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In a Nutshell: Oriental Medicine / Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Trauma, stressors, and poor life style choices tax the mind-body's ability to maintain a healthy harmonious state. When its homeostatic capability is pushed to its limits, the mind-body finds it more and more difficult to return to a truly healthy, balanced state and starts to create compromised positions. These compromises, over long periods, become the new norm to which the mind-body tries to maintain. However, this new norm is not one conducive to health, vigor, and vitality, and symptoms of imbalances manifest over time.

The good news is that the mind-body has the ability to heal itself and return to the proper state of balance and health. With a little guidance, healing modalities provide options to help guide the body to its original, healthy homeostatic position. The sooner the guidance is given, the quicker and easier the course correction is done; long-standing imbalances require more time and course corrections.

A core concept to Oriental Medicine / Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is guiding the return of the mind-body to its own harmonious balance. The mind-body includes physical as well as mental, emotional and spiritual aspects. Viewing and understanding the interactive nature of these aspects is integral to this medicine.

The Oriental Medical / TCM approach to guiding the mind-body's healing is done with various therapies. For example, acupuncture directly affects the qi, or energy system of the mind-body, which interacts with each of its aspects and induces healing. Chinese herbal remedies affect the body's biochemical constituents; the nature, properties, and functions of the herbs interact with the mind-body aspects and the components of disease. Qigong and other internal martial arts affect the qi, either through the direct action of a practitioner or though the practice of the patient.

Although the Oriental Medical / TCM practitioner often intervenes on behalf of the patient to help correct imbalances, there is much the individual can do to enhance and maintain balance once it is achieved. Through periodic monitoring and corrections, health, vigor and vitality can be maintained on all levels.