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TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Originating in China, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used as an integrative medicine for good health for over 3000 years. According to TCM principles, the human body has an energetic anatomy system which is made up of a complex map of energy lines, known as the meridians. Illness is associated with various imbalances in these meridian lines, culminating in physical, mental and emotional disease. Meridian lines are like paths in our bodies through which the life-energy flows. Treating illness and maintaining health through herbal remedies and nutrition is an integral part of TCM, alongside other natural therapeutic methods, such as acupuncture. In the treatment of disease the focus of TCM is placed on enhancing the body’s energetic and physical resistance to diseases. In TCM herbal remedies and food are used to balance, nourish and restore the normal functioning of the organs as well as the meridians. Unlike Western medicine, in TCM, herbs and foods aren’t assessed based on their medicinal or nutritional value but rather on their energetic properties and how these affect the body, e.g. cooling, heating, dampening or drying. Practitioners refer to the theories of TCM to understand the causes for imbalances in the body, or “patterns of disharmony’. They use different methods to inform their diagnosis; for instance they’ll examine your pulse, observe your face, tongue and skin. Your practitioner is also likely to ask you some questions about your physiological symptoms, as well as your feelings and emotions. Once your practitioner has established a diagnosis, they’ll formulate an individualised herbal remedy for you and a plan consisting of dietary and lifestyle adjustments, e.g. which foods to eat and which to avoid.