The Secrets of Chinese Health That Are Easy To Follow! You have probably heard about traditional Chinese healing practices and hopefully have looked into some of the treatments that might help your specific medical situation. Chinese medicine has been around for thousands of years and is still the treatment of choice in China today. Fortunately, Western doctors are recognizing the value of these "alternative" approaches to health and healing of their patients in this country. This is exciting news! Here are some tips for you to get started in the right direction for good health. 1. LOW-FAT EATING Chinese medicine emphasizes a balanced diet consisting of mainly vegetables, fruit and rice. Some animal fat like butter, meat, chicken and fish are used, but sparingly. 2. "YIN" AND "YANG" FOODS You carefully balance your food intake of Yin and Yang foods Yin Foods: Raw fruits and vegetables, tofu, rice, milk, yogurt, bean sprouts and raw fish. Yang Foods: Cooked fruits and vegetables, tomato sauce, lentils, potatoes, oats, butter, cheese, nuts, beef, lamb, chicken and cooked fish. 3. SUPPLEMENTS You should complement your healthy eating with food extracts, enzymes and herbs including Vitamins C, E, B complex, Beta Carotene, selenium, zinc, ginseng. Look for herbs that detoxify the body like Blue Green Algae or Spirulina. 4. PROPER BREATHING You must learn to breathe correctly at all times - breathing slowly and deeply with the diaphragm so that the abdomen expands with each inhalation and contracts with each exhalation. Proper breathing is emphasized in exercise classes like Tai Chi and meditation. Chi Gung emphasizes the channeling of each breath into various parts of the body to promote the flow of health-giving Chi energy. 5. EXERCISE A great Chinese physician wrote "Flowing water never stagnates, active hinges never rust." So true - he meant this as a metaphor to physical exercise which keeps the spine and joints (hinges) supple and promotes healthy flow of the body's blood, lymph and water to all parts of the body. According to the Chinese, the best form of exercise is Chi Gung because of the breathing methods combined with slow movements while keeping a calm and quiet mind. 6. SEXUAL DISCIPLINE The emphasis is on transforming sexual fluids and arousal into transcendent, healing energy - and learning to exchange this energy with your partner. 7. BALANCE AND HARMONY A fundamental element of Chinese healing is locating all forms of imbalance and disharmony in our bodies and then correcting them so that your body's own healing energy flows freely. It really is the balance between Yin and Yang. Yang diseases: include fever, constipation, excessive sweating and high blood pressure which are usually treated with cold herbs and other methods that promote Yin. Yin diseases: include chills, diarrhea, low vitality, weakness and cold hands or feet which are treated with warm herbs. 8. EMPTINESS Eliminating clutter from all aspects of our lives is a key element of Chinese healing: adopting a simple diet, way of dressing and simplifying your home learning to live with stillness and silence ( sounds easier said than done ) emptying your mind of mental clutter through meditation 9. SUNLIGHT Make sure your eyes and skin receive a sufficient amount of sunlight each day - sunlight stimulates the pineal gland which produces important brain chemicals. Sunbathing should be avoided because of too much sun damage to the skin 10. EMOTIONS Chinese healers believe that good health depends on keeping your emotions balanced - this is accomplished by avoiding emotional extremes and practicing good nutrition. When illness does occur, Chinese healers rely on a number of traditional treatments to restore the flow of chi and bring their patient's energy back into a healthy balance. It certainly makes sense to me and I have utilized and recommended Chinese Healers many times to my clients over the years. The idea is to treat the root of the illness and address the underlying imbalance that is causing it! I have seen these methods help so many people over the years - I hope you will try it when your health is out of balance.
Write Sherry with your Health Questions at SGFIT@aol.com For information on Sherry's Seminars and Workshops, call (281) 286-2951 | 
