Traditional Chinese Medicine is both a science and philosophy of health and healing that developed over 2,000 years ago through the observation of nature. Living closer to nature and being more exposed to the elements of weather, the ancient sages and healers were very aware of our intimate connection with the planet and the environment. By living, breathing, and eating from our environment, we are literally made from the material of our environment. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the human body is viewed as a miniature version or "microcosm" of the planet we live on. The same fundamental substances or elements in nature also exist in the human body: air, water, fire, earth and ether. Like the planet, our bodies are over 75% water. We have an internal fire or heat in the form of metabolism and other cellular processes. As in nature, in the human body there is a fine balance that must be maintained between the elements. If there is too much heat or sunlight plants begin to shrivel and die. If a river stops flowing the stagnant water begins to harbor disease. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses the basic laws of nature as they relate to the human body, and applies therapies such as acupuncture and herbal medicine to help restore the fundamental flow and balance of the energy and substances, or elements, within the body.
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