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Cholesterol
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By addressing a patient not as a set of symptoms, but rather as an energetic and dynamic set of relationships, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are able to adopt a truly holistic approach to health and well being.
This is especially true in cases of elevated cholesterol. Whereas some conventional Western practitioners will provide a list of recommendations for lifestyle changes along with a prescription for a cholesterol-lowering pharmaceutical, a practitioner of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine will work with the patient to identify the causes that led to the disorder in the first place. The emphasis is not on the problem, but rather on the person.
An adjustment of diet is usually necessary - but rather than advising against eating certain foods, a competent and skilled practitioner can recommend individual foods and even entire menus that are both healthful and delicious. Traditional Chinese Medicine has long recognized that sound nutrition can prevent more diseases than can ever be cured, and so there exists an entire specialization dealing with the proper management of diet as a component of health maintenance.
A diet rich in vegetables and whole grains, complemented by herbal formulas prepared according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine can often address the problem in its more immediate manifestations, while long-term effects can be secured and enhanced through the practice of traditional Chinese exercises, such as tai chi and qi gong.
As always, best results are obtained by working in conjunction with your primary care physician, who should be consulted and informed regarding your decision to complement conventional Western treatments with more traditional and holistic measures.
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