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For modern ills traditional Chinese herbs have been repackaged to suit modern circumstances. (David Bu/The Epoch Times)
Throughout history, mankind has been searching for ways to extend one’s longevity. Modern medicine, nutrition, and improved hygiene have been credited with extending the lifespan of people across the globe. However, there are still many diseases and ailments that modern medicine can’t touch.
In recent years, people in the West have looked toward alternative forms of healing, such as Ayurveda, traditional folk remedies, and Chinese medicine, as well as many other forms of healing other than the methods found in modern medicine.
Chinese medicine dates back millennia, with its origins found in great doctors such as Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, and Hua Tuo in the Han Dynasty. Many of the legends of the ancient physicians attributed supernormal powers to them as many followed Taoist practices. Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, is generally revered as the originator of Chinese medicine.
Herbal remedies, acupuncture, moxibustion, qigong, and Tai Chi are included within the spectrum of Chinese medicine.
We recently spoke with Dr. Hu Naiwen, who has practiced traditional Chinese medicine, principally in Taipei, for more than 30 years. He has treated thousands of patients worldwide using traditional methods.
He started his education in modern medicine and later studied and practiced traditional Chinese medicine. He has a talk show on the Chinese TV station NTDTV and on the Chinese radio station Sound of Hope.
Dr. Hu says that Chinese traditional medicine is divided into internal and external medicine. From antiquity until today, Chinese herbal pouches have been commonplace. Dr. Hu said that this was a widely used treatment method by physicians in the past.
Dr. Hu feels that traditional Chinese medicine is more precise than modern medicine. Modern allopathic medicine, he feels, “has one prescription that is to be used for many people,” while traditional Chinese medicine is tailored to the individual patient. To illustrate his point, he says that sometimes blood pressure medications do not work, or the medication might lower the blood pressure too much. They also have side effects.
He used high blood pressure as an example. “Chinese medicine does not have any drugs to lower blood pressure,” he says. However Chinese herbs improve the entire body, which leads to improvement in many different areas, including blood pressure.
With modern allopathic medicine, doctors gather data and statistics. Then, they analyze this data and determine what the problem is. In Chinese medicine, there is neither data collection nor statistical analysis, but the doctor will say that you have a “general sickness.” He says that sickness is caused by your body being out of balance.
Hu says that he has collected many different herbal formulas over the years, has selected herbs, and has created a high-quality herbal pouch. He says that herbal pouches were used in ancient times to protect against many diseases.
Such pouches were worn by nearly everyone in ancient times when there were epidemics. When inhaled, the scents that are emitted from the pouch enter the respiratory system and stimulate the nervous and immune systems, says Hu. This has been verified by scientific research. When the immune and nervous systems are balanced, the body will be more resistant to illness.
The pouch contains five different herbs: wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris), Bupleurum chinense, Rhizoma atractylodis, Chinese wild ginger (Asarum splendens), and Evodia (Evodia rutaecarpa).
Wild angelica is said to treat headaches and various bodily pains caused by being too hot or too cold. Bupleurum is used for traditionally to treat fevers, infections, and indigestion. Rhizoma atractylodis is used to strengthen digestion and the spleen and relieve chest pains. Chinese wild ginger is said to relieve nasal and lung congestion and treat head and body aches. The reddish fruit of the plant Evodia rutaecarpa relieves diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and blood clots, according to recent studies.
