Flood Control and the Origins of Acupuncture in Ancient China

Ancient

Although acupuncture has gained increasing acceptance throughout the world, a number of questions concerning its origins remain unanswered. Acupuncture is generally referred to as an Eastern system of healing that originated in China. However, it has also been suggested that acupuncture may have first arisen in India or even Central Europex. In this article we will discuss parallels between the theory and practice of acupuncture and the development of flood control in ancient China, which support the conclusion that acupuncture is a uniquely Chinese invention.

The techniques and terminology of flood control offer a vivid analogy of the therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture. The meridians of the body are seen to correspond to the river courses of the earth, channeling the qi and blood which nourish the tissues, just as the rivers’ waters irrigate the land. Blockages in these “energy rivers” act as dams, obstructing the flow of qi and blood and causing it to back up in connecting channels. Needling the acupuncture points removes the obstructions, curing disease by reestablishing the regular flow of qi and blood, just as dredging a river clears away sediment, preventing flooding by allowing the water to flow freely.

These and similar descriptions have been applied to acupuncture since it first appeared as a complete system of healing early in China’s Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD). Many examples may be found in the Neijing (c. 104-32 BC), the oldest extant work on acupuncture. Such hydraulic terminology was employed not simply for its evocative imagery. Rather, it indicates the understanding the Chinese ancestors had attained by this time of the correspondences between Nature and Human, river and meridian, flood and disease. The development of flood control in China, which reached its peak late in the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), and the application of its principles to the healing of the human body, was an essential precondition for the invention for acupuncture (4). The context thus established was unique to China, and did not exist in India, Central Europe, or anywhere else in the classical world.

Water can capsize a boat, as well as float it. The dual nature of water – its ability to harm as well as help – has driven humanity to put great effort into harnessing its power. The history of flood control in China is as long as that of Chinese civilization MONOGRAFIAS PRONTAS. The ancient Chinese who lived in the Yellow River and Changjiang (Yangtze) River basins regularly experienced severe and protracted flooding, as well as the benefits of these rivers. This remains the case even today. This defining aspect of Chinese culture is reflected in one of China’s oldest and most popular legends, the story of how Great Yu controlled the flood. It is said that during the Wudi or Five Emperors Period (c. 2700 to 2000 BC), severe flooding spread over the land and brought great disaster to the people. After repeated attempts to obstruct the waters by erecting dikes and dams failed, Emperor Shun (c. 2100 BC) appointed Yu to harness the rivers and control the flood. Great Yu noticed and took advantage of the downward flowing nature of water, dredging canals according to the physical features of the terrain to lead the waters finally to the sea. After thirteen years of hard work, the floods subsided. Because of Yu’s great contributions Emperor Shun abdicated the throne in his favor, and Great Yu became the first Emperor of the Xia Dynasty (c. 2000-1500 BC).

It may be difficult to separate fact from legend in the case of Great Yu, but China’s long history of hydraulic engineering is indisputable. The great philosopher Guanzi (c. 725-645 BC), who lived along the lower reaches of the Yellow and Changjiang (Yangtze) Rivers, is quoted as saying: “Among the five kinds of natural disaster [i.e. flood, drought, wind-fog-hail-frost, pestilence, and locusts], flood is the worst” Guanzi accordingly urged that control of flooding should take priority over other public works, and formulated detailed measures to prevent flood damage.

The most valuable principle the ancient Chinese learned from their work with flood control was that dredging or diverting water to flow naturally downward is superior to diking or other attempts to obstruct the water’s passage. Particular attention was therefore paid to the distribution of watercourses and the valleys in which they were located. The Classic of Watercourses (Shuijng), the world’s oldest monograph on watercourses compiled by Shang Qin (c. 1st century AD), discusses 137 watercourses in detail. The most famous commentary on this work, The Annotated Classic of Watercourses (Shuijing Zhu), written by Li Daoyuan (466-527 AD) during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD), records a total of 1250 watercourses. As noted by British China scholar Dr. Joseph Needham, “There seems to be no class of geographical literature in Europe quite corresponding to this” (1). The Chinese ancestors’ special interest in watercourses laid the essential groundwork for their recognition of the meridians or “energy rivers” of the body, and the subsequent invention of acupuncture.

Adapte-se à saúde com Sutherlandia

Sutherlandia

Sutherlandia é uma leguminosa adaptogênica, com fixação de nitrogênio, com aumento imune, luta contra o câncer e propriedades de redução da ansiedade. Com todas essas qualidades, não é de admirar porque, no passado e nos tempos modernos, é considerado um remédio natural africano testado.

As propriedades estimulantes imunológicas de Sutherlandia provocaram uma grande pesquisa, especialmente no contexto do câncer e HIV / AIDS na África do Sul. Sutherlandia é tradicionalmente chamado Kankerbos (Most cancers Bush) pela nação afrikaans, e inWele (cabelo) pela nação Zulu. Este nome incomum deriva da idéia de que o medicamento literalmente “escolheria uma pessoa pelos cabelos e colocaria-os de novo”. Sutherlandia tem uma boa história no campo da medicina tradicional. Tem sido usado tradicionalmente para uma variedade de doenças, incluindo dores no estômago, cânceres internos, resfriados, influenza para citar alguns. A planta apresenta-se como um arbusto arborizado pequeno e macio que pode crescer um metro de altura. Os folhetos são de cor cinza-verde, dando ao arbusto uma aparência prateada Monografias Prontas. “As folhas são uma degustação muito amarga, no entanto, percebemos que com o tempo, realmente se acostume com o gosto.

