The Five Pillars of Chinese Medicine… and How We’re Using Them Now: In Isolation
For those of you who don’t know, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) isn’t ALL about acupuncture. This beautiful medicine is a set of healing modalities that are built on the foundations of natural medicine. They bring the elements of nature, spirit, and body together in order to create harmony and bolster the “vital qi” or energy of the body. As mother nature is currently checking the human race, we need all of them, now more than ever, in the time of the coronavirus.
There are five pillars of TCM and acupuncture is the most common. Because of how useful and accessible acupuncture is, that tends to be the focus of TCM practitioners today (and obviously what we’ve built our business around), but there’s so much more to the medicine! So what are the other four pillars you ask? Some of you (almost all of you) have experienced them in treatment with us without even knowing it.
The 5 Pillars are:
Acupuncture
Moxibustion (“moxa” for short)
Chinese herbal medicine
Tui Na
Qi Gong
During this time of COVID-19 and isolation, acupuncture is the ONLY pillar that is unavailable to you right now. Even though that’s what all of you are used to seeing us for, there is so much more that you can do for yourself with the tools that TCM offers. Below, you can find more on how to use TCM at home (with our guidance).
Almost as great as acupuncture, moxibustion is the second pillar that many of you have experienced in our treatments. Moxa is the little hot stick that I wave around or the little smokey cones I burn on the skin. Moxa is just mugwort - yes, just an herb that some of you might grow in your garden! It has been processed for us to burn in a specific way to benefit the body. I think of it this way: acupuncture is the MOVING part of treatment and moxa is the NOURISHING part of treatment. I use it on so many people. You would have to pry it out of my bleeding hands - THAT is how much I see benefit and really love using it.
If you’re interested in using moxa at home, we have sticks for sale that you can safely pick up at our office during our pick up hours (4-5 pm, M-F). Schedule a virtual visit with us and we can tell you how and where to use the moxa to benefit your immune system and give you a boost. We have several patients using them at home for an array of reasons: hormone regulation, digestive support, pain, immunity, and the list goes on. If you’re curious if you have a condition that moxa can support, don’t hesitate to ask and we’ll have some good information for you in return.
Herbal medicine is arguably the most important of the five pillars. There are several ways to take Chinese herbs that most of you have experienced in one way or another: teas to tinctures to herbal pills. Some of you LOVE the taste...some of you, not so much. Hehe. Despite how “earthy” they can taste, herbs are an incredible tool to have, especially now. This is the most beneficial way to combat immune issues and COVID-19 currently. Even if you don’t have symptoms relating to the coronavirus, you can schedule a virtual visit to discuss what you might need for other things: stress, sleep issues, allergies, digestion, or overall wellness. Ask and you shall receive!
When it comes to the last two pillars, tui na and qi gong, these modalities are probably what you’ve heard the least about. Tui na is a type of Chinese body work, but the net is wide and chances are, you’ve experienced it in some form. This includes lots of “pushing and grasping” of the tissue. (I believe that’s the direct translation). I usually do this along the spine, where the muscles and fascial tissues get bunched up, but it can be done anywhere! If you’ve had abdominal massage from me, that’s also considered a form of tui na. If you’ve been cupped or had gua sha when you’re sick, that’s a form of tui na! If you’re giving yourself acupressure or massaged areas of pain at home, that can be considered tui na. See? You’ve had it and you didn’t even know. Again, if you need ideas about acupressure points or how to do a little tui na on your own, please schedule a virtual visit with us in April!
Lastly, qi gong is a very unique and special aspect of TCM that deals with the cultivation of your own wellness. This is a self-practice that no one can do for you. Qi gong can be very simple or very complicated depending on how in depth you want to go. It is the pairing of breath to movement - very similar to yoga or meditation. The difference is, with qi gong, you want to also pair your thoughts to the movements as well. It is said “where your thoughts go, the energy goes.” You can read more about qi gong basics here, and check out our Facebook page for videos with our good friend and qi gong master Emily Herbst! With the breath as the base for any qi gong movement, this is an important pillar of TCM to incorporate into your life at this specific time. Since the coronavirus affects the lungs primarily, it is of the utmost importance to keep your lungs and respiratory health in tip-top shape. We have lots of resources and videos of different qi gong exercises, so if you’re curious about some home practice during quarantine, please reach out!
This was a long one - thank you to everyone who stuck with me through all of the explanations. I hope now you understand more about the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine! If you have any questions or need help in any of these areas, give us a call! The Alpenglow/CRT team is ready to help! And goodness knows…we have the time.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
