I grew up in an environment where traditional Chinese medicine was prevalent, but have spent the past 50 years under the care of "modern" western medicine. I know that each of these medical disciplines has its advantages and neither is perfect, but the fact that they are based on totally different philosophy makes it difficult for a future that can see the combination of the good of both sides and the elimination of their shortcomings. In a previous posting I have briefly discussed the rationale behind Chinese medicine. I still don't quite understand it and I am still skeptical about it.
Recently I have the opportunity to see some unusual Chinese medical practice in action. In October, I helped arrange for two very reputable Chinese doctors from Shanghai and Beijing, who were in the States for private matters, to informally demonstrate their skills by treating people at a local college. One of the doctors, a sport medicine expert, treated about 20 people with complaints of neck, shoulder, back, knee and foot problems. Most of these problems were resolved with a few minutes of physical treatment using one of more of these five methods: acupuncture, acupressure, stretching of the muscles (la jin), bone setting, and skin scraping. Since I don't have any medical training of any kind, I may not be describing these treatments accurately. One very heavy-set woman came in on a cane, accompanied by her husband, was able to walk out without the cane after about half and hour of treatment. No equipment was used unless one counts the acupuncture needle as equipment, and no medication was required.
Last week, by chance I met another "miracle doctor" in New Jersey and read a book written by him detailing how he abandoned his Wall Street job and spent two years wandering around China visiting Tao and Buddhist temples seeking out some good traditional Chinese medicine doctors and learn their trade, sleeping at temples and farm houses, and at the same time practice what he learned by actually treating people in some of China's poorest areas. In Tibet he treated about a thousand people with all kinds of illnesses including diabetes, blindness and disabilities caused by strokes. He never charged anything of his patients. At a friend's house, I and several other people were treated by him for some rather minor discomfort. More importantly, I was able to learn about how the treatment works and some exercise that helps keep myself healthy. I am now still somewhat skeptical about these Chinese treatment, but less so than before. I want to know more.
According to this financier-turned-healer, the human body has an inherent ability to ward off all kinds of illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, etc. Only when some imbalances occur within the body or some blockage of the circulation of the vital "chi" occurs would these illnesses be able to rear their ugly head and cause all kind of troubles. So the way to keep oneself healthy is to keep everything in balance. Obviously I am oversimplifying things here and I apologize.
I am particularly interested in the "la jin" (stretching of the muscles) treatment that this doctor taught me. He put me lying on a bench against and perpendicular to a wall with my right leg stretched up against the wall and try to put my leg at a 90% angle to my torso. There is no way I can do that. My knee could not be straight and my bottom could not come close to the wall. He said that is because my tendons and muscles have contracted thereby obstructing the circulation of "chi" in my body. He then diagnosed that my kidneys are weak and told me that by practicing "la jin" I will be able to relief my kidney problem.
There are two way to practice "la jin": one is as described above by stretching both legs (one at a time) until they can be straightened. The other is by standing at a doorway with both arms holding either sides of the door frame, while both legs straddling the door way with the front leg bend and the rear leg straight. Stay that way for five minutes and then change position of the legs for another five minutes. Practice this twice a day.
I am going to try his "la jin" method and will report my progress, if any, on my blog in the months ahead. I may even be able to put a video in here. Stay tuned.
Showing posts with label chinese medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chinese medicine. Show all posts
Nov 12, 2008
May 20, 2008
Alternative Medicine
I have no training in any kind of medicine, but I have been a recipient of both today's conventional (or mainstream) and and certain alternative health solutions for quite a while so I do know a little bit about them from the receiving end. there are many types of alternative (or complementary) health solutions, but I am mainly talking about Chinese traditional medicine (sometimes inaccurately called "herb" medicine.) Here I want to express my opinion on how these two medical disciplines ought to respect each other and benefit from each other.
