Chinese medicine: Q&A

What exactly is Chinese medicine?
Traditional Chinese medicine originated thousands of years ago. It's a holistic approach both to diagnosing and to treating physical and emotional problems.

How does Chinese medicine work?
It uses two main theories—"yin and yang" and "the five elements"—to look at the whole person rather than just the symptoms. With Chinese medicine the belief is that the mind and body are related, and if one is out of kilter it will affect the other.

How so? Explain this yin-yang business.
In Chinese medicine, yin and yang are complementary but opposing forces that needs to remain balanced to achieve optimum health. It's the law of opposites—"hot" and "cold", "light" and "dark"—and in Chinese medicine if the delicate balance is upset, illness is said to follow.

And what about Chinese medicine's five elements?
The five elements are wood, fire, metal, earth and water. In Chinese medicine each of these is represented by different parts of the body, and is also associated with specific flavours. For example, fire is linked to the heart, tongue and a bitter flavour.

What have flavours got to do with my health?
Well, like yin and yang, according to the principles of Chinese Medicine it's important that the five elements work together harmoniously. Too much sourness in the wood-related liver, for example, might need sweetening up to function properly.

So how can Chinese medicine diagnose a problem?
During a consultation, your Chinese medicine practitioner will ask you lots of questions about your health, diet and emotions. They will then use various diagnostic techniques, such as checking the colour of your skin or the moistness of your tongue.

What are the treatments in Chinese medicine like?
The two main treatments in Chinese medicine are acupuncture and herbal medicine. In Chinese medicine, the body is said to be criss-crossed with a network of energy pathways known as meridians. Acupuncture is the use of fine needles to stimulate specific points along these meridians, points where energy is believed to be blocked or stagnant. These "acupoints" are related to our internal organs.

And what about herbal medicine?
With Chinese medicine, you will be recommended herbs to help your condition. Say you have eczema for example. This can be an indication that your body has too much heat and damp, so your Chinese medicine practitioner may give you a rebalancing mixture of herbs considered to be cooling and drying.

What do I do with the herbs?
Your Chinese medicine practitioner will explain everything. Usually you'll brew them up like tea and take as recommended.