What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?

TCM is a very old, but still vital healing system that is continuously evolving. Acupuncture, Herbal Formulations, Diet, and Exercise are the main disciplines of Traditional Chinese Medicine. TCM is based on harmony or balance. A healthy
person is in complete balance, both with him or herself and with nature. TCM theory states that disease is a deviation from balance, and the purpose of treatment is to restore it. TCM focuses on maintaining health rather than managing the disease. TCM is an empirical medicine, meaning it was developed mainly through clinical observations. It is a logical system that summarizes the results of clinical observation and experience to instruct further practice.

TCM serves more than one billion people in China and Southeast Asia. There are more than one million TCM practitioners in China alone. Five years ago, the Chinese government conducted a national survey on Chinese medicinal substances and found that 11,146 species of plants, 1,581 species of animals, and 80 minerals have been used as TCM remedies.2 One-fourth of the world’s population uses TCM, the second largest medical system in the world today. In Japan, there are more than 200,000 health care providers prescribing Chinese herbal medicines for their patients. TCM is used to treat almost every disease identified by western medicine. TCM is used in Europe, Canada, and the United States, especially in the western, eastern, and northern parts of the U.S.