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Traditional Chinese Medicine is a practice that was developed over 2000 years ago. It is based from empirical concepts that have not yet been mapped in the eyes of science. TCM practitioners use mind and body approaches to heal the human body. For instance, the basic approaches that TCM uses "....were derived from the Chinese philosophy of Yin-Yang and Five Elements, and its fundamental concepts such as the Zang-fu (viscera) concept, Qi (vital energy), and meridians have yet to be mapped by scientific equivalents or clearly elucidated in scientific terms" (Fung and Linn). Although this practice began in Chinese countries, it's therapeutic capabilities has became more popular in more non Asian countries as well.

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I chose this topic because it is amazing to witness the connection between the mind and body and an individual's health. The main idea that TCM practitioners use is the maintain and restore the yinyang balance of the body. When a person is healthy, they are said to have harmony between these two forces. On the other hand, when a person is facing an illness of some kind, there is an imbalance within the yinyang. It is so amazing that Traditional Chinese Medicine understands the body through individual channels that I would have never realized myself. This energy network is connected through organs, tissues, veins, nerves, cells, as well as consciousness itself. This practice almost seems like magic to me. However, it is a real practice that has positive effects on the mind, body, and overall well-being of individuals.

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The balance of these elements is crucial to maintaining health. 

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The Five Elements theory describes the human body and herbs with five elemental qualities.

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Acupuncture is when practitioners stimulate specific areas on the body using thin needles on the skin. The idea behind acupuncture is to try to get the body to release the body's natural painkillers. It is suppose to target and change how the brain is processing pain. For instance, it may be used when someone is experiencing chronic pain such as backaches, knee-aches, or neck pain. It may also be used to help relieve tensions in the head when experiencing headaches (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

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Herbal therapy is one of the most widely used practices in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Herbal Therapy refers to how thousands of herbs can have an effect on the body, mind, and spirit. Some of the many herbs include dirt, stones, bones, insects, certain animal parts, leaves, roots, as well as several other things. Herbal therapy can be used to treat illnesses as well as an aid to prevent certain diseases. For example Ginseng is a medicinal plant whose roots are usually steeped to make a tea or it can be made into a powder. This herb is often used to help treat inflammation and improve brain function.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine vs Western Medicine

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Traditional Chinese Medicine vs Western Medicine

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Despite being a very widespread and popular form of healing, Western Medicine is still skeptical of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This would be because Western Medicine evidence-based where Chinese Medicine is more described of as a healing art (Huang, et al). Chinese medicine uses more of an inductive and synthetic approach while Western Medicine uses an analytical and a reductive approach. However, just because Chinese medicine isn't necessarily "proven" in the ways Western Medicine has been, it does not reduce it to any less meaning. Chinese medicine is based on many years of trials and clinical observations that have benefited the lives of countless individuals. Therefore, TCM is more experience based while Western-medicine is more evidence based.

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Overall, Traditional Chinese Medicine benefits the overall well-being of people. It helps find harmony within the body in order to treat and prevent illness as well as raise consciousness in the mind. TCM recognizes that the body, mind, emotions, and spirit are all linked and determine one's health and energy. It would be extremely interesting to try to find scientific evidence to help support to ideas of this medicine. If there could possibly be concrete facts to back up this medical practice, it would help Western Medicine be able to validate these procedures instead of dismissing them.

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Fung, F. Y., & Linn, Y. C. (2015). Developing traditional chinese medicine in the era of evidence-based medicine: current evidences and challenges. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015, 425037. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/425037

Huang, C. D., Liao, K. C., Chung, F. T., Tseng, H. M., Fang, J. T., Lii, S. C., Kuo, H. P., Yeh, S. J., & Lee, S. T. (2017). Different perceptions of narrative medicine between Western and Chinese medicine students. BMC medical education, 17(1), 85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-017-0925-0

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Traditional chinese medicine: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/traditional-chinese-medicine-what-you-need-to-know. U.S. Department of