When people speak of exotic Chinese Herbs, we usually may not think of the common cooking ingredient called ginger as being one of these Chinese Herbs â?? but yes, it is. What we use as a cooking ingredient would be the so-called edible root of the plant which in reality is not a root but rather a rhizome. Though ginger is acknowledged to have its roots in China, this is one of the most commonly recognized Chinese Herbs around because ginger is now also cultivated widely in other Asian countries, India, West Africa, and even in the Caribbean.

The ginger plant itself has the scientific name of Zingiber officinale. The ginger rhizome is usually called the ginger root, and many cooks are familiar with the aroma of this rhizome because of the essential oils that contribute to its distinctive scent. Among Chinese Herbs, ginger can be said to have the unique capacity to stimulate saliva production in those who consume or even just taste it.

Chinese Herbs are often used in Chinese cuisine not just as a flavoring but also because of their reputed benefits to the body. You may find Chinese Herbs like ginger often employed in meat dishes and seafood dishes because of ginger can complement the flavor of the meat or seafood well. Among the Chinese Herbs, ginger can either be used as an extract (or when the juice is squeezed from the ginger root); as ginger powder for breads; as fresh ginger for cooking; and to add to certain recipes like gingerbread. You might be surprised to that Chinese Herbs like ginger can even be incorporated into popular drinks like ginger ale and ginger beer.

Western cuisine and medical treatment has already absorbed the practice of using some Chinese Herbs like ginger to make snacks (such as ginger snaps); or to spice up the Western-style hot tea or coffee. Though technically considered one of the main Chinese Herbs, ginger also goes by a variety of other names too because it is now widely cultivated in many other countries and widely used in their cuisine as well.

Chinese Herbs are often used for medical purposes and ginger is no exception to this rule. One reason Chinese Herbs are integrated as an ingredient of some medical preparations is to alter the taste of the product to make it more palatable to the patient consuming the medical product. Ginger is known to be effective against colic, dyspepsia and the common cold (which is why you might be advised to drink ginger powder as a tea.) However, as with all Chinese Herbs, you need to be cautious about ingesting ginger in combination with certain pharmaceutical products (particularly warfarin) because ginger may contraindicate with these medicine. Chinese Herbs like ginger may also produce health results that are far from those desired â?? for instance, ginger should never be taken by gallstone patients since ginger is known to make the gallbladder secrete bile instead. This counters the commonly held belief that Chinese Herbs may automatically be beneficial to your health.

The following is an excerpt from Hot and Cold Health by R. G. Heft (Acupuncture Physician FL 1992- 2002) based on traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines and the questioning and counseling of 10,000+ Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the theory, observation that everything is an ongoing balance of opposites, many of which we control through diet, exercise, sex, thought, etc.

Know the whole before attempting to diagnose and or treat the part, as you cannot cure the part ithout curing the whole. The whole is equal to and greater than the sum of its parts.  If you cannot afford or do not want to risk your money ($20 or less), then I will send, email you the E Book (Adobe file, 1,005 KB) for free.  Your health is  more important than my bank account. Email me (rgheft@netzero.com) your request or questions.  Peace.

Breast cancer attacks one in eight women, generally over the age of forty. It is a cancerous tumor, firm, immovable lump that “never” goes away. It is usually pain free. The vast majority of breast lumps are not cancerous. Lumps that do not move may be caused by normal fibrocystic changes during the menstrual cycle in addition to estrogen, which promotes cellular growth in the breasts and reproductive organs. Poor diet (too cold or too hot) tends to cause breast lumps, cancer.

Cancer is a disorder of unrestrained cellular growth.  Estrogen supplements, poor diet: high protein, high fat, processed foods, smoking, early menstruation prior to age 10 and or menopause after age 55 are known factors.

Breast cancer, like most cancers, comes in the form of a tumor. All tumors are blood, protein and fat rich. Protein and fat build and fuel all structure and function, including tumors, cancer. No one has ever developed cancer from eating too many fruits, vegetables and grains. Incidences of cancer (colon and prostate) are highest in America, Argentina and all other countries that tend to eat high protein, high fat foods, especially red meat, wild game, pork, chicken, etc.

