For most women I see there is a short period of awkwardness that arises when I first ask them about the size and color of their menstrual blood clots, or the consistency and characteristics of their bowel movements, but it never seems to take long for women to understand the importance of observing their body in all its capacities. Careful monitoring of ones own health has been a hallmark of traditional Chinese culture for thousands of years. As a matter of fact when I did my internship in China, it was interesting to me to see that the patients themselves brought their medical files with them to each appointment. It was their responsibility to maintain the records of their own health. This showed a level of accountability that displays a foundational essence of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) – the patient/client must be an active participant in their health and medical care.
The concept of holism (‘whole’ ism) is the philosophical foundation of TCM. It clearly emphasizes the fact that each function and system of our body mind and spirit is in constant interplay with each and every other function and system of our body mind and spirit, so the health of each part is essential to the health of the whole. Once one is indoctrinated with this philosophy nothing else makes sense. The reductionist view of modern science begins to merely serve as a statistical guide for the logical mind. In my opinion, holism and reductionism create a beautiful marriage, a medical integration that is necessary to evolve a new better system of medicine that caters more accurately to the individual needs of each client/patient.
So prepare for a deeper understanding of yourself when you start your journey of traditional Chinese medical treatment. Successful people monitor themselves closely.