What we now consider as the "conventional" or "mainstream" medicine, i.e. one based on modern scientific methodology and delivered by highly-trained professionals in myriad of ever narrowing specialties, mostly chemical-based pharmaceuticals and increasingly sophisticated diagnostic and treatment equipment, has its roots in Ancient Greece but has been in its current form for, depending on how you define it, possibly no more than 100 years. It has produced many medical wonders along the way, but is by no means perfect. It is also becoming more and more prohibitively expensive and un-affordable for many people. Meanwhile, the requisite drugs and equipment to support this medical discipline has become a huge industry.
What are now considered "alternative" (meaning non-standard or quasi-legitimate at best) medicine, however, dated back to our hunter-gatherer time. Every culture of the world has its own traditional medicine that works, or that culture would not be around today. In western societies especially in Europe and North America, they are considered illegitimate if not woo-doo medicine and shunned by the mainstream medical establishment, although some reluctant exceptions have been made in recent years (e.g. acupuncture.)
Chinese medicine can be traced back all the way to about 2000 B.C.E. While it hasn't been helped by sophisticated scientific instruments, it anchors on thousands of years of empirical data handed down, often by words of mouth, from generation to generation and through trials and errors. Many health problems can be treated and even cured with Chinese medicine, but there are many things that it cannot do also. Another shortcoming is that the onus of diagnosis is all on the doctor. There isn't much in the way of diagnostic equipment. Diagnosis is based on looking listening, asking questions, and taking the pulse. Experienced doctors are hard to come by. The good part is it is very inexpensive. Nevertheless, if Chinese medicine has been treating this most populous nation on earth, it must have been doing something right, whether or not today's western medical establishment is able to understand.
To sum up, modern medicine is precise, can train many doctors and technicians to do exactly the same procedures, but is very expensive. Chinese traditional medicine is very inexpensive, but one has to rely on an experienced doctor and such a doctor is becoming rarer and rarer.
A few years ago I have come upon a book written in Chinese and published in Taiwan, in which the author examine the fundamental difference in philosophy between Chinese medicine of today's Western medicine. In several future postings, I would like to talk about some of the major points of this book. The name of the book is "A Manual for the Human Body."
What we now consider as the "conventional" or "mainstream" medicine, i.e. one based on modern scientific methodology and delivered by highly-trained professionals in myriad of ever narrowing specialties, mostly chemical-based pharmaceuticals and increasingly sophisticated diagnostic and treatment equipment, has its roots in Ancient Greece but has been in its current form for, depending on how you define it, possibly no more than 100 years. It has produced many medical wonders along the way, but is by no means perfect. It is also becoming more and more prohibitively expensive and un-affordable for many people. Meanwhile, the requisite drugs and equipment to support this medical discipline has become a huge industry.
What are now considered "alternative" (meaning non-standard or quasi-legitimate at best) medicine, however, dated back to our hunter-gatherer time. Every culture of the world has its own traditional medicine that works, or that culture would not be around today. In western societies especially in Europe and North America, they are considered illegitimate if not woo-doo medicine and shunned by the mainstream medical establishment, although some reluctant exceptions have been made in recent years (e.g. acupuncture.)
Chinese medicine can be traced back all the way to about 2000 B.C.E. While it hasn't been helped by sophisticated scientific instruments, it anchors on thousands of years of empirical data handed down, often by words of mouth, from generation to generation and through trials and errors. Many health problems can be treated and even cured with Chinese medicine, but there are many things that it cannot do also. Another shortcoming is that the onus of diagnosis is all on the doctor. There isn't much in the way of diagnostic equipment. Diagnosis is based on looking listening, asking questions, and taking the pulse. Experienced doctors are hard to come by. The good part is it is very inexpensive. Nevertheless, if Chinese medicine has been treating this most populous nation on earth, it must have been doing something right, whether or not today's western medical establishment is able to understand.
To sum up, modern medicine is precise, can train many doctors and technicians to do exactly the same procedures, but is very expensive. Chinese traditional medicine is very inexpensive, but one has to rely on an experienced doctor and such a doctor is becoming rarer and rarer.
A few years ago I have come upon a book written in Chinese and published in Taiwan, in which the author examine the fundamental difference in philosophy between Chinese medicine of today's Western medicine. In several future postings, I would like to talk about some of the major points of this book. The name of the book is "A Manual for the Human Body."
