Seasonal allergic rhinitis is a medical term for what is commonly termed hay fever. It is actually a complex of symptoms characterized by seasonal or perennial sneezing, rhinorrhea (runny nose with a clear, watery discharge), nasal congestion, itching, and often conjunctivitis and pharyngitis in response to airborne allergens. Allergic rhinitis may not be just seasonal, however, it can be perennial. There are three basic types of seasonal allergic rhinitis: 1) spring type, 2) summer type, and 3) fall type. The allergens are different with each season.  Read More.

Obstetrics and Gynecology in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Women have been having babies since humans have existed, indeed, that is what keeps the human race going! So when problems do arise as far as conception, pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum, naturally.  Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM) has addressed these for centuries. Since TCM probably started as long ago as 5,000 years in ancient China and began being recorded in the written language as an organized, sophisticated medical system as far back as 2,500 years ago; one can understand how it is that this medical field is adept in these areas. People in the United States have not been aware of that until very recently and still, today, probably most people do not know or would not think of acupuncture and TOM for preparing for labor or for labor induction itself. Read More. 

Autumn-A Beautiful Season-but the Lungs are susceptible

Physiologically, bronchial asthma is a typically episodic and remittent obstructive lung disorder characterized by narrowing of the large and small airways due to spasm of the smooth muscles of the bronchi, edema, inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, and production of tenacious phlegm. A great deal of bronchial asthma is allergic in nature. People differ greatly in the severity and frequency of their symptoms. Some people may be completely asymptomatic between attacks and others may seem to have it perennially, and get episodes of flare-up attacks that can be severe. A severe exacerbation may occur after exposure to known allergens, viral infections, exercise, or nonspecific irritants. Psychoemotional stress may also either precipitate attacks or aggravate their severity. Read More

Treatment of diabetes mellitus Type II

This article is a report of what Dr. Gang Ma, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China is doing in the treatment of diabetes mellitus Type II and what I, as a student in the doctoral program at Five Branches University, have directly gleaned from him. It is very exciting how he and his staff are treating thousands of patients who have diabetes Type II with what seems to be much greater success than the Western-medicine-only treatment of diabetes that is usually done in the United States. Read
on about Zhejiang University Hospital and Dr. Ma. Read More

Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis Naturally

Almost all Americans have at least heard of osteoporosis and it seems more prominent today than ever before. It is no wonder it is so prominent when you consider the main causes of it. The more Americans realize the value of a healthy lifestyle, however, the incidence will go down. READ MORE

TCM: Effective Treatment for Post-stroke Recovery

In China, there is less incidence of stroke than in Western countries, and there is greater recovery of function after a stroke. This is not because Chinese people are physically different from Americans, but because of differences in diet, lifestyle, and post-stroke treatment. This will be changing in the near future, however, as the Chinese adopt a Western diet more and more of coffee, meat, and overly sweet baked goods. READ MORE

ORIENTAL TRADITIONS AND MODERN NUTRITION

In the late twentieth century, food finally began to be recognized in the West as an important healing force. For the first time in United States history, the Surgeon General acknowledged, in 1988, the value of a good diet while at the same time condemning typical American eating patterns. According to his statement two-thirds of all deaths are directly affected by improper diet, and poor eating habits play a large part in the nation’s most common killers – coronary heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, diabetes and some cancers. READ MORE.

NATURAL HEALING AND HEALTHCARE FROM THE ORIENTAL PERSPECTIVE

What the majority of Americans may call traditional medicine is what an Oriental medicine practitioner (doctor) would refer to as modern Western medicine or allopathic medicine, or conventional medicine. In a broad sense, with history of the human race as a whole taken into consideration, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is traditional; allopathic (Western) medicine is modern. Both forms of medicine are legitimate and both have much to contribute to the health of the society. READ MORE

DRUG / HERB INTERACTIONS

Is it safe to combine drug and herbal therapy simultaneously? It is important that people who are taking medications and wish to opt for a safer route, consult with a qualified, professional herbalist. A Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner is educated and qualified in Chinese herbal pharmacology as well as acupuncture. It involves a long and thorough study of not only the art and science of understanding the herbs properties, actions and effects on the human body, but of deriving an accurate diagnosis for the cause or imbalance underlying the patient’s disease or feeling of ill health. A Western pharmacology course is also included in the education. A degree in Oriental medicine is a four-year academic program at a specialized school, after undergraduate studies. Allopathic medicine doctors (M.D.’s) and pharmacists do not have an education in herbal medicine (unless they also went to Oriental medicine school). Because of this, there are allopathic medicine practitioners who advise their patients not to take herbs while on medication. That may be good advice if the patient is prescribing their own herbal therapy without any formal training. It may be significantly poor advice if it is preventing the patient from using herbs under the guidance of a qualified herbalist. In fact, the patient may miss out on a wonderful opportunity for a great state of health and the possibility of becoming drug free. READ MORE

THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB- CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

The typical Chinese herbal medicine shop conveys a feeling that little has changed for thousands of years. Rows of wooden drawers or transparent jars, simple scales and old fashioned crucibles, and the age-old varieties of the herbs themselves are still used today in a Chinese herbal pharmacy. Allopathic physicians may wonder why they don’t modernize the ancient art of herbal healing. Why don’t they refine and purify the crude herbs, extract and concentrate their active ingredients, and produce modern medications in capsules and ampules? READ MORE