Cancer is a disorder of unrestrained cellular growth nourished and accelerated by excessive blood, protein and fat, especially hormonally treated (growth hormones) animals. Estrogen (growth hormone) supplements can also be a factor. .

Caffeine is a known breast irritant. It is an accelerant, stimulant drug, as are smoking, tobacco and alcohol. Unrestrained growth is fire out of control. Coffee, tobacco and alcohol are fire accelerants, and should be limited.

While there is “no cure for cancer”, although people have cured, there is always logic. Everything builds up and breaks down. Cancer in tumor form can be starved, broken down via (colder middle diet, meal plan) low protein, low fat (vegetarian), grains, cooked vegetables, spices, fruit and herbs. Essiac Tea is one herbal combination that has been successful; however, its success is dependent on additional factors: dietary discipline, weight, etc.   Check with your doctor before making any changes. .

Most breast lumps are harmless cysts. Cysts, abnormal fluid filled sacs found commonly in the breasts come and go, and sometimes stay too long. Fluid sacs are not cancerous as they contain no protein or fat, but they can harden.

Too much water (eight glasses of water per day, salads, too many fruits, juices, smoothies, shakes, milk and cold drinks) generally causes breast lumps, cysts, as do weak digestion. Digestion heats the body, especially the lungs, chest (heat rises). Weak digestion tends to cool and moisten (cold condenses) the body, lungs (mucous, phlegm), breasts (lumps, cysts), stools (loose), thighs (cellulite), abdomen, ankles, etc. Cooked foods and spices help eliminate excess moisture, as does a decrease in cold, damp foods (salads, tropical fruits, milk, cold drinks, etc.).

Most lumps although harmless and normal should be checked, monitored via physical examination. A yellow, bloody or clear discharge from the nipple generally indicates cancer of the breast.

Hot and Cold Health

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I PHILOSOPHY AND DIET

Chapter 1 The Way of Thinking Chapter 2 The Way of Food Chapter 3 Digestion, Spices and Chinese Herbs Chapter 4 Cooking Class

SECTION II BIOLOGY, EAST AND WEST

Chapter 5 Three Treasures Chapter 6 Blood and Body Fluids Chapter 7 Spleen Chapter 8 Stomach Small Intestine Chapter 9 Large Intestine and Urinary Bladder Chapter 10 Heart Chapter 11 Liver & Gall Bladder Chapter 12 Lungs Chapter 13 Kidneys Chapter 14 Disease and Diagnosis

SECTION III DISEASES A- Z

Chap 15 A Diseases AIDS 141 Alzheimer s 143 Anal fissure 143 Anemia 144 Anger 145 Aging 146 Anxiety 147 Arthritis 148 Asthma 152 ADD 154 Auto-immune 154 Chap 16 B Diseases Blood 157 Blood Pressure 158 Body Odor 159 Bones 161 Breast lumps 162 Bronchitis 164 Chap 17  C Diseases Candidiasis 167 Canker Sores 169 Cellulite 171 Cholesterol 173 Chronic Fatigue 175 Circulation 176 Cirrhosis 178 Cold hands, feet 178 Cold (lungs) Constipation 180 Coughing 182 Crohn s 182 Chap 18 D Diseases Depression 185 Detoxification 188 Diabetes 191 Diarrhea 193 Diuretics 195 Dizziness 195 Dysmenorrhea 196 Chap 19 E-F Diseases Ear Infections 197 Eczema 197 Edema 200 Endometriosis 202 Eyes 202 Fear 204 Fever 204 Fibrocystic Breasts 204 Fibroids 205 Fibromyalgia 205 Forgetfulness 207 Frigidity 208 Chap 20 G-H Diseases Gall Stones 209 GERD, GIRD 210 Gout 212 Hair Loss 213 Hearing Loss 215 Hepatitis 218 Herpes 220 Hot Flashes 220 Hysteria 221 Chap 21 I-J Diseases Infertility 223 Inflammation 223 Insomnia 224 Irritable Bowel 226 Itching 227 Jaundice 227 Chap 22 K-O Diseases Kidney Stones 229 Miscarriage 230 Mucous 231 M. Sclerosis 231 Nails 233 Nausea 235 Numbness 236 Obesity 237 Osteoporosis 238 Chap 23 P-R Diseases Pediatric 241 Perspiration 244 Plantar F. 244 Pregnancy 248 PMS 250 Prostate 251 Psoriasis 252 Rashes 252 Restless Leg 252 Chap 24 S-Z Diseases Sex 255 Shaking, tremors 257 Sinusitis 258 Skin Diseases 259 Sleep Apnea 261 Snoring 262 Sweaty hands 263 Teeth 264 Tumors 266 Urinary T. I. 267 Varicose Veins 269 Weight loss 270 Yeast infection 274 Chap 25 Case Histories 275