Feb 20, 2008
Alternative Health Maintenance
The Western world has developed a very successful medical system that allows us to maintain good health and to treat diseases when they occur. Over time, a gigantic international medical establishment has evolved into a major component of the worldwide economy. This establishment includes the various medical professionals such as doctors, surgeons, specialists, nurses, hospitals and their administrations, physical therapists, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of health supplements, manufacturers of medical equipment and accessories, etc., etc. Off hand I don't know the size of the total annual revenue of this establishment but it must be in the trillions of dollars.
I grew up in an Asian country at a time when the traditional Chinese "herb" medicine and doctors were the norm. The only time I remember going to a "Western doctor" at the age of about 10 was when I had my tonsil taken out. So even though I have been under the exclusive care of "Western doctors" for the past 60 years, I still remembers the time when I have to swallow some very, very bitter and strong smelling herbal medicine every time I got sick. Today, many people in China have accepted the "Western doctor" but many others are still sticking to the traditional "herbal" medicine as much as possible. I often wonder which one of these two medical regimes is better. After all, if the Chinese medicine has been used for thousands of years and there are still so many Chinese living and kicking, it can't be that bad.
I don't have any medical training, Chinese or otherwise, so my medical knowledge is no better than that of a somewhat knowledgeable layman. I do read a lot about medical science though. And I realize that today, in this country, health care is becoming an ever heavier burden for the individual and the government. Many people can't even afford medical insurance. There might something wrong with this picture. I want to use these pages to express my feeling and thinking and to invite comments in an effort to find out whether we might need to modify the direction that our medical system is heading. Perhaps we should look at some alternatives.
I also want to make it clear that what I say in these pages is based on my understanding and make not be always correct or complete. In that case I am only too happy to be corrected by those who know better.
One major difference I have noticed between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine is that Western medicine is based on scientific research and emphasizes the use of chemical processes to produce medication that treat specific illnesses in specific parts of the body, i.e. if there is something wrong with the toe, treat the toe with medication; if there is something wrong with the ear, treat the ear with medication. In Chinese medicine, the belief is that the human body has a powerful defense system for warding off illnesses, and that illnesses are often caused by malfunctioning of this defense system. Therefore, it is more important to rectify the defense system than introducing some foreign matter to the body. To me, Chinese medicine seems to be based on empirical evidence than "scientific" evidence.
I recently read a book that makes a very interesting point about why Chinese medicine and Western medicine look at treating illnesses in different ways. It says that in the ancient time, Western scientists (must be in ancient Greece)created alchemy in an effort to create gold out of dirt. This launched the Western world in the direction of using chemical processes to find treatment for illnesses. Whereas in China, the emperors were always looking for ways to live forever. They dispatched their best medical talents to go to all over the country look for plants and other natural materials that produce a magic "xian dan" (magic pill) that will keep their bodies young. Hence the use of a variety of herbal ingredients in Chinese medicine. (Actually the term "herbal" is misleading because Chinese medicine uses not just herbs but also other plants, minerals, insects, animal parts...all that can be found in nature.)
In Chinese legends, before there was recorded history, there were four tribal leaders called Sui Ren, Sheng Nong, Fu Xi and You Chao. From the meaning of these Chinese names, it appears that Sui Ren (the firestone man) is the one who taught people to use fire; Fu Xi (the tamer)taught people to domesticate animals, You Chao (the Nest man) taught people to build shelter, and Sheng Nong (the divine farmer)is the one who taught people agriculture. Legends have it that Sheng Nong "tasted a hundred herbs," meaning that he tested all kinds of plant materials for their practical uses by his people. Sheng Nong therefore set off the desire of future Chinese emperors to try the "herbal" route for longevity, and would be the originator of Chinese medicine.
In the ensuing four thousand years or so, a lot of people must have gotten sick or die from taking the wrong plants for the wrong illnesses until the "doctors" figure out what medicine is right for what illness and in what dose, and what medicines can be combined to do some other jobs. Four thousand years is a lot of time to do these live experiments. Chinese doctors cannot use chemical formulas to show why certain herbs can do a certain job, although I believe a lot of work is being done in China today to find "scientific" explanation for the efficacy of many Chinese medicines. My question is: Why can't the best medical minds in the Western world also make an effort to help with this search?
