Chinese+medicine-Amy+and+Jordynn

__**Chinese Medicine **__

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is rooted in the ancient philosophy of Taoism and dates back more than 2,500 years and has evolved over thousands of years. Chinese herbal medicine, tui na (Chinese therapeutic massage), dietary therapy, and tai chi and qi gong (practices that combine specific movements or postures, coordinated breathing, and mental focus). TCM is rooted in the ancient philosophy of Taoism and dates back more than 2,500 years. Currently, there are over 12,800 types of Chinese medicinals known by people, including over 11,000 medicinal plants, over 1500 medicinal animals, and over 80 medicinal minerals. Also, there are approximately 1 million TCM prescriptions found.

__**Principles **__


 * The body's systems are one integrated and balanced whole **
 * The body should be in tune with the external environment **

__**Examples**__ __**Osteoarthritis**__ A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 96 people with osteoarthritis of the knee tested the effectiveness of a mixture of three Chinese herbs ( Clematis mandshurica, Trichosanthes kirilowii , and Prunella vulgaris ). Participants were randomly assigned to placebo group or one of three other groups: 200 mg, 400 mg, or 600 mg of the herbal formula 3 times daily. After 4 weeks of treatment, significant improvement in arthritis symptoms was seen in all three treatment groups compared to placebo. No dose appeared conclusively superior to the others. I__**rritable Bowel Syndrome**__ In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 116 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were randomly assigned to receive individualized Chinese herbal formulations, a “one-size-fits-all” Chinese herbal formulation, or placebo.Treatment consisted of 5 capsules 3 times daily, taken for 16 weeks. The results showed that both forms of active treatment were superior to placebo, significantly reducing IBS symptoms. __**Constipation**__ In a 2-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 132 people complaining of constipation were randomly assigned to one of three groups: placebo, low-dose Daio-kanzo-to, or high-dose Daio-kanzo-to. The results indicate that the higher-dose group, but not the lower-dose group, experienced statistically significant improvements in constipation compared to placebo. __**Allergies**__ n a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 220 people with allergic rhinitis were given either placebo or the Kampo remedy Sho-seiryu-to for a period of 2 weeks.The results showed that use of the herbal formula significantly relieved all major symptoms of allergic rhinitis compared to placebo. __**Tai chi **__ a centuries-old mind and body practice . It involves gentle, dance-like body movements with mental focus, breathing, and relaxation

__**Validity**__ For most conditions, there is not enough rigorous scientific evidence to know whether TCM methods work for the conditions for which they are used however there have been successful cases of TCM inhabiting or even curing a disease

Amy and Jordynn

Reference "Traditional Chinese Medicine: An Introduction." //NCCAM//. N.p., Mar. 2009. Web. 04 Sept. 2014. Novella, Steven. "What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine? « Science-Based Medicine." What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine? N.p., 25 Jan. 2012. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

"Home Page." //NYU Langone Medical Center//. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htm http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/principles/holism.html