The three pillars of oriental medicine are acupuncture, herbs and foods. There are thousands of herbal substances that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) medicine and often with surprising uses. The herbs and foods are grouped and classified according to their "properties." Herbs and foods are categorized by temperature, taste and the meridian or organ they affect. Everything edible can be categorized this way. Foods are additionally categorized by season.
Think back to your beginning chemistry class. All reactions either absorb heat or give it off. When the body metabolizes herbs or foods it is either warmed or cooled. Depending on the patient's condition, they might require a hot, warm, cool or cold herb to correct it. This is why the information from the tongue and pulse are so important for a correct diagnosis.
The five tastes are sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent and bland. Each taste relates to one of the five elements and has a specific action and direction. For example, pungent herbs move upward and outward. Salty herbs move downward.
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