SECTION IV DAILY PRACTICES

 Chapter 26 The Way of Breathing, Chap 27 Exercise, Chap 28 Meditation 303, Chap 29 Spiritual Practices (belief in God)  307 Appendix 313 Bibliography 315 About the Author 317

There have been many miraculous cases of people who have healed themselves by clinging to religion or positively thinking themselves out of a life-threatening ailment. Psychologists have been studying the idea of “mind over matter” for decades now, with little scientific proof as to the mechanics of miracles.

The proof lies in the end result for these anomalies. In traditional Chinese medicine, philosophy and Buddhist religious principles are the groundwork for medical therapies. Obviously, if you’ve been in a car accident or are in need of emergency medical attention, it’s best to rush to the nearest emergency room; but if you are suffering from a painful long-term ailment or are just looking to improve your general well-being, then Chinese, natural medicines may be for you!

Many Americans don’t realize that traditional Chinese medicines date back nearly 5,000 years, passed down by oral tradition until about 3,000 years ago when people began writing down their findings in ancient texts like “Basic Questions of Internal Medicine” and “A Treatise On Cold Damage.” In the 1930s, the Nationalist government forbade doctors from practicing what was then called classic Chinese medicine because they feared missing out on scientific progress.

However, thirty years later, Mao Zedong chose ten highly respected doctors to create a traditional but standardized practice called Traditional Chinese Medicine. Today TCM is taught in all Chinese schools and has even made its way around the world, opening schools in England, the US and Russia.

One of the basic principles of TMC is the Taoist idea of “Yin and Yang.” The term is used by the school of Chinese medicine to describe a series of opposites; for example, hot and cold, dark and light or moving and still.

Just like the changing of the seasons or the fading of day into night, the body goes through constant motion as well. If the cycle of equilibrium is disrupted and there’s an excess of something or deficiency of something, then the body naturally breaks down.

The Zang Fu Theory of traditional Chinese medicine describes the functions and interrelation of various organs within the body. For instance, a Yin organ like the lungs is required to disperse Qi (energy) throughout the body.

The lungs govern skin, hair and thwarting external illnesses. If the lung is weakened by dryness or emotional grief, then the sufferer may show signs of eczema, coughing or may be prone to the flu.

In addition to medical procedures like Chinese acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine covers things like herbal remedies. TCM practitioners say the answers are easier than one would think. You don’t need Lunesta to help you sleep.

Instead, a chamomile tea and some light meditation just before bed will help you fall asleep right away and you will wake up feeling rejuvenated. Or instead of Tums for your bellyache, a mint leaf could do the trick.

Piao yi slimming tea (which might be more commonly known to the public as Piao Yi Jian Fei Cha) is supposed to be a tea that was invented for a beautiful Chinese woman named Xi Shi back in the ancient days of China. Xi Shi wanted a tea that could help her stay slim and beautiful so she asked her royal doctors concoct a special tea based on the Folium Nelumbinis ingredient – and the final product is what we know now as the Piao yi slimming tea. Modern Chinese women regularly drink the Piao yi slimming tea when they need to lose surplus weight and as part of a regular fitness regimen.

The modern formula of the Piao yi slimming tea is composed of 10% from tea, 10% from the pod of the Jia Guo, 20% from the Ye Ju Hua (also called Flos Chrysanthemi Indici), 20% from the Tian Wei Jiao Gu Lan (or Sweet Gynostenium Pentaplylla), and 40% from the He Ye (or the Folium Nelumbinis main ingredient mentioned earlier.)

