Ancient systems of medicine, recognized as Whole Systems in the West, i.e., systems of healing that have their own diagnostic terms and therapeutic toolkits, make no reference to the language of Science\u2026 of molecules, atoms, and photons.<\/p>\n
Traditional medicine models, which formally connect us to the Earth, speak of a vital energy within all of us \u2012 one that rises after birth, peaks in early adulthood, and then declines with age.<\/p>\n
In Asia, this vital energy is known as chi (TCM), and prana (Ayurveda,Yoga).\u00a0 These models of healing recognize that our vital energies travel in sync with the blood.\u00a0 TCM perspectives, from ancient times, inform us that \u2018Chi is the commander of Blood, Blood is the mother of Chi\u2019.\u00a0 These precepts remind us that something in the blood gives rise to Chi.<\/p>\n
To a physical chemist and physician, our vital energies are linked to a cellular process known as oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos).\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n OxPhos is the process of aerobic cellular respiration, carried out in mitochondria \u2012 a cellular organelle inherited from our mothers. As the term implies, oxygen burns the foods we eat, to produce energy.\u00a0 Energy stored in latent form, as adenosine\u00a0 triphosphate (ATP).<\/p>\n When we don\u2019t breathe enough, the mitochondrial OxPhos process begins to shut down. \u00a0\u00a0Without its aerobic energy, the cells soon begin to die.\u00a0 This is aging, at the cellular level.<\/p>\n We need to move, and to breathe, to slow down the process of aging, at an energetic level.\u00a0Sadly, there are no supplements or herbs that can take the place of regular physical activity.<\/p>\n From the perspective of Sustainable Healthcare, we need low cost ways to slow these dissipative influences, at the cellular level. Cultivating Chi (Prana), using 2000+ year old cognitive behavioral techniques (CBT), like Yoga and Chi Kung, teach us to consider<\/strong> Movement as Meditation<\/strong><\/span>. They are public health tools that can be delivered at low cost.<\/p>\n Investing in self directed wellness practices presents a sociocultural challenge, i.e., moving from a drug oriented model of care to one that empowers people (communities) to take charge. This shift has begun in some communities.<\/p>\n The connection between tissue perfusion and Chi implies linkages between the material and energetic aspects of our bodies.\u00a0 This is classically represented by the dualistic Taijitu, the interlinked circular symbol of the complementarity between Yin and Yang, known to both TCM physicians and martial artists.<\/p>\n Understanding the Taijitu, at a fundamental level, allows us to connect with Earth level processes involving global energy transitions connecting Wind and Water (i.e, Feng Shui).<\/p>\n The Taijitu also has applications at the sociocultural level, as discussed in Lao Zi\u2019s Tao Te Ching (Classic of The Way, aka Dao De Jing) and Sun Tzu\u2019s Art of War.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ancient systems of medicine, recognized as Whole Systems in the West, i.e., systems of healing that have their own diagnostic terms and therapeutic toolkits, make no reference to the language of Science\u2026 of molecules, atoms, and photons.<\/p>\n Traditional medicine models, which formally connect us to the Earth, speak of a vital energy within all of […]<\/p>\n […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":28,"menu_order":40,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1321","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1321"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1324,"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1321\/revisions\/1324"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuinaacupuncture.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}