TCM is an ancient Eastern way of viewing ourselves as integrated beings. The person, body, mind, and soul work together. Any "dis-ease" that arises whether it be in the form of pain or in emotional disharmony comes from an imbalance within ourselves. But how do we know where the issue is stemming from? 

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TCM looks at the body as having something like rivers running through us--the rivers are called meridians. They are all connected and when in harmony flow freely. This is when we are in optimal health and all our relationships are working as they should. But sometimes the river gets muddied up, overflows its banks, or becomes stagnant. It's at this point our bodies let us know through headaches, irregular digestion, mood swings...that something has run amuck in our waterways!

 

Every meridian has a job and is associated with certain tissues, emotions, and functions of the body. By looking at the issues someone has, TCM allows us to come up with an assessment and points us in the direction of where to go to first. We find where the dam is in the waterway and remove it so that it becomes free flowing again.

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TCM believes that everything is made up of Qi (pronounced "chee"). Qi is the Life Force that gives us and our bodies the energy we need to function. Qi is within us, but it's also all around us. There is Qi in the food we eat and the air we breathe. Quality food including its preparation and the air we take into our lungs is how we gather that Qi inside us. Sounds a little "woo-woo"? Just think of it from the Western perspective. Most people will agree that food is fuel for us. Now extend that idea just a bit further. We (and our Qi) are what we eat...and breathe. Now, why do you need to know this? Qi "flows" through our meridians. An imbalance in one's Qi can lead to an imbalance in one's overall well-being.