Chinese Herbal Medicine to the Rescue
Dr. Ting Hung-Leung, Hong Kong’s deputy director for Traditional Chinese Medicine, commented: “The problem in 1997 was we had over 7,000 practitioners of herbal and Traditional Chinese Medicine and anyone could call themselves TCM practitioners.” Now rigid licensing and educational standards have made the study more acceptable to Western standards. As a result, Chinese herbal medicine and clinics offering acupuncture treatment are opening up in many American medical schools and the ancient treatments are being tested in laboratories for effectiveness. Researchers and patients alike are surprised at the results.
To treat emphysema, Chinese herbal doctors recommend first adjusting your diet to include raw foods and vegetable juices. Garlic, onions and a teaspoon of pure, cold-pressed olive oil and apple juice should be taken every day to add essential fatty acids to the diet, thus eliminating toxic waste. Several times a week, patients should include chili peppers, ginger, horseradish and other spicy foods that keep mucus away. Also, avoid gassy foods like cabbage, greasy goods, salt and mucus-encouraging items (dairy, wheat, tobacco, processed junk). Chinese herbal supplements used to treat emphysema include: vitamin B6 (to remove cadmium), coenzymes (to improve lung oxygenization), vitamin E (carries oxygen), vitamin C (heals inflammation) and vitamin A (repairs lung tissue). Specialists also recommend rubbing your chest with diluted essential oils like cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint or pine to assist in breathing. Home made teas made of boiling water and a few teaspoons of mullein or licorice before meals can work wonders. It’s important to see a specialist, as every individual’s treatment is unique.
“I think acceptance by the mainstream medicine is getting better and better,”said Che Chun Tao, professor and director of the School of Chinese Medicine at Chinese University. “I can tell you, before 1997 there were no doctors in hospitals who were willing to touch any herbal materials in clinical trials, but now there’s quite a number of clinical trials going on and there’s better acceptance from medical doctors. I believe a combination of traditional Chinese medicine together with western medicine is needed for treating serious diseases and it’s important to offer a choice for patients and the general public,” he said. Currently, clinical trials for Chinese herbal extracts are being tested all around the world to cure some of the world’s most serious diseases.
“If you are taking herbs without experiencing any results after a week or two, then perhaps your formula needs to be changed, unhealthy foods eliminated from your diet, or other changes made,” says Jiang Wind Xiao, one Chinese herbal exhibitor. “If you are being told to take herbs for long periods of time without seeing any benefits, or are experiencing side effects, then perhaps you need to see another practitioner.” Pharmaceuticals should still be used for emergencies, but for long term care Chinese herbal remedies work best.
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