We’ve added a new product to our site, Seirogan. This remedy promotes intestinal health and is often used for diarrhea. At this time of year, we can all use some help for our digestive systems. You might also want to check out:
Dec 17
Fertility specialists are incorporating traditional Chinese medicine into western treatments for fertility:
“In today’s fast-paced world, married couples are waiting longer to have families. The average age of woman having children is much higher than in the past. This has posed some problems for couples that are deciding to have a family in their late 30s early 40s.
As women age, it becomes more difficult to produce good quality eggs for fertilization. Sometimes conception isn’t the problem, it’s maintaining a pregnancy that is difficult. Traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture, herbs, diet and a lot more) has addressed fertility issues (and women’s health) for thousands of years. Due to socio-economic reasons, the ancient Chinese have put an emphasis on this particular aspect of health/medicine.
It has become so effective and safe that even reproductive clinics all over the world are now incorporating traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture in particular) into their practices. It mainly helps with blood flow and also aids in calming patients so that their internal workings flow and circulate well.
The benefits are enormous. Other things that can affect a pregnancy are: Diet, stress, sleep problems, medications, depression and more. It’s also important to note that male factor infertility is as common as female factor infertility.”
Dec 17
Sage has many uses, including as a tea, or to treat skin conditions, as this article explains:
“Salvia splendens is only one species of sage, Salvia officinalis. There are about 800 native species growing in America and Europe.
It is in Europe that most of the culinary sages we grow in our gardens come from. The native silver-green sagebrush we know is more aromatic than tasteful.
Some American indigenous peoples used the leafy sage plant as a disposable toothbrush. They also made a salve from the leaves mixed with bear grease, which they used to treat skin sores. Settlers here in America used sage leaf poultices to rid the skin of warts.
I grow a diverse array of this herb, all around my mixed foundation beds, as well as in the vegetable garden. Scarlet sage in a rustic container creates a bright splash of colour beside my front door right now. One variegated gold variety is not only good for cooking, it is also a wonderful addition to flower arrangements, both fresh and dried.
This can be said of any type of sage. I like to put bunches in wreaths and amongst the other greenery I use to decorate the house at this time of year.
Leaves come in an incredible variety of hues such as purple, green, silver and green, white and green; while spikes of flowers are found in white, blue, purple, red and scarlet.
I have to admit, though, my main use for sage leaves is tea. This is why I have the herb growing in beds all around the house; it’s easy to pop out and snip some on a whim. It’s also an excuse to step outside for a minute when I’m working, as opposed to reaching into the cupboard for dried tea.
Did you know that sage tea has been proven to lower blood sugar in diabetics?
And speaking of tea, the Chinese were willing at one time to trade their own tea leaves in exchange for sage leaves at a ratio of four to one.
Theirs wasn’t the only civilization to covet the herb. Ancients in the East and Middle East as well as throughout Europe have long used sage to produce longevity and increase mental abilities.
“Why should a man die, when he can go to his garden for sage?” The medical school in Salemo, Italy coined this aphorism. To this day, residents in the former Yugoslavia grow sage as we would wheat and hay. Usually three crops are harvested a year.
Like most herbs, sage is easily cultivated. The soil should be fair to poor, even on the slightly alkaline side, and it likes the sun and good drainage. Once established, sage is an extremely drought tolerant plant, taking almost no care.
It is also one of the rare herbs whose leaves are actually stronger flavored dried than when fresh.
Tip: Sage infusions have been used for ages to colour silver hair. This is a lovely, subtle rinse with one shortcoming; you daren’t quit using the treatment once started — your hair will take on a greenish tint when you stop (this isn’t permanent).
Trivia: Sage has long been used as a smudge to clear an area or a body of negativity. “
Dec 17
Following the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, foot massages in Chinese cities are a popular way to relax and rejunvinate:
What is your antidote to a frantic day’s Christmas shopping? In China, one of the de-stressing options available to rich and poor alike is to go for a foot wash.
