Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine: A Home Guide to Treating Common Ailments

Transform your health with the ecological approach of ancient Chinese medicine • Addresses how and why illness in the body occurs according to the natural principles of Chinese medicine • Shares self-care treatments for a number of common health disorders, from colds and high blood pressure to backache, nausea, menstrual pain, and depression • Offers clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions for hands-on treatment modalities and techniques such as acupressure, massage, and Gua sha The human body is a part of nature and as such is governed by the universal principles of the natural world. When we turn to ancient Chinese medicine, we find a unique ecological approach to understanding how our body functions. Basic concepts like yin and yang, the balance of the elements, flow and blockage, dampness and dryness explain the effects of change on our body systems, thus providing tools for how to keep our body healthy and flourishing. In this detailed and easy-to-follow guide, licensed acupuncturist and health promoter Clive Witham addresses how and why illness in the body occurs and what we can do to nurse ourselves back to health. With clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions, he shares effective and proven self-care treatments for a number of common health disorders, from colds and high blood pressure to backache, nausea, menstrual pain, and depression. The simple application of the core principles of Chinese medicine give the backdrop of how you can use food therapy, manual techniques of acupressure and Gua sha, exercise, and lifestyle advice to make the changes you need from within. You can learn to assess your own ailments, understand the main syndromes and illness patterns, and become proactive in lifestyle changes that can alleviate symptoms and support recovery. Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine allows you to manage your own healing process, delve into a fresh perspective of the natural world to maintain balance and flow in your body system, and build up resilience with simple self-care.

Table of Contents:
Introduction How to Use This Book PART 1 WHAT ALLOWS US TO THRIVE? When the Breath Is Moving When the Natural Circulation Is Maximized When the Qualities of Nature Are Balanced When the Storage Systems Are Balanced Lung Storage System Pancreas Storage System Heart Storage System Kidney Storage System Liver Storage System The Fu Systems When the River Systems Flow Freely When the Climates Enhance Your Life When Emotions Flow Smoothly When Obstructions Are Minimized When You Respect Your Digestion When You Live According to Your Path PART 2 WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF NOT THRIVING? Physical Characteristics to Look Out For PART 3 HOW CAN YOU TREAT YOURSELF? Food Therapy Foods That Cool Down the Body Foods That Warm the Body Manual Therapy Acupressure Gua Sha Use the Microsystems Exercise Therapy Lifestyle Therapy PART 4 HOW DO YOU FIND WHICH AREAS TO TREAT? Treatment Regions on Your Body Treat the River System Treat the Caverns, Roots, Junctions, and Treat the Areas, Zones, and Regions Treat the Microsystems PART 5 WHAT ARE THE MAIN PATTERNS AND HOW DO YOU TREAT THEM? The Main Pattern Groups Patterns of Weakness General Weakness Yang Weakness Yin Weakness Blood Circulation Weakness Patterns of Overflow Stagnation Damp/Phlegm Heat Cold Wind PART 6 HOW DO YOU TREAT COMMON MEDICAL CONDITIONS? Head, Neck, and Shoulder Area Headaches Dizziness Sleeping Disorders Anxiety Depression Facial Pain Nasal Allergies Sinus Problems Eye Disorders Ear Disorders Toothache Sore Throat Neck Pain Shoulder Pain Chest Area Colds and Flu Cough Asthma, Breathlessness, and Wheezing Chest Pain Palpitations and Irregular Heart Beat Stomach and Abdominal Area Nausea Feeling Bloated Stomach/Abdominal Pain Constipation Diarrhea Painful Urination Back Area Backache Sciatica/Leg Pain Upper Limbs Elbow Pain Wrist Pain Pain in Your Hand and Fingers Lower Limbs Knee Pain Ankle Pain Foot and Toe Pain Conditions Affecting Men Prostate Disorders Conditions Affecting Women Premenstrual Tension Menstrual Flow Disorders Period Pain Menopausal Disorders Conditions Affecting the Whole Blood Pressure Disorders Painful or Aching Joints Fatigue Diabetes Obesity and Losing Weight Epilogue Notes Index About the Author

About the Author :
Clive Witham L.Ac., M.Sc., is a licensed acupuncturist and the director of the Komorebi Institute and the Gua sha Center in Spain. For more than a decade, he ran a chronic illness clinic in North Africa. The creator of Ecology in Motion Gua sha, he specializes in Gua sha and promoting the knowledge of ancient Chinese healing as a viable, practical world medicine. The author of several books, including Holographic Gua Sha and Facial Gua Sha, Clive lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Review :
“Enlisting nature for a better understanding of our body systems, Clive Witham encourages us to take charge of our body and our health. Self-healing with Chinese Medicine provides us with a host of practical tools, techniques, and suggestions to promote strength and vitality as much as lead us on the path of healing and wholeness.” “Jam-packed with practical insights, Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine provides a clear road map to restoring and maintaining your health and balance. This gem of a book distills beautifully and clearly the fundamentals of Chinese medicine and the world of nature and how we can apply them in our everyday life on our path to self-healing. Full of dietary recommendations, lifestyle advice, and detailed exercises and manual therapy that you can do at home, this will be one of those comprehensive and practical books that you will always refer back to.” “In this extensive and practical book, Clive Witham shares with us a deep perspective of health and self-healing with the natural world at its core. I recommend it to everyone who wants to live according to nature’s patterns.” “Why do I have this health problem? What can I do myself to contribute to a solution? And what are the things I can do to prevent more problems? If you ask yourself these questions, then Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine is a must-read. It shows how our body and mind are interwoven with the nature that surrounds us and how you can empower yourself by following the eternal and fundamental principles of nature to lead a healthy and balanced life.” “Clive Witham brings a profound knowledge of Chinese medicine to treating yourself for some of the most common conditions we see in modern-day society. This book contains a good amount of theory followed by lots of practical tips and is the perfect guide to self-help for all those who do not wish to consult the doctor with every minor ailment.” “In-depth knowledge beautifully balanced with an engaging writing style, Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine is different from other books about traditional Chinese medicine. Complex ideas are explained in a way that’s easy to grasp, and I feel like reading it from cover to cover and then going back into the chapters to dig in more. Ultimately, this is a book that you’ll return to time and again, rereading and checking things, as you maintain your health.” "A complete manual of instruction that will prove indispensable for professional and aspiring practitioners of Chinese medicine seeking to address common illnesses and self-care treatments ranging from simply colds, to high blood pressure, to menstrual pain, to depression, and so much more. Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation, Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine: A Home Guide to Treating Common Ailments is unreservedly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Alternative Medicine and Chinese Medicine collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, professional practitioners, and non-specialist general readers that Self-Healing with Chinese Medicine is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99)."