste or toxic chemicals. The lack of |
| the universe as described in Daoism, and | | | | standardization in Chinese herbs and the |
| the treatment of illness is based | | | | possibility of toxicity present some of |
| primarily on the diagnosis and | | | | the major disadvantages in dealing with |
| differentiation of syndromes. The goal | | | | traditional Chinese herbs. Numerous |
| of TCM treatment is to adjust and | | | | cases of potentially toxic levels of |
| harmonize Yin and Yang - wet and dry, | | | | arsenic and mercury in Chinese |
| cold and heat, body and mind. This is | | | | traditional medicines have been |
| accomplished by regulating the Qi, | | | | reported. It is advisable to purchase |
| Moisture and Blood in the Organ | | | | traditional Chinese medicine from |
| networks. Weak organs are strengthened. | | | | reputable sources and those which has |
| Congested channels are opened to flow, | | | | met FDA guidelines or strict local |
| heat is cooled, cold is warmed, | | | | health certifications. |
| tightness is softened, agitation is | | | | |