跳至主要内容

The Eastern Cultural Signature of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Perspectives

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a complete and independent medical system, which has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses for thousands of years. Holistic thinking, which is rooted in Eastern culture, is assumed to be the core of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In recent decades, such holistic thinking has been proposed to be applicable to Western medicine practices for alleviating serious side effects; however, the obscure and often ill-defined terms of TCM, such as qi, yin yang, and wuxing, pose considerable obstacles for further understanding TCM. In the present study, the authors explored whether and how TCM was actually related to the scientific construct of holistic thinking, to elucidate the particular cultural signature of TCM. 

In this study, a random sample of 101 college students majoring in TCM and 93 non-medical college students was recruited for the study. Two psychological scales—the Chinese Holistic Thinking Scale (CHTS) and the TCM Competence Scale (TCMCS) were used respectively to measure the holistic thinking and participants’ ability to apply the TCM in practice. 

The results showed that the CHTS had high internal consistency reliability and the TCMCS had high construct validity. Also, the authors found that individuals who thought more holistically were better at applying TCM to modern medical problems. Interestingly, TCM was associated with holistic thinking in both TCM and non-medical students, suggesting that this association was intrinsic. Further exploration revealed that the association and variability facets of Eastern holistic thinking—which emphasize that the world is interconnected and ever-changing, respectively—significantly accounted for the individual differences in competence in utilizing TCM in practice. 

In short, this study provided an empirical evidence linking TCM to the Eastern holistic thinking style by using the individual differences, which not only deepened the understanding of TCM from a scientific perspective but also promoted dialogue between TCM and Western medicine for building safer and more effective health care systems.

Article by Huanhua Lu, et al, from Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.

Full access: http://mrw.so/HtUai

Image by Prof Muluka, from Flickr-cc.

评论

发表评论

此博客中的热门博文

Electron Spin and Proton Spin in the Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Like Atomic Systems

Read full paper at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=52202#.VIj7tMnQrzE Author(s) Stanisław Olszewski * Affiliation(s) Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland . ABSTRACT The mechanical angular momentum and magnetic moment of the electron and proton spin have been calculated semiclassically with the aid of the uncertainty principle for energy and time. The spin effects of both kinds of the elementary particles can be expressed in terms of similar formulae. The quantization of the spin motion has been done on the basis of the old quantum theory. It gives a quantum number n = 1/2 as the index of the spin state acceptable for both the electron and proton ...
发表评论
阅读全文

Effects of Karate Training on Basic Motor Abilities of Primary School Children

“You never attack first in karate” might be the best conclusion of karate, which is a martial art practiced typically without weapons. It’s reported that karate has a long history for several hundred years, but the modern karate was spread to the whole Japan from Okinawa in the early part of 20th century. Now it has become one of the most widely practiced martial art forms in the world. Usually, it’s divided into Kihon, Kata and Kumite. As for the beginners, Kihon is more suitable for them because it involves basic techniques. Due to karate consists of dynamic offensive and defensive techniques using all parts of the body to their maximum advantage, the best understanding of true karate practice is the perfection of oneself through the perfection of the art. It not only develops coordination, quickens reflexes, and builds stamina, but also develops composure, a clearer thought process, deeper insight into one’s mental capabilities, and more self-confidence. So many researchers stu...
发表评论
阅读全文

Fermented Brown Sugar Residue Prolongs the Caenorhabditis elegans Lifespan via DAF-16

Fermented brown sugar residue (FBSR) is generated in the course of purifying biomass ethanol from the yeast fermentation products of brown sugar. It contains abundant nutrition and is used in various industrial applications including as fertilizer and feed. Meanwhile, brown sugar has attracted attention as a health food and is thought to prevent cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and brain stem diseases. Furthermore, polyphenol, contained in brown sugar, reduces oxidative stress and inhibits glucose absorption. DAF-16 is a transcription factor regulated downstream of the insulin signaling pathway and is one of the main factors contributing to aging and lifespan in C. elegans . Therefore, to determine the precise roles of the DAF-16 transcription factor in stress tolerance and life span, it is necessary to elucidate the signaling pathways involved in DAF-16 activation. This study was designed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms controlling the physiological stress toleran...
发表评论
阅读全文