Maintaining the Flow

As Chinese living in Asia or Southeast Asia, we often take Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) for granted...like certain foods we eat, acupuncture treatments, reflexology, the use of medicinal herbs and so on. We're familiar with them because this is what we've grown up with...and often we don't even think of them as "medicine." But for many Westerners these practices are still relatively new and may even seem a bit foreign.

Acupuncture works for pets too

And even being familiar with the practice of Chinese medicine, many of us tend to overlook the significant role that "qi" or "chi" plays within the human body and just how sensible and natural certain treatments are.

Chi is vitally important - because good health (both physical, mental) is an expression of balanced chi and disease and illness occur when you inner chi becomes unbalanced.

TCM is familiar to most Asians

Traditional Chinese Medicine dates back as far as 500-300 BC and original references are found in Huang Di Nei Jing or "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine" which explains the theories of TCM taken from conversation between the Yellow Emperor Huan Di and his trusted personal physician, Shi Po. Much is based on Taoist principles - the relationship of man to nature and how our way of life and relationship with our environment affect our health.

The unimpeded movement and flow of chi as energy coursing through our bodies is essential for good health...and when imbalances occur in the form of blockages, they can usually be treated with specific kinds of traditional Chinese medicine. For example, in the therapeutic treatment of acupuncture, needles are used to change the strength and speed of chi in certain body channels and to remove blockages, while specific foods can replace or strengthen weakened chi as do special medicinal herbs.

Inner Chi - your vital life force

So it always comes back to balance and the unobstructed flow of chi within our bodies. We must be constantly aware of the energy within - our inner chi - this vital life force that has been given to us. No one else is going to guard and watch over it for you...and there is no one better to do it than you.

To your good health!
Lillian