Programs in Chinese Medicine – From Acupuncture to Tuina
Programs in Chinese medicine offer health career-minded students unique ways of learning about alternative and complementary healthcare systems. In addition to gaining in-depth knowledge in the history and philosophies of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), students participating in Oriental medicine courses have a variety of professional pathways from which to choose.
Were you aware that programs in Chinese medicine offer training in Oriental bodywork like Tuina, acupressure, and Shiatsu? Additionally, you can opt to enroll in a doctoral program; where you gain essential skills and knowledge in the Five Elements, acupuncture, needling techniques, Chinese medical language, meridian therapy, Qigong, Tai chi, Chinese herbology, and Chinese medical massage, and other related studies.
Depending on which one of the programs in Chinese medicine you wish to pursue, it is always a good idea to explore your options and what types of prerequisites may be necessary for enrollment. For more comprehensive coursework, (like doctoral programs) you must have an extensive educational background in basic sciences like anatomy, physiology, pathology, chemistry and biochemistry, among others. And while certificate programs like Tuina or acupressure may be completed in less than one year, graduate programs in acupuncture and Oriental medicine may take up to four years to finish. Read the rest of this entry »
Dit Da Jow For Iron Palm Training
Dit Da Jow means “iron hit wine” or sometimes “hit and fall wine” in Chinese. Sometimes called just “jow” for short, it is an herbal liniment used to heal damage to the body caused by falling, being hit, or striking something.
Jow is made by soaking a mixtures of Chinese herbs in a jar of wine. Traditionally, the jar was sealed and buried underground for months to keep it free from light and temperature variances, and then after a certain amount of it it would be dug up and ready for use. The alcohol absorbs the properties of the herbs and as a result can be rubbed into the skin to transfer the healing property of the herbs to the body.
There are various types of jows that may be used for certain purposes.
General purpose – an all-purpose liniment that may be applied externally to help heal bumps and bruises from normal training, falls, or strikes.
Iron palm – some schools have a specific mixture of ingredients that they use specifically for iron palm training. Depending on the school and the type of training, this could be a “hot” variety to increase the blood flow in the hands, or it might also serve to protect the hands from the high volume of impact encountered during training. Read the rest of this entry »