Chinese medicines Pinoys swear by
Pharmaceutical drugs aren’t the only way to combat common maladies like cough, cold, fever, even menstrual pain.
From culinary herbs to fruits and veggies, you can definitely find an alternative cure right from your own kitchen.
For example, those strawberries in the fruit basket you got during the holidays can ease a longstanding dry and hacking cough. And that leftover celery, when mixed with honey or cooked in vinegar, can be a big help for people who have hypertension and high blood pressure.
More and more people use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to not only fight common diseases, but also prevent them. This ancient system of health and wellness has been used in China for thousands of years.
Unlike Western medicine, which sees the body as a machine, TCM “sees the body as a garden.”
“In Western medicine, when a person is sick, we just focus on a certain body part and fix it,” explains Dr. Lyllian Banzon, acupuncturist and team physician of the Philippine National Women’s Football Team. “TCM sees the body as a garden. When there is a disease, we look at the landscape — the factors that can affect the general health of a person. We ask questions. All aspects of the body and health are taken into consideration. It’s a holistic practice.”
Dr. Banzon has been practicing TCM for seven years now. After graduating from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, she took a TCM program for doctors under HealthDev Clinics.
“Later on that program was moved and is now under the Ateneo Chinese Studies,” she shared.
Dr. Banzon also took a short course in Taipei, Taiwan, under the Taiwan International Healthcare Training Center and sports acupuncture course in San Diego, California.
When asked what motivated her to take up TCM, the triathlete lady doctor replied, “I had chronic migraine when I was a senior in college. I went to different western doctors — neurologists, internists and ophthalmologists — but they didn’t solve my problem.”
Although a bit skeptical, Dr. Banzon decided to try acupuncture.
“And it worked,” she enthused. “It completely cured my migraine.”
According to her, acupuncture can help with almost any illness.
“Some patients opt for acupuncture to help with pain management, fertility, insomnia, stress, anxiety, digestive tissues, immune support, and metabolic health, among others,” she added.
So how does it work?
“Acupuncture generally works by balancing a person’s qi (vital life force),” Dr. Banzon explained. “It can be deficient or stagnant. There are also other aspects taken into consideration. Your acupuncturist will look at the disease pattern, which is equivalent to a diagnosis, and choose particular acupuncture points that have specific functions that will help bring your body back to proper health and balance.”
Acupuncture should only be administered by a qualified acupuncturist, who has undergone years of training.
“Just be wary because there are some practitioners who just did a few weeks’ training,” she added.
And yes, acupuncture is safe under a qualified and diligent acupuncturist.
Aside from acupuncture, here are some of the traditional Chinese medicines even Pinoys swear by:
White Flower Oil. Life’s daily stresses — work, relationships, and bills to pay — often cause you headaches. It’s time to unleash your inner tita — or shall I say, auntie? — and bring out that tiny bottle you’ve been hiding in your purse. All you need is a drop or two, and gently massage the temples (the soft spot between the corner of your eye and your ear). For insect bites, just dab a drop or two on the affected area.
Wah Sing Zihua Embrocation Purple Flower Oil. A favorite pasalubong — of titas — from Hong Kong, the Purple Flower Oil helps ease dizziness, headache, common cold or stuffy nose, motion sickness, vomiting, abdominal pain, and insect bites. Author Letty Lopez always keeps a bottle in her purse. “I use it at the onset of headaches. Just dab it on the sides of the forehead, behind the neck, and behind the ears,” she shared. “I also dab a bit on the face mask — atop the nose area — to help me breathe easier.”
Tiger Balm. How can so much relief be packed into such a tiny jar? This soothing balm Chinoys love soothes tired muscles and relieves muscle pain. It’s also a favorite of arthritis sufferers. If you need something stronger, opt for the white variant — Tiger Balm Ultra.
Tiger Balm Joint Rub. This non-greasy lotion, which was recommended by Lifestyle writers Pepper Teehankee and Marbee Go during a pharmacy run in Singapore, gives a warming sensation for quick relief from arthritis and joint pain, which my parents suffer from. It contains glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. With its convenient pump, it allows arthritis sufferers to dispense the product easily anytime, anywhere.
Ming’s Pei Pa Koa candies. Who doesn’t love Ming’s Pei Pa Koa candies? Made from natural herbs, loquat, and honey extracts, it relieves discomfort from coughs, colds, sore throat, hoarseness, or loss of voice, and the like (except loss of smell and taste. You need a different medication for that!).
Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa. Just like the candy, this pleasant-tasting natural herbal-based liquid is specially formulated and provides instant relief of minor discomforts such as sore mouth and sore throat.
Po Sum On medicated oil. Pharmaceutical drugs may not be your only path to pain relief. Po Sum On Medicated Oil is an alternative remedy for simple backaches, arthritis, sprains, bruises, as well as inflammation.
Jade Cranes menthol stick. It helps soothe and relieve headaches caused by hot weather, the environment, and motion sickness.
Bao Fu Ling Skin Cream. This is used to treat athlete’s foot, skin burns and scalds, severe insect bites, and other skin irritations.
