<![CDATA[
<html><head>
<title>The Center for Health & Healing</title>
<link rel=stylesheet href="../chhstyle.css" type="text/css">
<meta name="keywords" content="tibetan medicine,health,healing,ancient healing art,pulse diagnosis,urine diagnosis,ear reading,ancient system of medicine">
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
function MM_jumpMenu(targ,selObj,restore){ //v3.0
eval(targ+".location='"+selObj.options[selObj.selectedIndex].value+"'");
if (restore) selObj.selectedIndex=0;
}
//-->
</script>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0">
<base target="_top">
<a name="head"></a>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="98%">
<tr>
<td width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="149" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td width="95%" bgcolor="#95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="500" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td width="5%" bgcolor="#95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="60" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff" align="left" valign="top"><a name="top"></a><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="149" height="24" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="padding:0px 0px 0px 5px">
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#95a920" align="left" valign="top"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="274" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td align="right"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="123" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
</tr>
<!-- TITLE -->
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#95a920" width="274" align="left" valign="top" class="title">Traditional & Indigenous Healing Systems</td>
<td align="right">
<!-- DROPDOWN MENU -->
<form name="form1" method="post" action="">
<select name="menu1" onChange="MM_jumpMenu('top',this,0)">
<option value="#" selected="selected">Select One</option>
<option value='auyrveda_history.asp'>Ayurveda</option>
<option value='asian_history.asp'>East Asian Medicine</option>
<option value='kampo_history.asp'>Kampo</option>
<option value='native_history.asp'>Native American Medicine</option>
<option value='tibetan_history.asp'>Tibetan Medicine</option>
</select>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<!-- LEFT NAV -->
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff">
<table width="120" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">
<tr>
<td>
<p><a class="leftNavOff" href="tibetan_history.asp">History & Philosophy</a></p>
<p><a class="leftNavOff" href="tibetan_treat.asp">Treatment Approaches</a></p>
<p><a class="leftNavOn" href="tibetan_how.asp">How it works & when to use it</a></p>
<p><a class="leftNavOff" href="tibetan_train.asp">Training</a></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
<!-- HEADLINE -->
<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="padding: 0px 0px 5px 0px;">
<p class="headline"><br>
Tibetan Medicine — How it works & when to use it</p>
</td>
<td width="100%"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td width="100%" bgcolor="ffffff" height="1"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="ffffff" colspan="2"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="10" border="0" alt=""></td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- MAIN CONTENT -->
<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td class='content'>
<p><span class='head2'>Different Theories on How it Works</span><br />
Tibetan medicine is a complete medical system based upon principles of diagnosis and treatment that differ from western medical assumptions about health and disease. The theories, principles and methods of treatment are built upon the view that everything in the universe is made up of five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space). The living body is considered a universe and measures are taken to cope with illness that arise on the basis of observation. When injuries are recognized in any of the visceral organs, the strain on the body leading to such injuries is identified and measures are taken to counter it. When a patient has symptoms of vertigo, lethargy and a mild fever, together with gastrointestinal problems, for example, the diminution of gastrointestinal function is considered the basic pathology and measures are taken against it first. This leads to an improvement in the various associated symptoms.</p>
<p>Tibetan medicine is characterized by the identification of the personality based on three principal energy systems that mediate all physiological and biological processes. These three functional processes are closely interrelated and influence each other in reciprocal ways. For Tibetan physicians, an understanding of these energy systems and their relation to each other is the basis for understanding medicine. The degree of interaction between organs and these three principal energy systems determines the regulation of their dynamic balance. Evaluation of the organism in health and pathology, determination of the constitutional types, age, time and seasonal factors, environmental conditions, diagnostic principles, classification of diseases, and definition of properties of medicinal ingredients have all been linked in Tibetan medicine with the functional aspects of these three main systems. Both physical and mental illness are primarily due to an imbalance, or disharmony, among these three energy systems within the body. </p>
<p>Due to differences in individuals’ constitutions, their responses to the same pathological process will also differ. For example, an infection with the same pathogen may not show an identical clinical picture in two different patients. Thus the nature and symptoms of the disease are identified by observing the interaction between the pathological process and the patient’s inherent constitution.</p>
<p><span class='head2'>Conditions it Works Best for</span><br />
The Tibetan medical system can contribute substantially to maintaining a healthy mind and body. Like the traditional medical systems of India and China, Tibetan medicine views health as a question of balance. A variety of factors such as diet, lifestyle, seasonal, and mental conditions can disturb this natural balance and give rise to different kinds of disorders. A Tibetan physician employs his own senses to examine the individual’s general balance of health as a whole. Treatment involves dietary and behavioral advice and medication. Medicines, which have few side effects, are obtained from natural sources such as herbs, minerals and organic products, and are prepared under controlled conditions.</p>
<p>As a complete and integrated system of health care, Tibetan medicine can offer western medicine a different perspective on health. However, like other scientific systems, it must be understood on its own terms, as well as in the context of objective investigation. In practice it can also offer Western people another approach to achieving happiness through health and balance.</p>
<a href='#head' target='_self' class='disclaimer'>Top</a>
<p class="timestamp">Content last modified on Sep 4, 2003</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/bg_curve.gif" width="60" height="300" align="right" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="200" border="0" alt=""></td>
</tr>
<!-- COPYRIGHT -->
<tr>
<td width="149" bgcolor="ffffff"> </td>
<td colspan="2" bgcolor="ffffff">
<p> </p>
<p class="copyright">©2002 Center for Health and Healing</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
]]>