The Western world has always had a fascination with the people, civilization and mystery of the Asian cultures. One of the fascinations is with Asian medicine since it differs so vastly from Western medicine. Allergies plague people from all over the world, but Asian medicine has attempted to solve the allergy issue with its own distinctive remedies.
China's Role in Asian Medicine
Asian medicine as a whole is mostly based on the medicinal practices of China. Emperor Liang Wu, in the sixth century A.D., sent doctors throughout Asia. Because of this, much of Asia's traditional medicines are similar to ancient Chinese medicinal practices. The origins of Chinese medicines can be found around 2,600 B.C. with a medical journal by the Yellow Emperor of China. Further advancements in Chinese medicine occurred during the Han Dynasty (200 B.C.-220 A.D.), with the works of Zhang Zhongjing and advancements in anesthetics (Hua Tuo used wine and powdered marijuana in combination to anesthetize patients for surgery). Because of Chinese medicine's influence on Asian medicine as a whole, the two are rarely separated.
TCM
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has various remedies for allergies. TCM has a rich history of thousands of years and has a following of millions of people.
Acupuncture is one of China's most distinctive treatment forms, consisting of placing thin needles under the skin at pressure points on the body. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe that the stimulations of the needles boost the immune system, reducing the symptoms of allergies. Chinese herbs used in conjunction with acupuncture is believed to be an effective allergy treatment. A 2004 study published in Allergy Magazine found that weekly acupuncture treatments with Chinese herbs are more effective then a placebo pill, with 85 percent of patients tested reporting improved symptoms.
Chinese herbs is a term to describe many combinations of vegetable and animal products. An acupuncture professional will have knowledge of which herbs to use for your allergy symptoms. The herbs are matched with the condition they are supposed to fix, including allergies. Before taking Chinese herbs, check with your doctor to ensure there will be no medical complications associated with taking them.
Perhaps the most unusual treatment for allergies is feng shui. Feng shui is based on the energies of rooms and areas you inhabit. Furniture, artwork and colors are arranged to create an environment where energy flows seamlessly throughout. The Chinese believe the bad energies, especially the bad flow of air, cause allergies. A home with good feng shui is believed to reduce allergies and enhance healthy living.
TCM relies heavily on the use of teas to help with allergies. Green tea, one of America and China's most popular teas, has been used for allergy relief for thousands of years. The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported that methylated EGCG, an antioxidant found in green tea, acts as an anti-allergen in the human body.
The World Health Organization says that TCM is applied to about 95 percent of China's modern medicinal practices
Indian Allergy Relief
The Asian subcontinent of India has its own distinctive and ancient form of medicine, separate from TCM. One classic Indian medicinal practice for allergies is drinking 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar mixed with water for nasal allergy relief.
Indian medicine has used the healing properties of saline solution for thousands of years. A mixture of one-half tsp. of salt and 8 oz. water poured into the nasal cavity through the nose flushes out excess mucus.
A paste of sandalwood and limejuice is used for skin allergies, soothing redness and itch. Indian remedies are not approved or generally accepted by Western medicine, but these methods have many followers and a rich history.
The ancient practice of yoga is being used as an effective relief of allergy symptoms. Dr Jeff Midgow, director of the Prana Yoga Teacher Training Program, says that the relaxing practice of yoga diminishes the body's reaction to organisms that cause seasonal allergies. Harriet Russell, a teacher at the Yoga and Wellness Center in Cleveland, Ohio, says the stretching and inversions in yoga can help clear the sinus cavities. Check with your doctor before attempting yoga; the inversions and stretching could cause strain.
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