Since it is especially effective in regulating blood and energy circulation for menstruation, the name "dang gui" probably indicates its function of having energy and blood "return" to where they belong. However, a sad love story seems to be accepted more widely as the origin of its name.
The herb was discovered by a laborer who hid a rabbit with a damaged spine in the farmland to avoid being punished by the land owner. Surprisingly, the rabbit recovered quickly. Following the rabbit, the laborer found it chewing a kind of wild vine twisting on bean stalks.
"BAI qian", or cynanchum glaucescens, is a herb that helps relieve coughing. It is said to have been used by the legendary Hua Tuo - a doctor in Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD220) - in saving the life of a child.
Hawthorn is a mildly "warm" herb that helps relieve indigestion, improve appetite, activate circulation, dissolve phlegm and boost energy. It is traditionally prescribed for children with digestive problems and new mothers to clear waste fluid after delivering the baby.
The grass is common in southern China, maturing in summer and autumn. It can be used as a "cold" TCM herb after processing, which travels through the energy channels in the liver, gallbladder, kidney and bladder. It can help promote urination, dispel pathogenic heat, resolve stagnation, relieve inflammation and dissolve stones.
According to the TCM bible "Ben Cao Gang Mu," or "Compendium of Materia Medica," huang lian is extremely bitter and "cold," which means it cannot be taken over a long period of time, otherwise it would harm the spleen and stomach.
Good sleep is a sign of good health - insomnia is an indicator that there is something wrong inside the body. Additionally, lack of sleep can also cause serious health problems (depression, anxiety disorders, immune deficiency) when it has been ignored for a long time.
The digestive system enters an active stage in winter and that's why dietary reinforcements are usually more effective than in other seasons, according to Dr Wang Xiaosu, chief physician of gastroenterology Department of Yueyang Hospital attached to Shanghai University of TCM.
TCM suggest keeping the throat warm, avoiding cold air and spicy food and drinking herbal teas. Herbs can help ease discomfort by fighting inflammation and dissolving phlegm, which can block qi or energy. Sore throat is a problem in cities and more than 80 percent of adults worldwide suffer at some point from throat inflammation.
Various factors contribute to major hair loss and balding, including heredity, immune-endocrine system problems, external injury, medication side effects (from some antidepressants, anti-inflammatory drugs, beta blockers, birth-control pills, blood thinners, cholesterol reducers and thyroid inhibitors) and chemotherapy.
In martial arts there's often an unexpected master who produces an unlikely and obscure weapon just in the nick of time. That's not only true in kung fu but also in traditional Chinese medicine where little-known therapies have been developed outside the mainstream.
The 2014 Shaolin Cultural Festival, including Kungfu competition and exhibition on Shaolin culture and 12 Zodiac Animals Cultural Relics, will be held in Britain in the upcoming October, organizers announced on Wednesday.