Eastern Promises: The Fact and Fiction of Chinese Medicine

There's a great divide over Eastern and Western medicine in the United States. One side distrusts the commercialization of Western prescription medicine, while the other distrusts the lack of concrete scientific evidence and fad labels that accompany some "ancient Chinese secrets". The truth is that both Eastern and Western medicine have their places, and like all things, they work best in balance with each other. If you want to supplement your Western medicine practices with Eastern (in this case Chinese) ones, you should first learn which remedies work and which ones are either unproven or just ineffective.

• Ginseng root has been a staple of Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Several studies have shown that it does help boost the immune system and can enhance the effects of flu vaccines. When taken before and after meals, ginseng can help regulate blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. It also has antioxidants that can help lower cholesterol. The National Institute of Health gives ginseng a B rating on these claims because a good, though not excellent, amount of scientific evidence exists to support them.
• Despite the addition of ginseng to many energy drinks and herbal supplements, there is not enough evidence to prove that ginseng has significant effects on fatigue. Some of the other common ailments affiliated with ginseng, like sexual dysfunction, mental performance, and mood enhancement, have produced mixed results.
• Ephedra is commonly used in Chinese medicine to open nasal passages and to stimulate the metabolism, The combination of ephedra and caffeine has been proven to be a very effective weight loss aid (the NIH gives it an A rating). That does not necessarily mean that it's safe: the widespread claims of high blood pressure and heart palpitations associated with ephedra and ephedrine products is what lead it to be taken off the market in 2004.
• Dong quai, or Chinese Angelica, has been used for thousands of years for women's health problems. Unfortunately, none of its uses, which include arthritis treatment, menopausal symptoms, and menstrual cramps, are sufficiently supported by science.
• There is excellent evidence supporting the use of ginkgo biloba to prevent dementia. Its effectiveness on improving memory for people without signs of dementia is unclear.
• Shiitake, or Chinese Black Mushroom, does have some proven antibacterial and antiviral properties.
• Ginger has good scientific evidence supporting its claims to cure nausea and settle the stomach. Because it has a spicy flavor, it can clear the sinuses and stimulate digestion.

 Traditional Chinese medicine also involves using parts of animals, such as bear bile, rhinocerous horn, and shark fins for different symptoms. Because of opposition from conservationists and animal rights activists, there isn't enough documented research to prove any of their health benefits. 

Acupuncture originated in China 2,000 years ago and it involves inserting needles into different pressure points on the body (acupressure is the same thing, but without the needles). There is enough research to show that acupuncture and acupressure can effectively relieve pain, as well as nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy. Researchers still don't know exactly how it works, but it's worth a try.

Chinese medicine has more to do with prevention than treatment. The body is looked at as a sort of ecosystem with a balance that must be maintained in order for good health. The body is divided into sections, or meridians, according to function. Herbs and nutritional therapy, acupuncture and massage, and meditation are all to be used together to keep everything in order. Therefore, Chinese medicine doesn't quite work like Western medicine in that you take one thing to treat a specific problem. The right food plus the right kind of physical therapy (sometimes with right spiritual or philosophical frame of mind) equal the cure.

Chinese medicine on its own is less likely to help you in a dire emergency or with serious symptoms. It is, however, beneficial to include it in daily life and for milder symptoms. Chinese and Western medicine complement each other in this sense. Before you dismiss one or the other, keep in mind the yin and yang theory behind Chinese medicine. Along with other alternative medicine practices, it can peacefully coexist with the mainstream.