Sutherlandia é relativamente facilmente cultivada em seu jardim tornando-se uma erva acessível para aqueles que gostam de fazer suas próprias misturas à base de ervas. A dosagem com Sutherlandia também é relativamente fácil, o uso é sugerido da seguinte maneira: “Um monte (± 10g = three colheres de sopa) de erva de solo seca é infundido até frio com um litro de água fervente, depois tenso e tomado em doses de meia-dose 90 ml) três vezes ao dia. Crianças de 6 a 12 anos: um quarto de chávena (45 ml) “. A erva também pode ser seca e esmagada e adicionada a alimentos para cavalos, cães ou até ovelhas. Geralmente é tomado como um tônico amargo.

Nos tempos modernos, a pesquisa forneceu uma grande quantidade de informações sobre Sutherlandia. Muito da mesma forma que a erva é capaz de se adaptar a condições secas difíceis, também ajuda o corpo humano a se adaptar a tempos difíceis. Sutherlandia foi identificada como um adaptogen, um termo cunhado pelo cientista russo Dr. Nicolai Lazarev, referindo-se a uma erva pure que aumenta a resistência do corpo aos estresses, como trauma, ansiedade e fadiga corporal. Em outras palavras, Sutherlandia auxilia o corpo a se adaptar e combater os invasores, uma qualidade essential especialmente no contexto do HIV. Sutherlandia funciona como uma excelente fábrica de produtos químicos que produz uma série de compostos que aumentam a saúde, que incluem L-canavanina, pinitol, GABA, asparaginas e um novo glucósido triterpenoide conhecido como SU1.As atividades biológicas publicadas desses compostos parecem validar alguns dos usos tradicionais da planta, além de apoiar o uso da planta como um tônico de qualidade de vida em pacientes com câncer e AIDS.

Constituintes químicos importantes de Sutherlandia:

O L-Canavanina é conhecido por ocorrer em níveis elevados em certas sementes. O que é incomum é que os níveis significativos deste composto são encontrados nas folhas de Sutherlandia. Este potente aminoácido não proteico é um antagonista de L-arginina com atividades antivirais, anti-bacterianas, antifúngicas e anticancerígenas documentadas.

O Pinitol, um conhecido agente antidiabético, foi isolado das folhas de Sutherlandia e o trabalho quantitativo está em progresso. Uma patente dos EUA sugere que o pinitol pode ter aplicação clínica no tratamento do desperdício de câncer e pacientes com AIDS.

O GABA foi isolado a partir de folhas secas de Sutherlandia em níveis até 14 mg / g de peso seco. Este neurotransmissor inibitório poderia explicar o uso da planta para ansiedade e estresse, e para a melhoria do humor e bem-estar experimentado por muitos pacientes.

Protect Your Skin from Summer Sun with the Right Supplements

Summer

summer time approaches…Plan Ahead

Ultraviolet (UV) rays on unprotected skin can cause first and 2d diploma burns to the skin, generally referred to as sunburn. long run harm from overexposure can come with untimely growing older and even skin most cancers. The use of commercially out there sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or better is effective coverage. notwithstanding, a variety of herbal treatments may be even more useful than chemical-laden oils Monografias Prontas.

protecting dietary supplements

analysis has diagnosed the advantages of antioxidants to avoid or cut harm led to by UV radiation. injury starts when UV radiation stimulates the manufacturing of free radicals and lipid peroxidases within the skin. Antioxidants such as diet E and diet C neutralize these debris and curtail cellular injury. These average keen on are additionally effective for sunburn prevention.

In a look at at the college of Munich, 10 topics were given diet C (2000 mg) and nutrition E one thousand( IU) day by day or a placebo. The sunburn reaction earlier than and after eight days of complement use was decided by measuring the minimum erythema (redness) dose, or MED. This is the amount of UV radiation necessary to create a uniform red color on uncovered skin.

The effects confirmed that topics taking the nutrients required 20% more UV radiation to adventure the same level of reaction as in contrast to those taking a placebo(1) . A similar result came from a separate examine at the college of Frankfurt, concluding that nutrition C and diet E act synergistically to suppress a sunburn reaction.(2)

an alternate complement, beta-carotene, has been studied for consequences as a sun protectant. information revealed from examine at the college of Arizona shows that supplementation with herbal carotenoids ninety mg every day for 24 weeks conveys modest coverage from each UVA- and UVB-induced erythema.(3)

Taking these 3 dietary supplements day by day for a week earlier than a going on a seashore holiday, or taking them across the summer time, could be a wonderful, safe way to protect yourself from sunburn.

curative Topical Therapies

herbal topical exceptional have been proven to be effective for sunburn. A look at from the college of Western Ontario confirmed that utility of 5% diet E cream car parking zone after a sunburn considerably reduced necrosis of the skin’s keratinocytes, generally referred to as “peeling.” This valuable effect was famous even when the utility was not on time up to eight hours after exposure.(4) This is very good information for those that uncover in the night that their over-exposure happened earlier in the day.

A variety of herbs been mentioned to have soothing consequences. making use of the oil from sea buckthorn (hippophae rhamnoides) three to four times per day has been useful as each a herbal a sunscreen or as a sunburn remedies. Sea buckthorn oil is a herbal product that includes diet C, malic acid, flavaniods, carotenoids, and a large number fatty acids. These elements protect cells from lipid peroxidation injury.(5) apparently, the oil focus has been used to treat radiation burns led to by radiation remedies and on bedsores. Sea buckthorn high temperature the rate of new skin formation and hasten the formation of granulation tissue in wounds.(6) Other herbs useful for the topical remedy of sunburn come with 5-10% jojoba extract,(7) jujube oil,(8) and a semi-solid instruction of 20-30% dried poplar buds.

pay attention of natural Photosensitizers