Maintain Equilibrium Among 'Pests' with Chinese Medicine

By Maureen M. Conant, L.Ac.

Organic....what exactly does this word mean? I looked up the definition and found many. The ones that stood out to me were “simple, healthful, and close to nature,” or “constituting an integral part of a whole.” It also literally means "free of toxins or pesticides." How can you go through the day free of toxins, pests, traffic problems, annoyances at work, fluorescent lights, or a computer breakdown? You can’t. But you can figure out how to retain your equilibrium in daily life. In other words, you can create an environment within yourself in which you become ‘resistant’ to these kinds of ‘pests,’ or you experience ‘serenity in the midst of daily chaos.’

Take a look at the organic approach to growing plants and food vs. the conventional approach. Conventionally, pesticides are used to kill off ‘pests.’ However, besides leaving residues which are harmful to us, this also disrupts the delicate balance of nature. The organic approach focuses more on creating an environment naturally, where plants can thrive among the pests. The idea is to work with nature, not to conquer it.

This approach is very similar to different philosophies of healthcare. Conventional medicine in the last couple hundred years has focused on creating a sterile environment in our bodies with treatments that isolate and kill bacteria or viruses that plague us. Of course, many of us would not be here today if not for the discoveries of modern science, and it is an important and necessary form of medicine. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine, which is thousands of years old, analyzes the relationships of all the organ systems and functions within the body as well as the relationship between us and our environment. Our environment includes pathogens of all kinds, weather patterns and seasonal influences, which all influence our state of health. So, it looks at everything in relation to ‘constituting an integral part of a whole.’ In this way it is similar to organic farming.

An example of how Chinese medicine does this is, if someone's Qi (core energy, immune system) is weak, they are more susceptible to a number of illnesses or allergies. A practitioner of Chinese medicine would use a balanced approach of trying to release the pathogen, while also helping the person strengthen their Qi so that they are better able to resist pathogens in the future. This is what we call treating both the 'branch' and the 'root' of the illness.

Traditional Chinese medicine can help you by coaxing your body back into a natural state of balance. It is this balance that helps you maneuver throughout the day, retaining your organic nature in the midst of the pests of daily living. With acupuncture, herbal medicine, and lifestyle adjustments such as exercise, you will learn to focus on your breath and mentally learn to filter out the foods, drinks, people, thoughts, billboards, and TVs that you don’t need in your life. Sit in traffic and look for the space between thoughts and fill that space with breath. Life is never free from pests, pathogens or challenges, but the grace and beauty of daily living is how we rise to meet these challenges.