Traditional Chinese Medicine: Balancing the Life Force Within

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dateds back to almost 5,000 years during the Shang and early Zhou dynasties. It is based on the classical works of two emperors - Red Emperor Shen Nong's Classics of Herbal Medicine and Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine.In TCM, the universe exists as a unified whole, comprising of two opposing yet complementary forces known as yin and yang. This interdependent forces governs qi, the energy that governs the universe and nourishes every living cell. The philosophy of yin and yang is further refined into the theory of five elements - earth (tu), fire (huo), metal (jin), water (shui) and wood (mu), with each nurturing, supporting and controlling one another to keep the body in balance, health and harmony.When a person is in good health, the movement of qi and blood through the body is harmonious. Qi flows along a network of meridians to empower each and every cell and organ in the body. These meridians comprise of 12 main channels (six yin and six yang meridians) and eight 'extraordinary channels' that are spread throughout the body. Situated along the meridians are energy points called acupoints.TCM therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, accupressure, tuina and reflexology, exercises such as qi gong and tai qi are aimed towards removing blockages along the meridians and promote a smoother flow of qi.