The manufacturer of the Piao yi slimming tea recommends that this product be drunk by people who have a problem with surplus weight. To consume this product the right way, you need to boil about 150 ml. of water then place it in a cup. Add one Piao yi slimming tea tea bag to this hot water and let it soak for 10 minutes at the most. Consume this dosage of Piao yi slimming tea once in the evening only for a week to start off your anti-overweight regimen. Then, you can progress to one cup of Piao yi slimming tea in the morning and another cup of Piao yi slimming tea in the evening. You should keep up this regimen for 45 days per cycle, but stop taking it for two weeks before pursuing the next cycle. The manufacturer advocates each consumer to use the Piao yi slimming tea for a total of three cycles only. This means you will probably have consumed four boxes of the Piao yi slimming tea by the end of those three cycles, with one box of the Piao yi slimming tea using 40 tea bags.

If you are stocking up on Piao yi slimming tea, be sure the product does not get exposed to sunlight since the product might deteriorate through such exposure. It is advisable to store your Piao yi slimming tea boxes in well-ventilated, dry and cool storage places.

If you happen to be pregnant, the manufacturer strongly dissuades you from drinking the Piao yi slimming tea while you are pregnant. It is also not advisable to dry out previously used Piao yi slimming tea tea bags then re-use them because then the formulation of your tea would have changed due to the conditions it was used. If you must drink this Piao yi slimming tea, start your regimen with fresh tea bags so that you get the full benefit of the Piao yi slimming tea.

While we in the West are more familiar with the way doctors practice traditional medicine for healing, the ancient Eastern practice of medicine known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM), has recently become popular in the West as an alternative to traditional medicine.  In order to understand the way illness is treated in traditional Chinese medicine, we need to understand their view of illness in the human body.

Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the Taoist philosophy that the human body is a universe with a set of complete and interconnected systems.  Those systems usually work in balance to maintain the healthy function of the body.  This is the principle of yin and yang.  These two opposites are constantly in motion, creating a fluctuating balance in a healthy body.  Illness occurs when either yin or yang is in a state of prolonged excess or deficiency.  Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are trained to view the body, mind and spirit as one system and to treat the disease in a holistic manner.  The balance of yin and yang is considered with respect to qi (breath or life force), blood, jing (essence), other bodily fluids, the five elements, emotions and the soul or spirit (shen).

Typical therapies for traditional Chinese medicine include acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Qi Gong exercises.  Acupuncture treatment stimulates certain areas of the external body along the body’s meridian lines.  Herbal medicine acts on zang-fu organs internally and Qi Gong aims to restore the flow inside the network through the regulation of qi.

When seeking treatment from a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, you will usually be asked questions about your emotional and mental life as well as your physical symptoms.  You may also have your pulse taken several times, once for each internal organ, and the color and texture of your tongue will be checked.  The practitioner will then create a customized treatment plan designed to improve your overall health, instead of just for the illness you sought treatment for.

In most cases, the practitioner will use acupuncture to stimulate specific points along your meridians in order to bring qi back into balance.  He may also use moxibustion (application of small mounds of burning herbs), cupping (use of suction cups), or deep tissue massage.  You may also get a prescription for a combination of herbs and ingredients formulated to correct whatever imbalances the practitioner thinks may be causing your illness.  You would typically brew these herbs into a tea, or they may come in pill or extract form.  Lastly, you may be asked to practice Qi Gong or Tai Chi (slow and gentle martial arts that combine breathing, movement, and meditation) to balance and strengthen your qi.

Depending on which treatments are used, traditional Chinese medicine can be quite safe and effective.  Acupuncture is usually quite safe as long as your practitioner uses properly sterilized or disposable needles to prevent infection.  You need to let your acupuncturist know if you are taking pain relievers as they can exacerbate bruising from the needles.  The use of herbal combinations can be a bit of a problem.  Many Chinese herbalists won’t tell you what’s in the mixture which could contain trace amounts of dangerous substances such as mercury or arsenic.  You should let her practitioner know about any drugs you are taking and let your doctor know of any herbs you are taking as certain herbs and mixtures may adversely interact with the drugs.

If you are looking for an alternative to traditional medicine, and would like to treat your illness in a more holistic manner, traditional Chinese medicine may be your answer.