TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AND INDIAN AYURVEDA

China and India have a long history in therapeutic application of botanical drugs in traditional medicine. Both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda are considered as two of the most ancient system of medicine, which are longer more than two millennia. Most of people use TCM and Ayurveda as the natural treatment, which use herbal remedies to heal some chronic diseases. However, there are very little people can distinguish the differences between these two treatments.

There are some similarities, but also lots of differences between TCM and Ayurveda. Both of two treatments also share the common ideas that healing is holistic and that symptoms can not diagnose a person, the whole person must be examined in order to obtain a proper diagnosis. Moreover, TCM and Ayurveda also share the same medical treatment, for instance both traditions use herbal remedies and massage as a form of treatment can also be found in TCM and Ayurveda.

Besides the similarities, there are some differences between these traditions. Both consider dietary to be the first method of healing, but Ayurveda advices fasting and other dietary regimens for seasonal, this is given les emphasis in TCM. TCM tends to use fruits, greens and 1-2 spices (ginger), unlike Ayurveda has a heavy focus on dairy, ghee and variety of spices.

About the internal treatment, many parts of plants and animals such as leaves, roots, shell, bone, mineral and stones are used in both traditions. While herbs are always processed and converted into decoctions, pastes or patent medicines in TCM, in Ayurveda, fresh herbs are often dried, processed before converted them into powders, oil, ghee, decoction, pastes.

In the external treatment, both traditions apply acupressure, acupuncture and massage in treatment. However, TCM use acupuncture, cupping and auricular acupuncture with seeds whereas Ayurveda pouring medicated oil, fermented liquid over the body or head.

There are some main points of these traditional ancient treatment from China and India. Although Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda have some strengths and weaknesses, but they are still highly regarded and effective approached for health.