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In
the ancient cultures of India and China and other Eastern
countries, the healing powers of herbs have been recognized
and valued for centuries. In fact, herbs were seen to
be so powerful in curing ailments that in ancient times,
it was not uncommon to associate certain herbs with miracles
and magic. Consequently, Chinese herbs history is a deep
and interesting one. The tradition of Chinese herbal medicine
may be over thousands of years old and an ancient Chinese
literary and scientific book on herbal medicine has been
traced as far back as to over two thousand years ago to
an anonymous scholar during the reign of the Han dynasty.
Traditional Chinese herbal medicine was developed in ancient
times for the purpose of providing a non-invasive form
of treatments for ailments. Ancient Chinese herbal medicine
specialists experimented with various techniques and herbal
concoctions and some of the oldest medicines even made
use of beliefs and ideas which were rooted in superstition
or magic.
Although Western cultures once scoffed at the ancient
tradition of Chinese medicine, in recent years, Western
countries have embraced treatments like the use of Chinese
herbs for hair growth or the use of Chinese herbs for
weight loss and it is not uncommon for people around the
world to employ food cures using Chinese herbs in modern
times. However such medicinal uses are still referred
to as 'alternative medicine therapy' in the West whereas
in predominantly Chinese-populated countries herbal medicinal
concoctions are a major part of health-care. However the
basic principles of herbal Chinese medicine are not consistent
and the only constant theme in the theories surrounding
Chinese herbal medicine is the belief that good health
is a result of living in harmony with one's surroundings.
A Chinese herbs index would consist of herbs that fall
into the categories of five main tastes. Spicy herbs are
associated with the power to treat colds and respiratory
problems and improve blood circulation. Sweet herbs are
believed to affect the functioning of the spleen. Such
herbs are associated with the power to relieve pain and
strengthen the body's natural immunity. Bitter herbs are
believed to work on the heart and are associated with
the power to treat asthma, constipation and even water
retention. Herbs that are sour are believed to work on
the liver and are hence believed to aid the digestion
process. Such herbs are used in the treatment of conditions
like diarrhea and excessive perspiration. Salty herbs
are used to maintain the health of kidneys. In addition
to these five main tastes, some bland herbs are also attributed
healing properties. Certain herbs are also believed to
work as effective astringents and are used in the treatment
of diarrhea, heavy menstruation, frequent urination and
excessive perspiration.
In modern China, there have been efforts to combine traditional
Chinese medicine with scientific medicine techniques.
If such efforts are successful, Chinese herbal medicine
practitioners will be able to improve on their concoctions
by using scientific tools to test the effects of herbs
with much greater accuracy than every before.
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