Monica Bloch Kaderali,
M.S., L.Ac. |
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Traditional Chinese
Medicine
One of the
most common examples of the mind/body connection is the correlation between
stomach ulcers and stress. For millennia the Chinese have understood this
mind/body disease component, but it wasn’t until 1980 that the National
Institute of Health agreed that stress is the culprit for the majority of
disease. In contrast, there are numerous cases of even the most dire of
prognoses being overturned by a strong belief system. A famous example of
this is Dr. Norman Cousins, who cured himself of a spine condition called
ankylosing spondylitis by watching movies that made him laugh. Thus the
human body, mind and spirit The ancient Chinese Taoists made simple observations describing both their external and internal environments, creating insightful analogies many years before autopsies and lab work (external environments) were constructed as effective diagnostic tools. If it was wind that caused the branches of a tree to shake, then it was postulated that internal wind was what caused tremors in individuals who suffered from such diseases as Parkinson’s or epilepsy. Similarly, it was realized that if heat and dryness caused the cracking and drying of the earth, then heat and dryness must also cause the cracking and drying of the skin. This observation and awareness of the environment created the basis of TCM disease theory. |
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Traditional Chinese Medicine
Monica Bloch Kaderali, M.S., L.Ac.
Photographs by Henley Photography. |
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According to traditional Chinese thought, philosophy, art and science
are based on the fundamental idea that everything is interconnected.
The human body is no exception. Every bodily function,
from breathing to sleeping, is the result of a miraculous synergy of every
one of our cells. Because of this, changes in one’s physical
condition will inevitably lead to changes in thoughts and emotions as
well. The reverse is also true, that certain beliefs and emotions
bring about physical change. This is why many people suffering from
chronic pain are clinically depressed.
are considered an interconnected organism with
virtually every process affecting all other process.