Foot massage
Foot-washing is one of the most popular leisure activities in China
The young man sits at my feet, gazing up at me occasionally with almond eyes.
“How is this?” he asks me. “Is it comfortable? Too heavy? Too light?”
He massages ointments into my feet, rubs them and strokes them, easing away every tension.
From time to time he explains what he is doing in terms of Chinese medicine.
“This is the stomach,” he says, as he focuses on one spot on the sole of my foot. “This is the kidney.”
And after an hour and a half of his gentle ministrations, I am so happy and relaxed that I can hardly move.
Leisure activity
So-called foot-washing is one of the most popular leisure activities in China. “
Dec 13
Doctors are researching whether traditional Chinese medicine can help treat mental health issues:
“Acupuncture has been popular in China for ages, but it only managed to penetrate Western medicine only three decades ago. The Philippines was introduced early to this mode of healing because of the strong Chinese presence in the country.
Acupuncture and most other oriental healing modalities uphold the concept of qi or chi¯the universal life force that permeates all living things. Qi was also known as ki in Japanese, pneuma in Greek and prana in Sanskrit.
According to the principle, qi flows along the meridians that run across the human body. A blockage on any of these channels indicates an onset of a disease. Acupuncture operates on the premise that by inserting fine needles on certain points of the body, the blockages can be removed and any imbalance in the flow of qi can be corrected.
Acupuncture for mental disorders
The theory of acupuncture dictates that there are 12 meridians that run along the body, with each corresponding to a particular organ. There are a total of 361 acupuncture points on the human anatomy, according to Reyes, though only 300 of these are actively used. She explains that to understand how acupuncture can be used to treat mental disorders, it is good to examine the Chinese concept of Shen.
Shen in traditional Chinese medicine encompasses the whole spectrum of mental, emotional and spiritual aspect of an individual. It is integral to the Chinese therapeutics theory that says, “Emotions have distinct effects on the various organs.”
Reyes cites a few basic examples. Joy and love, according to her, affect the heart while sadness and grief affect the lungs, hence the rapid heartbeat and difficulty in breathing experienced by individuals agitated by these emotions.
Zeroing in on specific cases, depression, mood swings and impatience, she said, may indicate qi stagnation in the liver. After a careful diagnosis of the patient’s symptoms, an acupuncturist can stimulate the necessary points to restore the qi’s optimum flow.
Traditional Chinese medicine is holistic in its approach, the reason why Reyes mentioned the importance of nutrition to one’s emotional and mental well-being. The food and beverages we consume, she explains, will have a profound effect on our thoughts and emotions.
Reyes again used the liver to illustrate the point. She said that a case called “liver blood heat” is induced by excessive consumption of alcohol and fried foods. More heat in the liver can lead to violent tendencies, she warns, and this explains the phenomenon of angry drunks and post-drinking binge fights.”
Dec 13
China will help Malaysia build hospitals that integrate Chinese and Western medicine:
“China has agreed to help Malaysia set up integrated hospitals that incorporate Western, traditional and complementary medicine (TCM), said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
The ministry, together with officers from local universities and the National Accreditation Board, has met health ministry officials from China to see if the universities there could provide training and short-term courses to Malaysian doctors, he said.
Dr Chua said discussions were based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries last year.
“We went to three universities and they agreed to accept our Western-trained doctors for short-term courses and exposure,” he said yesterday.
Likewise, the universities would send their doctors to Malaysia to help set up integrated hospitals.
Dr Chua was at a ceremony to hand over RM2mil on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Department to Tung Shin Hospital for its RM25mil Chinese Medical Building fund.
“The integrated hospitals there are well established and recognised worldwide.
“The Health Ministry, State Administration of TCM and local Bureaus of TCM monitor them centrally and diagnosis is based on modern medicine while both Western medicine and TCM treatment are used,” said Dr Chua. “
Dec 13
Pharmaceutical powerhouse Merck is researching traditional Chinese medical treatments to develop cancer drugs:
“German pharmaceutical giant Merck announced last week that it would collaborate with a Chinese pharmaceutical company to develop new cancer drugs based on traditional Chinese herbs and botanical medicines.
