[March 28, 2006]

It's all so natural when Chinese take their medicine

(Santa Barbara News-Press (CA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 27--For those accustomed to getting their prescriptions at Rite Aid or Longs, the variety of remedies offered at the traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy in Beijing was an eye-opener.

Visiting members of the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce watched in amazement as pharmacy assistants dug deep into drawers to dispense all manner of roots, herbs, seeds, fruit and plants -- not to mention the antler powder, buffalo horn, snake slough and earthworm.

Piles of what looked like debris from a morning's vigorous gardening apparently contained the answer to all sorts of ailments, from heart pains, stroke and depression, to premature ejaculation, impotence and forgetfulness.

Chamber members had earlier been given an insight into the rationale behind this system of ancient remedies when they attended a lecture in an adjacent part of the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Opened in 1955, the academy, located just off Tiananmen Square near the heart of Beijing, is described as a national institute for research and clinical medicine, medical training and education, in traditional Chinese medicine.

Professor Zheren Nie stressed the importance of keeping balance within the body -- the balance of yin and yang -- and explained how certain natural medicines, along with things such as massage, acupuncture and acupressure, can help achieve and maintain that equilibrium.

He spoke of organ function and blood circulation, the 12 meridians that connect the organs and channel the vital essence "qi" through the body, the role of emotions and stress, and the significance of the environment around us and what we eat.

"Eating is a good thing, but it must be reasonable," he said, adding that optimism and a happy disposition will also help keep disease at bay.

Mr. Nie pointed to some of the differences between Western and Chinese medicine, saying the latter treats the whole system, not just a single symptom -- a pill may take away a headache, he said, but it won't treat the cause of that headache.

He said modern medicine is characterized by the use of chemicals which may produce short-term results but have negative side-effects in the longer term; he recommended Chinese medicine, with its all-natural ingredients, as a worthwhile alternative with no side-effects.

After this lecture, a handful of other doctors filed into the room and, accompanied by assistants and translators, proceeded to give brief consultations to everyone, taking pulses, asking questions, diagnosing complaints and recommending treatments.

Shortly afterward they began moving around the classroom giving impromptu $3 massages to the Santa Barbara visitors. After that it was time to move into the next-door pharmacy and start filling those instant prescriptions with ingredients that had, fortunately, already been processed into boxes of easily-packed pills and capsules.

Debbie Saucedo, a member of the Santa Barbara party, described the whole experience as "fascinating" and said she was very impressed by the beautiful facility and the medical presentation.

"I feel they are on the right track," said Ms. Saucedo. "If more Americans took that approach, we'd probably be a lot better off."

Business reporter Frank Nelson traveled with the recent Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce business mission and tour to China.

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