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Hi there,

Just a disclaimer- this is my personal story and obviously the most important thing to consider is whether or not YOU are able to find results from this treatment.

I have been diagnosed with endometriosis and ovarian cysts through an emergency laparoscopic surgery I had in February. When I went to the ER I thought I had appendicitis, but it turns out my right ovary had a cyst and was so inflamed that my ovary had twisted itself (torsion), was inflamed to the size of an orange (supposed to be almond-sized), and I was at risk of losing it due to the loss of blood flow.

Surgery was successful, and afterward my doctor gave me 2 hormonal options for indefinite management. He said there was no way to improve my condition, just stop it from getting worse. I did not appreciate his narrow approach (it was just his standard of practice, which I can respect but did not find suitable for my own case).

I have been seeing an acupuncturist since about 2 weeks after my surgery, first every 2 weeks, now every month. It has been EXTREMELY beneficial, and at an ultrasound in early September, I learned that I have no new cysts, and my existing cysts have shrunk! This is something my surgeon said was not possible!!!!!!!!!

To me, the most important aspect of my treatment has been daily practice of Qigong- I will post some links at the end for resources. Qigong means "energy work" and is a light form of exercise that manipulates Qi to encourage harmony, balance, and proper energy flow. It produces a keen sense of bodily awareness as well as deep mindfulness and a sense of peace and relaxation. It is also an EXTREMELY effective form of pain relief and overall, in my opinion, the most effective form of daily practice for optimal wellbeing in every sense.

The second most important aspect of my treatment has been diet. One of the first things my TCM doctor told me to do was cut out sugar (except for raw honey and fruit in moderation), fried foods, and dairy. She encouraged me to cook everything at home when possible, and to promote foods like sweet potato, avocado, cruciferous veggies, leafy greens, beans (specifically adzuki) , and whole grains (specifically barley),as well as garlic, ginger, and warm/hot beverages instead of cold. Keep in mind this is just my doc. The only herb she prescribed is turmeric (high quality supplement with black pepper extract). These changes have been MONUMENTAL to my overall wellbeing and health. I truly cannot say enough how much a healthful, simple, wholesome diet can impact all aspects of health and appropriate flow of Qi.

Now on to the actual treatment- acupuncture is what my doctor does for me, but it can only do so much if your body is combating other stressors. My TCM doc takes my pulse, checks my tongue, begins with needles starting at the base of my skull all the way down the spine for about 30 minutes, then all down my calves, feet, and arms and hands for another 30 minutes. She chooses points based on my description of my symptoms, what she sees in my face, body, posture, tongue, pulse, eyes, and overall demeanor, as well as any environmental factors (for example I live in WA state, so during our wildfire season she made a point to support my lungs and help with smoke). She is extremely well practiced, and during her school/training focused on treating women's issues, including my specific problem.

This treatment has been so beneficial to me because it has taught me how much my health really lies in my own hands, how much impact my small daily choices can have on my pain and energy levels, and how deeply my energy is affected by the energy I consume, as well as the power my thoughts have over my body and Qi. "Where the mind goes, Qi flows"

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Here is the link to a book my TCM doctor suggested for an intro to TCM and Qi gong. https://www.amazon.com/Way-Qigong-Science-Chinese-Healing/dp/0345421094

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Here is a link to a youtube video I follow for my daily practice of the 8 Brocades. Great place to start! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K-0JpiJu-o

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Here is the link to a youtube channel that blends Qigong and yoga, for a varied practice: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq6iAv6Ydn5-ccJ5Nm6Mcdg

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Best of luck to you, I hope this was helpful!

I am a beginner as well, but I will share the books I'm working my way through. They are not necessarily all beginner books as they range from general overviews to very thorough reference manuals. I hope you find something on the list that helps.

Most have Kindle samples you can download if you use Amazon.



Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F8FA6ZG/


The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XAZ625E/


The New Chinese Medicine Handbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179ZS8R0/


The Spark in the Machine: How the Science of Acupuncture Explains the Mysteries of Western Medicine
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICS8MIE/


The Healer Within: Using Traditional Chinese Techniques To Release Your Body's Own Medicine Movement Massage Meditation Breathing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D184QVW/


Optimal Healing: A Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine https://www.amazon.com/dp/0979948495/





Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition (3rd Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1556434308/


Recipes for Self Healing https://www.amazon.com/dp/0952464020/


The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446675067/


The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345421094/


Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine: Zhong Yi Xue Ji Chu (Paradigm title) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0912111445/


Secrets of Self-Healing: Harness Nature's Power to Heal Common Ailments, Boost Your Vitality,and Achieve Optimum Wellness https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZJY5X4/


The Acupuncture Handbook: How Acupuncture Works and How it Can Help You https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GW4MG3W/


The Chinese Way to Healing: Many Paths to Wholeness https://www.amazon.com/dp/0595399509/


Acupuncture Points Handbook: A Patient's Guide to the Locations and Functions of over 400 Acupuncture Points https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D35N6SJ/


The Root of Chinese Qigong: Secrets of Health, Longevity, & Enlightenment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FIICLXC/


Chinese Medical Herbology & Pharmacology https://www.amazon.com/dp/0974063509/


Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, Third Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0939616424/





Finally, here's a few books by Mantak Chia that are profound, enlightening, vulgar, dangerous, or just aweful, depending on who you ask. I haven't read any of them but they made my list for some reason just to check out. I have a feeling he's an author people very much either like or dislike:

Chi Self-Massage: The Taoist Way of Rejuvenation https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594771103/


Awaken Healing Through the Tao: The Taoist Secret of Circulating Internal Power https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NGTUSV4/


Awaken Healing Light of the Tao https://www.amazon.com/dp/0935621466/


Healing Light of the Tao: Foundational Practices to Awaken Chi Energy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J4WM6S/

Most people and schools would probably recommend you start with Ted Kaptchuk's The web that has no weaver. Instead I prefer to breakdown my recommendation depending on whom is asking, and why. For patients who want to learn more about CM for diy health purposes, I recommend Legget's book which is 40% TCM theory explanation, and 60% application of those theories to everyday diet. For potential students, I recommend this translation of a first-year textbook for CM students in China, by the excellent Nigel Wiseman. For those interested in the more esoteric theoreticals of CM, I recommend anything by Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee.

