Traditional Chinese Medicine Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest continuous systems of medicine in history, dating as far back as two thousand years before the birth of Christ.  In contrast the American Medical Association, the largest health care member association in the United States was formed in 1847, some 3,800 years after the first memtion of traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine has its origin in ancient Taoist philosophy which views a person as an energy system in which body and mind are one, each influencing and balancing the other.  Unlike allopathic medicine which attempts to isolate and separate a disease from a person, Chinese Medicine emphasizes a holistic approach that treats the whole person. Many of the concepts in traditional Chinese medicine have no true counterpart in Western medicine.  One of these concepts is qi (pronounced "chi"), which is considered a vital force or energy responsible for controlling the processes of the human mind and body. Qi flows through the body via channels or pathways which are called meridians. Imbalances in the flow of qi cause illness; correction of this flow restores the body to balance. Traditional Chinese medicine encompasses several methods designed to help patients achieve and maintain health.  Along with acupuncture, TCM incorporates other techniques such as acupressure and moxibustion; manipulative and message techniques such as tuina, herbal medicine, diet and lifestyle changes, meditation and exercise, often in the form of qigong or tai chi. Homeopathy In 1796 a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, discovered a different approach to the cure of the sick which he called homeopathy.  The word "homeopathy " is derived from two Greek words: homois, which means "similar" and pathos which means "suffering".  Homeopathy's basic premise is called the "principles of similars." The principles of similars states that a medicinal substance that is known to cause particular symptoms in a healthy person, will cause an increase in symptoms in the case of an overdose. However, similar symptoms will improve in the sick when taken only in micro doses. For example coffee in high doses for the average person will cause sleeplessness, but the homeopathic remedy, coffea cruda which is a micro dose of coffee will help the person suffering with insomnia. Homeopathic remedies will not usually cause side effects and you cannot become addicted to them.  This is because only a very minute amount of the active ingredient is used in a specially prepared form.  When a homeopathic remedy is prescribed it takes into account the whole person, the individual characteristics emotionally as well as physically. Symptoms represent our body at work against whatever stress or pathogen that has come in contact with the system.  It makes sense to work along with the body in its healing process. Suppressing the body with strong medication, which is done in allopathic medicine causes  the person to return to illness once the medication is stopped, hence no cure.  Homepathy's aim is to cure: "The complete restoration of perfect health," as Dr. Samuel Hahneman said. Kinesiology Kinesiology is an energetic mode of testing that uses your body's individual frequency to give diagnostic information.  Using a small muscle group of the thumb and the pointer finger we read the responses given to different test filters to find imbalances in the body. Nutritional Counseling Diseases, especially chronic ones, do not happen in a vaccum. Some are years in the making and often it is a person's diet that leads them on a path to ill health. It has been said, "One man's meat is another man's poison."  Strict meal plans often fail because they do not consider the unique lifestyles, health conditions, and taste preferences that individuals may have.  At Universal Healing Services we take a different approach that makes the process of changing dietary habits easier becase we consider you, the individual.  To faciltate this process we need a 2 week journal of everything consumed, including beverages and snacks.  This would give us an idea of your eating schedule and basic types of food that you consume the most.  Along with the information gathered at your visit and your journal, we can make recommendations of the kinds of foods you need to include more of and what you should eliminate to aid your condition.  What this allows the client to see is how much their condition as been helped or harmed by the foods that they eat and helps to direct one to make lasting transitions to healthier eating. Other Services Qi Gong Classes - Tuesday mornings - 7am Beginning Tai Chi classes soon to be announced.