Chinese Herbal Medicine: An Integral Part of an Ancient and Complete Health Care System Chinese medicine is a highly complex and sophisticated healing system that emphasizes prevention of disease and strives to harmonize and enhance overall health and happiness. Chinese herbal medicine is one of the many components of this total health care system, which also makes use of dietary therapy, massage, deep breathing exercises, acupuncture, physical exercise, and lifestyle management. In China, herbal medicine is not regarded as an alternative form of medicine, but rather it holds an important place alongside modern medicine. In recent decades there has also been significant efforts made to integrate the discoveries made in traditional Chinese medicine with the advances in Western medicine. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (which includes Chinese herbal medicine) describe good health as a function of maintaining harmony with the endless patterns of change and transformation that permeate the universe. Furthermore, the human body is held in great reverence and it is believed to be capable of recovery and rejuvenation when properly respected and supported. Chinese herbal medicine taps into the power of using herbs to help harmonize the body, mind, and spirit, as a way of combating and preventing illness or disease and improving the quality and duration of life. In China there are over 3200 herbs that are used in herbal remedies. Some of the common herbs used in Chinese herbal medicine include the following: He shou wu, Shan yao, Chinese rhubarb, Hong hua, Ju hua, Lycium. Fu ling, Chinese angelica, Ginkgo biloba, Ginseng, and Sang ye. Two Fundamental Theories: Yin and Yang and The Five Elements Unlike other herbal traditions that have a unified theory for understanding illness and disease, Traditional Chinese Medicine, which was developed over thousands of years, has two different systems – the yin and yang theory and the system of the five elements. According to the ancient Chinese, all living things are sustained by a balance of two opposing forces of energy, yin and yang. Together, yin and yang make up the invisible life essence that is proposed to flow through our bodies, the chi (pronounced “chee”). When the flow of chi is blocked or there is too much or too little chi in one of the body’s energy pathways (called meridians), illness occurs. Herbs are an important part of the treatment to help stimulate the body’s own healing, promoting the natural flow of chi and helping to remove any blockages of the yin and yang that occur. The five elements system is centered on the notion that everything, including our bodily organs, is made up of five elements: earth, metal, water, fire, and wood. These elements are believed to be in constant movement and change, naturally giving rise to each other. The five elements theory, one of the most complex systems of thought in Traditional Chinese Medicine, attempts to help explain the cause of particular diseases, as well as the association of signs and symptoms to particular organs and afflictions. Herbs used in Chinese herbal medicine are also classified according to five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and pungent, which correspond to the five elements. This system of classification allows practitioners to choose specific herbs (depending on the illness and corresponding elements affected) to help restore balance to the elements within an individual. Taking Chinese Herbal Medicines Herbs are rarely used on their own in the traditions of Chinese herbal medicine. More often, mixtures of herbs that have been proven effective as tonics or remedies for specific illnesses are prescribed. Although there have been hundreds of herbs identified within the Chinese tradition, which have been used in different combinations to create thousands of formulas, the basic repertory of a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine consists of approximately 120 prescriptions, each containing six to twelve components. A formula is typically selected as a starting point in Chinese herbal medicine, to which herbs are added according to an individual’s specific needs and makeup. As there are complex relationships between the various herbs within a formula, much skill is required to select the most appropriate combination to create a balanced and effective formula. Spreading Popularity While Chinese herbal medicine has flourished and has been recognized as a valid medical system in China, its popularity is not limited to the East. Chinese herbal medicine is now practiced by trained practitioners in every continent. According to conference held in Beijing in 2005, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been accepted by more than 120 countries and regions. In the West, pharmaceutical companies have also been increasingly recognizing the value of traditional Chinese herbal medicines and teams of scientists have been employed in various parts of the world to gather knowledge from traditional healers and medical practitioners. Although studies have produced wide-ranging results on the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicines, several clinical trials have provided evidence of the efficacy of specific herbs, including their abilities to contribute to reduced side effects, lowered risk of reoccurrence of illness, and potentially even longer survival rates. As more evidence to suggest the effectiveness of Chinese herbal treatments becomes available, Chinese herbal medicine will undoubtedly only become even more popular as a holistic health care system that aims to achieve harmony, happiness, and overall wellbeing.