Chinese Healthcare

For hundreds of years China kept itself well closed off from the rest of the world and traditional Chinese medicine remained a closely guarded secret. But now, as we start the new millennium, Chinese medicine is no longer a secret.

It has been discovered by foreigners from all over the world and it is spreading rapidly as its worldwide popularity grows. The name Traditional Chinese Medicine is often abbreviated to TCM.

It includes not only the more familiar Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine and Diet but also Tui Na - the less publicized hands-on therapy which is a complex medical massage and manipulation for adults and children as well Qigong and Taichi – healing exercises.

This powerful combination is mainstream medicine for over one fifth of the world's population. All branches of Chinese medicine aim at stimulating and balancing the body's intrinsic energies which the Chinese call Qi. Its secret is its ability to evolve to meet the healthcare needs of successive generations.

It must surely be the most tried and tested system of medicine in the world today, recognizing that there is a link between the body, mind, emotions and spirit (also making it the most holistic natural healing system on earth). With such a rapid spread of traditional Chinese medicine in the West during recent years, there is obviously great interest in the subject.

At present in the UK, the Department of Health is in the process of introducing statutory regulation for Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, but sadly not for Tui Na. If regulation is needed for Osteopathy and Chiropody, it most certainly is for Tui Na. I believe the Tui Na element should not be excluded from statutory regulation of TCM in the UK.

In China all students who wish to become practitioners, study TCM theory, Tui Na, Acupuncture and Herbs for five years before gaining a Bachelor degree. After 5 years they may choose to specialize in one of the main disciplines for their Masters.

Four years ago, I made my eighth trip to China accompanied by my daughter Gina and a professional cameraman. The aim of the trip was to film material that could be edited into a five part series on Traditional Chinese Medicine in its own cultural context of 21st Century China.

I first went to Shanghai in 1992 and over the years whilst studying Chinese Medicine, built up friendly relationships with Chinese doctors in hospitals around the country. This gave me an entree to hospitals that I as a Westerner would have found almost impossible to achieve since the Chinese are very protective and secretive about their traditional medicine.

My aim was to film the 5 different branches of traditional medicine in action. I believe my in-depth experience of first hand traditional medicine is unique and the footage that I have acquired reflects this. Over the course of this series, I introduce a different way of overcoming and preventing illness.

I show Chinese medicine in action in all its different forms and how incredibly effective it is especially when used in combination and all this without any side effects.

The Chinese Healthcare DVD

Order the five Chinese Healthcare DVDs from the Bodyharmonics shop on this site.