Eating Well Are health supplements necessary?
Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician Ng Wan Wan, Dora Head Acupuncturist, Complementary Integrative Medicine Clinic Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Expert interviewed:
With modern day consumers becoming more health-conscious, many are turning to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an alternative health booster, transforming this age-old practice into a new and fashionable lifestyle choice.
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W i t h m o d e r n d ay c o n s u m e r s b e c o m i n g m o r e health - c onscious, many are tur ning to Traditional Chinese M edicine ( TCM) as an alter native health booster, transforming this age-old practice into a new and fashionable lifestyle choice. We often hear people complain of general fatigue or minor aches and pains in their bodies and they would like to consume Chinese herbal medications to relief these ailments. They are often under the impression that Chinese herbs have mild medicinal proper ties, cause no side-effects and can be taken even in good health. On the contrary, using TCM as a tonic requires certain specifications instead of unguided usage. The question is who should t ake TCM as a supplement and how should it be taken? Ms Dora Ng, Physician from the Complementar y Integrative Medicine Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital shares her professional advice. Physician Ng says, the use of TCM as a form of healthcare should take into account three impor tant factors, namely the individual’s body condition, the current season as well as the local environment. It includes the person’s age, gender, body constitution and lifestyle habits. Before consuming TCM, people should be aware of their body constitution and if they have any other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart or lung diseases. It is also important to pay attention to the seasonal climate and local geographical conditions. In addition, a person’s physique can be due to c ongenital c onditions or ac quired factors such as lifestyle and their environment. Physician Ng pointed out that body constitutions can be divided into eight general c ategories: Neutral t ype ( ), Yin Def iciency t ype , Ya n g - D e f i c i e n c y t y p e , Q i - D ef ic iency t y pe , Phle g m Dampness type , Blood-Stasis type , Dampness- Heatiness type and YangHeatiness type . The body c onstitution c an be diagnosed by a Chinese Physician. Thereafter, taking a suitable and complimentar y prescription in small amounts on a regular basis, can help to treat illnesses and enhance good health.
Eating Well Are health supplements necessary?
e Elderly As people age, their bodily functions decline as well. Using TCM can help to improve blood and qi-imbalances that are due to ageing. In good health, the elder ly c an also consider taking moderate amounts of ginseng, American ginseng, fleeceflower root (he shou wu), wolfberry, eucommia bark (du zhong), cordycep, lingzhi, walnut, sea cucumber and black fungus. These food items can nourish the kidneys, enhance the body’s vital essences as well as replenish qi and calm the nerves. As for the ginkgo nut which some elderly are fond of, care should be taken not to consume too large an amount as it may result in toxicit y. Severe symptoms include abdominal pains, diarrhoea, fever or convulsions. According to Physician Ng, a weekly serving of 5 ginkgo nuts is more than sufficient to help relief symptoms such as breathlessness. Ginkgo nut leaves can also improve the body’s micro-vascular circulation.
Busy Working Adults Working adults who lead a hectic and stressful lifest yle of ten over work their brains to c omplete c hallenging tasks. Also, long hours of deskbound work and lack of physical activity may give rise to stiff neck and muscle spasm over the shoulder region, sometimes leading to headaches. This is especially so when one is under great pressure, the agitation may result in giddiness. In such cases, Chinese herbs that nourish the heart and strengthen brain activity such as fresh rehmannia root (sheng di) and liquorice root (gan cao) can be used. Wolfberry, white mulberry (sang gan zi ), Common Yam Rhizome (huai shan) and red dates may help en64
Eating Well Are health supplements necessary?
Children and Teenagers
hance vision, particularly for people with prolonged exposure to computer screens. In addition, chrysanthemum tea has cooling proper ties that can alleviate body heat. P hy s i c i a n N g m e n t i o n e d t h a t besides using TCM to improve on one’s health, it is also impor tant to stay physically active. She advises people with deskbound work to make use of their toilet breaks to do stretching exercises in order to relax their tensed muscles. People working in air-conditioned environments and are inadequate in adjusting to sudden changes in temperature can consider TCM herbs like Indian Bread (fu ling) and liquorice root as supplements.
Chinese physicians often refer to children as having body constitutions of “pure yang� ( ). This means that children have strong vitality and have abundant energy. At this stage, their bodies are capable of building a strong immunity and have good regenerative ability. They seldom need TCM tonics for nourishment. As they are in a growing phase, their organ functions and bone structures are yet to be fully developed, thus it is not advisable to consume TCM. Instead, they should focus mainly on their digestive function. As and when necessary, TCM herbs such as pseudostellaria root (tai zi shen ), Common Yam Rhizome, Indian Bread and honey may help a child establish a healthy metabolism and maintain a good appetite. As they reach puber ty, their organs are maturing and are functionally active. As such, supplements are not necessary but should be taken in moderation if required to replenish qi and blood. For students who are prone to stress and anxiety due to their studies, are not sleeping well, experience frequent dreams or lack concentration in class - it's recommended that they take lotus seed (lian zi), lily bulb (bai he), Common Yam Rhizome, pseudostellaria root and glehnia root (sha sen). These can be prepared and consumed as tea to minimise the abovementioned symptoms.
Men Generally, men have stronger body constitutions than women and do not usually need tonics to enhance their health. However, if they often have late nights and engage in mentally intensive work, they can take herbs such as American ginseng, wolfberry, eucommia bark, lingzhi, red dates and Milkvetch(huang qi ), to replenish their qi. Physician Ng adds that not all men require TCM tonics to boost their kidney functions, only those who have a weak constitution and suf fer from premature ejaculation should consider doing so. 65
Eating Well Are health supplements necessary?
Women undergo many physiological changes in their bodies throughout their lifetime, namely menstruation, pregnancy, lactation and menopause...... Women Women undergo many physiologic al changes in their bodies throughout their lifetime, namely menstruation, pregnancy, lac t ation and menopause. Ac c ording to teachings in TCM, these st ages have a strong relation to the qi and blood in the body. As women grow older, they should take note of the following stages: Teenage years: Te e n a g e g i r l s w h o h a v e r e a c h e d puber ty and have star ted their menstrual cycles should take steps to replenish their blood by consuming herbs such as Chinese angelica (dang gui), white peony root (bai shao), fleeceflower root(he shou wu) and red dates. Girls who suffer from menstrual cramps may take Bai Feng Wan ( , a TCM brownish-black medicated pill) after menstruation. This is in preparation for the next menstrual cycle, relieving discomfort or cramps. Pregnant women: Pregnant women should have a well66
balanc ed diet that c onsists of suf f icient intake of vitamins and nutrients to ensure the healthy growth and development of their foetus till full-term. Most Chinese physicians will advise women to avoid taking Chinese herbal medications at this stage as some herbs may induce jaundice conditions in newborns. In the event of discomfort during pregnancy or the need for medication, it is advisable to consult their respective gynaecologist. Menopausal women: Wo m en in t hi s st ag e f in d t hat t heir organ functions are deteriorating and experience hot flashes and chill, which is an indication that there is an imbalance of yin and yang in their bodies. Most will encounter anxiety, insomnia, mood swings and chronic fatigue syndrome. They can take herbs such as Chinese angelica, carapax trionycis (bie jia), lily bulb, ziziphus (zao ren), fresh rehmannia root, Ningpo figwort root (xuan shen), ophiopogon (mai dong) to cultivate the yin as well as soothe the heart and mind.