My name is Ho Wah Ying [better known as W. Y. Ho]. I was a practising TCM Chinese Physician for more than 40 years. For a number of years, I was the Advisor to the Kuala Lumpur Traditional Chinese Physician Association.
Very often I have overheard people at the coffee-shop talks, discussing about usage of herbs to cure certain illness, particularly single-herb prescriptions. Let me share my experience and knowledge, as a Chinese Physician, with you about Chinese Medicine. However, I have to share my knowledge by instalments as it would be too long to describe it in one single article.
Discussion 1 - The Characters and Functions of Traditional Chinese Herbs
Every herb has its own specific characters. Such different characters of the herbs are used to treat diseases, rectify the hyperactivity and hypoactivity of Yin and Yang. It helps the body to restore its normal physiological functions and hence eliminate the diseases and restore the body to good health. The characters and functions of these herbs include: -
[1] herbs’ properties, which refers to the cold, hot, warm, or cool nature of the herbs
[2] Its flavours, which refers to the taste of the herbs – pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, tasteless and
astringent (harsh biting quality)
[3] actions of lifting,
[4] actions of lowering
[5] actions to float
[6] actions to cause Channel Tropism
[7] action to clear or neutralise toxicity, etc.
This theory is based on the theories of Yin and Yang, the viscera, the channels and collaterais, and the treatment principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
W Y Ho
24th June 2009
Next week – Properties and flavours
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