by Carl Balingit
on October 10, 2015
‘Cinnamon Trees,’ by Daryl Mitchell [flickr.com/daryl_mitchell], edited version. License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
The bark of the cassia tree—used to make cinnamon sticks and powder—offers not only spicy delight but also medicine. An example of its medicinal value is that it helps control mildly elevated blood glucose levels.
Generally, different parts of a plant or tree may have different healing properties. Cassia trees are no exception. For beyond the bark, grow twigs. And there is a distinction in health benefits between the two.
Yesterday, I prescribed cinnamon twigs for a patient with swelling and arthritic pain in her finger joints.1 While both the bark and twigs invigorate blood circulation to treat pain from blood stasis, the twigs target smaller arteries and the upper limbs.
Further distinctions between bark and twigs, in Chinese medicine:
The bark is used to strengthen Kidney Yang—a deficiency of which can lead to infertility or diminished vitality. However, if you tend to run hot, it will make you hotter.
Not hot, as in: enhancing your selfies. But hot, as in: uncomfortable and irritated.
[continue reading…]
Tagged as:
cassia,
cinnamon,
gui zhi,
rou gui
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by Carl Balingit
on September 18, 2015
‘(Pi)rat(e),’ by Shruti Muralidhar [flickr.com/polybiotique]. License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
Safety regulations of Chinese herbal medicines are a good idea. Because herbs do have a potential for biological or heavy metal contamination—lead poisoning being one of the adverse effects that occasionally makes headlines. Safety regulations help mitigate such negative outcomes, thus furthering public acceptance of Chinese medicine.
Another path to broader public acceptance of Chinese medicine is scientific study—of both safety and effectiveness. This article hearkens this need for scientific study, but it misleads the reader by implying that the practice of Chinese medicine would be the subject of such studies.
The scientific research called for in the article—and commonly elsewhere—involves the study of the isolated chemicals of individual herbs. While this method helps gauge the safety and effectiveness of the isolated plant and mineral compounds, it does not [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
scientific research,
TCM,
traditional Chinese medicine
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