I admit I find Western medicine off-putting. I dislike being treated as an illness and told that my best course of feeling better is a handful of pills. I prefer to think of symptoms or discomforts as a sign of a breakdown of the whole system. But I grew up in America. This system is all I’ve ever known.
That’s why I was so excited to find Chinese Herbal Medicine for Beginners. I wanted to learn about an alternative. Chinese Herbal Medicine looks at the person as a whole, as a system that needs to stay in balance in order for the person to feel their best and perform at the level that makes them happy. As someone who knows almost nothing about Chinese medicine, I am fascinated.
Chinese herbal medicine sees the person as energy. A healthy balance within the body allows the energy to flow freely and easily, promoting health and well-being, but when the energy gets blocked, that’s when a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine can help free up the blockage and allow the body’s energy to flow where it needs to. Since a basic understanding of that energy flow is important to treating the whole person, author Carrie Chauhan spends some time teaching us the basics. And then she gets to the nitty-gritty.
She starts with a section listing 35 of the most popular herbs in Chinese medicine, giving information about how they help the body, their Latin names as well as their names in Chinese medicine (Pinyin) names, and any extra information about them that could be helpful—precautions to take while using them or tips for growing them, for example, depending on the herb. She stresses that these need to be used carefully and thoughtfully, but she gives you enough information to make some informed choices about purchasing them, cultivating them, or working with a medical professional to find the right options for you.
The last and largest section of the book is a list of recipes, based on ailments, that even a beginner could try. There are decoctions for colds and the flu, cooking blends to help with cardiovascular health or to boost your immunity, compresses for muscle cramps, an eye soak for irritated eyes (like homemade tea bags for your eyes), and even summer coolers to help get you through the heat and humidity. These formulas and remedies can help with a host of issues, from anxiety to weight loss and lots more in between.
I’m not saying that using this book will fix everything that’s wrong with you. But if you’re like me and interested in learning more about a wellness system that’s been around for millions of years and offers options that you don’t generally find in Western medicine, then Chinese Herbal Medicine for Beginners is a good place to start.
A copy of Chinese Herbal Medicine for Beginners was provided by Rockridge Press through the Callisto Media Publisher’s Club, with many thanks.