Hong Kong-based Chi-Med — a pharmaceutical firm that develops consumer health products from natural ingredients used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) — said it will team with Merck to find potential cancer drugs among roughly 10,000 herbal TCM compounds. However, critics say the partnership will only serve to allow Merck to generate more profits from “pirated” natural plant chemicals sold as expensive pharmaceuticals.
Consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of “Take Back Your Health Power,” said Merck’s partnership with Chi-Med would result in the company locating, copying and patenting chemicals found in Chinese herbs, then selling them as prescription drugs.
“When Chinese firms steal intellectual property from the United States, we call it piracy, but when drug companies acquire medical know-how from Chinese medicine, it’s called research,” Adams said. “But let’s be clear here — I don’t believe Merck is about to start promoting Chinese herbal cures for anything. ”
Dec 06
According to traditional Chinese medicine tofu, watermelon, green tea, and lemons can help break down the alcohol in your body:
“Stuck with a hangover? While your Western doctor might suggest drinking more water, a visit to a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine might yield advice along the lines of toufu, watermelon, green tea and even lemons.
Overindulging in alcoholic beverages is harmful to the human body, but many people place their hopes in products touted as being able to break down alcohol, or even in patent medicines to increase their capacity for drink. Doctors emphasize that there is no product capable of mitigating the harm alcohol wreaks on the body, and the ones that are available today are not useful either for breaking down alcohol or bringing the penitent drinker a clearer head. Less in the glass, they say, is the only solution.
The problems alcohol brings are not limited to cirrhosis of the liver, a condition most people are aware of. Alcohol can also cause hardening of the liver and nervous disorders. Su Yingfu, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, says that studies show drinking too much alcohol can lead to bone damage or even bone death rates in about 5 percent of cases. Each week, any intake over 400 cc of alcohol means more bone that is held without oxygen and perishes as a result.
Although many products are available on the market, Xiao Dunren, a doctor of internal medicine specializing in the liver, stomach and related organs, says, “To date, there is still no mention in the medical literature of any product or component that can break down alcohol or shorten inebriation times.” The alcohol that has gone into the body is already there, and there is nothing to be done to mitigate its effects.
Xiao says that alcohol’s effects on the human body fall into two categories. On the one hand, alcohol in its original form, ethanol, has a direct inhibiting effect on the central nervous system, reducing a person’s self control. Another factor is the metabolic product of alcohol, aldehyde, which must be transformed into ethanoic acid in the liver, a process that places a load on the liver.
Whether or not a person will become intoxicated, and how long those effects will persist, depends entirely on the absorption of a person’s digestive tract and the metabolic ability of his liver. People might say that eating eggs before drinking, or using certain other products, will make alcohol entering the body immutable, but the majority merely delay the absorption of the alcohol. Taking in more water is more likely to hasten one’s recovery from a bout of drinking?
Dec 06
Some advice on strengthening your system for the flu season:
“Q: I get sick every holiday season. This year, I don’t want to catch a cold and ruin my vacation. How can I prevent a cold from coming on? I already take echinacea and zinc.
A: We all know the basics for staying healthy during the cold and flu season:
• Maintain good hygiene.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Avoid contact with people who are ill.
• Manage your stress levels and optimize your sleep.
• Get a flu shot, especially if you are over 50 or if you have a medical condition that might affect your immune system, including heart/lung disease or diabetes.
Some alternative therapies that may offer benefits:
• Panax ginseng may improve the response you get from the flu vaccine; should you get the flu, the herb elderberry may reduce your symptoms.
• Echinacea has been shown to reduce the duration of cold symptoms; another herb, andrographis, as well as vitamin C and zinc lozenges or nasal spray, may do the same.”
When people who regularly buy propecia get fed up, they learn to accept their hair loss by purchasing wigs or where needed, hair extensions.
