Chinese medicine pharmacist Ai Okubo's self-medication techniques for different concerns
vol.1 Build your body with Chinese medicine
A woman's body is susceptible to fluctuations due to changes in seasons and changes in the environment. Even if you feel unwell, do you turn a blind eye to it due to the busyness of your daily life? Sometimes it's important to take care of yourself.
In this series, Ai Okubo, a pharmacist, international Chinese physician, and medicinal cuisine researcher, will share useful care methods in daily life based on the ideas of Chinese medicine.
Chinese herbal medicine is an ally for self-medication
"Kampo medicine" is known as Oriental medicine in Japan. I'm sure you all think of medicinal dishes. Also, I think many people imagine that medicine is based on empirical rules that have been in place for thousands of years.
In ancient times, there were no pharmaceuticals made from refined single ingredients like we have today, nor surgical knowledge or technology, so people at that time believed in their own healing powers and somehow devised them in order to survive in good health. Wisdom, you can think of it as herbal medicine.
After thousands of years of repeated trial and error, Chinese herbal medicine, which has been passed down to the present day, is the only one among Oriental medicine that has achieved the status of a pharmaceutical. It can be said that it is a medical science that is trusted.
In Chinese medicine, which is based on the theory of Chinese medicine's ``chiropractic concept'', it is believed that the tendencies of the mind and body, the foods and medicines that should be taken, and self-care methods are roughly determined by each season. It is.
“Ki, blood, and water” create a body that is resistant to change.
As we live, various changes occur, such as our living environment, human relationships, and climate. In addition, for women, the balance of female hormones can fluctuate significantly from month to month or year to year.
At times like this, our bodies work to maintain a certain state. This is called homeostasis, and the immune system, nervous system, and endocrine system try to maintain a healthy state by balancing each other within the body.
In Chinese medicine, these functions of the body are linked to the three elements necessary to sustain life: Qi, Blood, and Water. The immune system = air, the nervous system = blood, and the endocrine system = water.
Traditional Chinese medicine, which has been built on the accumulation of thousands of years of data, can be thought of as being linked to modern medicine in this way. When people hear the word "Kampo," they may have a high hurdle and think of it as something like a magic spell, but along with the development of medical science, Kampo medicine has also evolved to the point where it can be expressed more concretely as a medical treatment. I feel it.
It is said that about half of the causes of poor health are caused by lifestyle habits. Above all, reviewing the contents of your daily meals is essential to keeping your mind and body healthy and youthful in the future. When you want to do something good for your body, we recommend that you first review your diet using food and medicine theory based on Chinese herbal medicine and adopt food and medicine habits.
From next time onwards, we will introduce self-medication techniques based on the concept of Chinese medicine that can address your concerns.
Profile
Ai Okubo
Pharmacist, Chinese herbal medicine counselor. She studied Chinese medicine, medicinal cuisine, and oriental beauty at Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and became the first Japanese to receive an international TCM cosmetology qualification. After managing herbal medicine pharmacies, dispensing pharmacies, beauty salons, etc., she became involved in product development, writing, and corporate consulting as a medical and beauty expert, including Chinese medicine and medicinal foods.