And, for anyone really interested in reading "oldest and most enduring book" in Chinese Medicine - which should be every student and practitioner of CM - I would suggest a good translation of the Huangdi neijing. Note my emphasis on a good translation, which sadly excludes the Veith and Ni editions, both of which are quite terrible. If you can get past the dubious biomedical equivalencies he likes to make,Y.C. Kong's translation is composed of important textual excerpts neatly arranged by topic, making it both cheaper and more beginner-friendly than the Unschuld translation.

I didn't down vote you, I think it's a valid question.

The way I look at five phases is just a way of understanding the nature, and then a way to understand disease. If two organs are diseased, say fire and earth, it just allows you to create a pattern and facilitate your understanding of that treatment. If fire is stronger than earth, or earth is stronger, than you would change your treatment accordingly.

If you do enjoy reading about this stuff, I've looked at it briefly but this is very good https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Medicine-Liberation-Inner-Documennts/dp/0989167933

Some of the authors in there argue against the use of 5 phases, as you have said mumbo jumbo. It's a good look at how TCM came to be, but very big. There is also some famous Japanese herbalists who chose to ignore the 5 phases as well, mainly Todo Yoshimasu.

I enjoy your posts because it makes engaging discussion, and if you don't have people challenge you and just accept what you are told then what's the point...

https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Acupuncture-Paradigm-George-Soulie/dp/0912111313

The second book on your list was a great read.

I'd also recommend the the book 'the spark in the machine'

As for nei jing translations, unschuld has the best one. It's expensive though. But no worries, a quick google search just showed me you can download an entire PDF of the 1500+ pg book for free here. Enjoy.

http://www.biblio.nhat-nam.ru/Huang_Di_Nei_Jing_Su_Wen-Unschuld-Tessenow-1-2.pdf

Think about a chilli pepper vs aloe vera. It's just a pretty basic example. There is a book that I've found quite useful on the topic. Its called "Helping ourselves -A guide to Traditional Chinese Food Energetics". Pretty simple and understandable, and also it got lots of charts/listing of nearly all common (and uncommon) foods, drinks, vegetables, legumes, herbs and so on.
https://www.amazon.com/Helping-Ourselves-Traditional-Chinese-Energetics/dp/0952464004/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468676439&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=helping+ourselves+guide+to+traditional+chinesen+food

I started reading the much lauded Between Heaven and Earth, but have found it actually quite hard to grasp the concepts.

A lot of amazon reviewers recommend it for beginners, but the book still feels advanced for me.

I don't know if I'm maybe approaching it wrong?

I don't have much background about Chinese Medicine, aside from casual discussions with friends who have tried it.

You might be interested in Dragon Rises Red Bird Flies by Leon Hammer, M.D. It's a book about psychology and Chinese medicine. Dr. Hammer was a practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst for many years before he began studying and practicing Chinese medicine. Gives many interesting insights based on his personal experience.
DRRBF

>Because it's a shitty school.

really?! the shaolin monastery, perhaps the most legendary and iconic external martial art (shaolin kung fu) school trained its students heavily in qigong. in fact, the legend of bodhidharma holds that martial arts BEGAN when bodhidharma invented the internal and external styles after meditating in a nearby cave for 9 years. the two sides of the coin (internal and external) are truly one.

>No. Martial arts are designed for combat, whether it be self defense or not. You may learn a martial art to get fit, but if that is what the martial art is for, it might as well be tae bo.

that's fine!

>Because it is an exercise, similar to a wall sit.

what is qigong other than a form of exercise?

>Stupid. No.

hmm, darn. well someone did write a book about that.

>The goal is to be able to handle the combat if it arises, even if you are taught to avoid it in the first place. Defensive techniques are still application of the martial art.

is it still combat if one of the 'participants' is merely absorbing and reflecting the incoming energy without adding their own?



look my only point is that there just might be something to the internal styles and maybe it is worth finding out on your own. at least then you'll know for sure either way, right?

I never really enjoyed reading The Web that Has No Weaver or Between Heaven and Earth. A fairly light, easy read that I think is a pretty damn decent introduction for lay people is Wood Becomes Water:

https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Becomes-Water-Medicine-Everyday/dp/1568362099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517792067&sr=8-1&keywords=wood+becomes+water

Check out The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs:

http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Wisdom-Chinese-Tonic-Herbs/dp/0446675067/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451798799&sr=8-1&keywords=ron+teeguarden

start with this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0809228408/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

Maybe try this one https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Chinese-Medicine-Zhong-Paradigm/dp/0912111445

Chinese Medicine requires a huge paradigm shift to what we grew up with in the West. You need to start looking at the body in yin and yang.

One of my favourite quotes by Zhang Jiebin

凡诊病施治，必须先审阴阳，乃为医道之纲领。阴阳无谬，治焉有差？

In all diagnosis and treatment of disease, you must first distinguish yin and yang, that is the guiding principle of the Dao of Medicine (道医). When there is no error [in differentiating] Yin and Yang [in diagnosis], how can there be any mistake in treatment