One Remedy at a Time

I had the honor of reading an autobiography from a girl named Poppy who attends Qingdao University. She had told me about a time whenever she cut her forehead and she was advised by the doctor to only eat boiled vegetables without any seasonings for a week. This remedy was supposed to help the cut and stitches heal correctly. This got me interested in the medicine they practice in China and how it is different from that of which we practice here in America.

Traditional Chinese Medicine actually began in ancient China. People who practice Chinese medicine mostly use herbal remedies and mind and body practices. Examples of these are: acupuncture, tai chi, and various different herbal remedies. What do these things do to prevent and cure illness? They use the herbal medicines to restore the balance in the patients body and slowly improve it, rather then modern American medicine that aims to treat a disease or sickness head on. Tai chi actually began in china as a self defense art. As it has evolved people have begun to use it for health purposes. Tai chi is said to balance levels of yin and yang(opposing forces within the body) and qi(a vital energy or life force) to make for a better healthier body. Acupunture is a method where you penetrate the skin with small metal needles, it is used to help cure chronic pain.

Although America doesn't solely practice Chinese medicine there are people in America that do practice it and there are many people who use it as well. I think that it would be cool to use Chinese medicine as a primary medicine in America as well because there aren't actual drugs involved like there is here. Also, I think that Chinese medicine must be very affective, since all the people in china have been using it for decades and have been surviving thus far.




Burke, Adam. "Traditional Chinese Medicine: An Introduction." NCCAM. John Killen, 1 Mar. 2009. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.