Common Sense And Simple Truth

Chinese medicine offers a lot of common sense and simple truth if we care to look at it objectively. However, in the face of confusion caused by perpetual rumors and commercialization, the simple but important things usually go unnoticed and unappreciated.

What do we mean by common sense and simple truth?

• They are easy to understand unless you make it complicated.

• They make sense consistently, then and now.

• They are practical and inexpensive.

• They lessen your burden and simplify your life.

• They can give you an empowering experience.

• You won't get 10 different opinions after consulting 10 people.

The following are some well-known examples of common sense lost in Chinese medicine:

In the area of herbal knowledge, I have explained already in a separate video that the herbal dictionary is the most reliable source of information, just like you look up an English dictionary for the meaning of a word. However, many people rely on their grandmas, friends or teachers. They spend more time sorting out the confusion created by what they've heard. In many cases, they just take things for granted without questioning. If they bother to consult the dictionary, it only takes a few minutes to obtain a reliable clue.

Regarding how to brew the herb tea, you will get 100 different opinions if you consult 100 people. Let me offer you the simple truth. The raw herbs are too coarse to be eaten. Besides, we only need the essence, not the whole root or branch. The simplest way is to boil and brew in water long enough to extract the essence into the solution. How long? We don't want to do it for eight hours, nor is half an hour enough time. The reasonable thing is to brew for an hour or so because after that the herb tea smells and tastes pretty potent. How many cups of water to start with? Common sense dictates that you need enough water to prevent from brewing dry in an hour. So, four or five cups will be sufficient. Ten cups will take too long unless you use high heat throughout with the lid off. What kind of pot to use? Any kind is good for your convenience. Your common sense should guide you to the most practical way with the least stress. Does it make a difference if you follow other methods? Maybe, but there is no way to prove that it will be better or worse as far as effects go. Since the goal is to extract the essence into the solution, you may as well stick with the simplest method to give you the least stress. How many times can you boil the herb package? You can re-boil as many times as you want. The more you re-boil, the less concentrated and less effective the herb solution will become.

When do you take the herbs?

The best time is between meals or empty stomach. Why? It's just a precaution. You don't want to see the herbs mixed with pizza, salad, tofu, noodles, sweet and sour pork, ice cream, coke, etc. in your stomach, not to mention what kind of effects will be created. For the same reason, if you are taking some prescription drugs, don't take the herbs at the same time. Allow a few hours of separation. Don't take the herbs close to bedtime. Why? Precaution again. If you don't sleep well that night, you will blame the herbs rightly or wrongly.

Do you wash the herbs before brewing?

You may wash them if you want to. You will notice that sometimes the herbal package contains small grains or seeds that will be washed away. You won't get hurt if you don't wash the herbs. After brewing, wait for the dust to settle to the bottom. Don't stir. Pour off the herb solution into a cup. All you need is the dissolved essence, not what's left behind.

There are two real barriers that used to turn people off. First, it's the bitter taste. As adults, we should be able to appreciate the fact that not everything that tastes good is good for health. Besides, we can add honey or sugar to make it taste less bad. Second, it's the time it takes to brew the herb tea. If we cannot appreciate that health maintenance is an investment, we'll think that herb brewing is not worth the effort.

How long should we expect to see results?

For fever, flu, sore throat, and cough, you can expect some good results in a few hours with total elimination within a week. For other illness such as digestive disorder, joint pains, allergy, skin rash, etc., the problems are the flare-ups and long-term nature which require successive treatments. You should expect gradual progress within several weeks. The results to look for are: less flare-ups and less intensity should they occur. When good progress has been achieved, the herbs can be discontinued until you need them again. Chances are you will need less herbs next time, not more. The instant-satisfaction mentality is not common sense or simple truth.

There are many more cases that will be discussed later.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com John_Fung