I will continue with this monologue in future postings. I do hope that this posting can generate some discussions in the meantime.
I grew up in an Asian country at a time when the traditional Chinese "herb" medicine and doctors were the norm. The only time I remember going to a "Western doctor" at the age of about 10 was when I had my tonsil taken out. So even though I have been under the exclusive care of "Western doctors" for the past 60 years, I still remembers the time when I have to swallow some very, very bitter and strong smelling herbal medicine every time I got sick. Today, many people in China have accepted the "Western doctor" but many others are still sticking to the traditional "herbal" medicine as much as possible. I often wonder which one of these two medical regimes is better. After all, if the Chinese medicine has been used for thousands of years and there are still so many Chinese living and kicking, it can't be that bad.
I don't have any medical training, Chinese or otherwise, so my medical knowledge is no better than that of a somewhat knowledgeable layman. I do read a lot about medical science though. And I realize that today, in this country, health care is becoming an ever heavier burden for the individual and the government. Many people can't even afford medical insurance. There might something wrong with this picture. I want to use these pages to express my feeling and thinking and to invite comments in an effort to find out whether we might need to modify the direction that our medical system is heading. Perhaps we should look at some alternatives.
I also want to make it clear that what I say in these pages is based on my understanding and make not be always correct or complete. In that case I am only too happy to be corrected by those who know better.
One major difference I have noticed between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine is that Western medicine is based on scientific research and emphasizes the use of chemical processes to produce medication that treat specific illnesses in specific parts of the body, i.e. if there is something wrong with the toe, treat the toe with medication; if there is something wrong with the ear, treat the ear with medication. In Chinese medicine, the belief is that the human body has a powerful defense system for warding off illnesses, and that illnesses are often caused by malfunctioning of this defense system. Therefore, it is more important to rectify the defense system than introducing some foreign matter to the body. To me, Chinese medicine seems to be based on empirical evidence than "scientific" evidence.
I recently read a book that makes a very interesting point about why Chinese medicine and Western medicine look at treating illnesses in different ways. It says that in the ancient time, Western scientists (must be in ancient Greece)created alchemy in an effort to create gold out of dirt. This launched the Western world in the direction of using chemical processes to find treatment for illnesses. Whereas in China, the emperors were always looking for ways to live forever. They dispatched their best medical talents to go to all over the country look for plants and other natural materials that produce a magic "xian dan" (magic pill) that will keep their bodies young. Hence the use of a variety of herbal ingredients in Chinese medicine. (Actually the term "herbal" is misleading because Chinese medicine uses not just herbs but also other plants, minerals, insects, animal parts...all that can be found in nature.)
In Chinese legends, before there was recorded history, there were four tribal leaders called Sui Ren, Sheng Nong, Fu Xi and You Chao. From the meaning of these Chinese names, it appears that Sui Ren (the firestone man) is the one who taught people to use fire; Fu Xi (the tamer)taught people to domesticate animals, You Chao (the Nest man) taught people to build shelter, and Sheng Nong (the divine farmer)is the one who taught people agriculture. Legends have it that Sheng Nong "tasted a hundred herbs," meaning that he tested all kinds of plant materials for their practical uses by his people. Sheng Nong therefore set off the desire of future Chinese emperors to try the "herbal" route for longevity, and would be the originator of Chinese medicine.
In the ensuing four thousand years or so, a lot of people must have gotten sick or die from taking the wrong plants for the wrong illnesses until the "doctors" figure out what medicine is right for what illness and in what dose, and what medicines can be combined to do some other jobs. Four thousand years is a lot of time to do these live experiments. Chinese doctors cannot use chemical formulas to show why certain herbs can do a certain job, although I believe a lot of work is being done in China today to find "scientific" explanation for the efficacy of many Chinese medicines. My question is: Why can't the best medical minds in the Western world also make an effort to help with this search?
I will continue with this monologue in future postings. I do hope that this posting can generate some discussions in the meantime.
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