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There’s no doubt that Traditional Chinese Medicine is a fascinating field, and one that is becoming increasingly popular in the Western world. Depending on your interests, a qualification in TCM can lead you down a wide variety of career paths including:

 

• Acupuncturist
• Herbal medicine practitioner
• Remedial massage therapist
• General health consultant (like a GP of Chinese Medicine, offering advice on diet, nutrition, stress relief, and treatment of illness and disease)
• Researcher
• Educator
• Product developer at a herbal medicine supplier.

 

While a career in Chinese medicine is likely to evolve and change over your lifetime, there are a number of key benefits that will likely remain the same. Read on to discover some of the top six reasons people love working in the field of Chinese medicine. 

 

Work face-to-face with people

Whether you’re working as an acupuncturist, herbal medicine practitioner, a general health consultant or a remedial massage therapist, you will be working hands-on with your clients every day. If you love making connections with people and are easily bored sitting behind a computer screen for 8 hours a day, Chinese medicine could be a great career for you. Chinese medical practitioners are very hands-on, often inspecting the patient’s tongue, eyes, and colouring as well as deeply observing the patient using sound, touch, and smell in order to detect any possible disharmony in the patient’s qi. Due to the holistic nature of Chinese medicine, practitioners often make deeper connections with their patients, working to fully understand what may be causing ill health or disease, rather than relying solely on external tests. 

 

Help others

Of course, choosing a career in Chinese medicine means you will be working to improve people’s health every single day. This can be an incredibly rewarding career, particularly as many people come to Chinese medical practitioners after having exhausted all the options offered by Western medicine without seeing any improvement in their condition. Helping people improve or cure chronic health conditions that have been causing them suffering for a number of years is one of the most gratifying experiences a practitioner can have, and something TCM practitioners often get to enjoy. 

 

Improve your own health

TCM practitioners have a wealth of knowledge about how to lead a balanced and healthy life and this can be implemented to improve your own health. Whether it be using your knowledge of nutrition to improve your own chronic health conditions or creating herbal medicines to treat the seasonal flu, there’s no doubt you will live a healthier, more balanced life when you’re working as a fully qualified TCM practitioner. 

 

Lifelong learning and professional development

The field of Chinese medicine is over 2,000 years old and almost infinite in its complexity. What’s more, the field is still evolving rapidly, with new discoveries constantly being made. As you grow and evolve as a practitioner, you will continue to hone your skills and refine your knowledge and understanding of TCM. You’ll also continue to read new research and studies to stay abreast of advancements in the field. Working in Chinese medicine is a great option for anyone who always wants to improve themselves and learn more, as the scope for learning is endless.  

 

Employment in a growing field

Alternative medicine and specifically TCM is a rapidly growing industry in Australia. More and more people are turning to Chinese medicine as they begin to see the benefits and efficacy of the approach, while also becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the limitations of the Western medical approach. By choosing a career in TCM, you’re entering an industry that is on the rise, with demand for TCM services increasing year by year, offering great job security. 

 

Option to be self-employed

Many students of TCM dream of one day opening their own clinic, and this is a definite possibility for a registered practitioner. Owning your own clinic or being self-employed allows you the ultimate professional flexibility. You can choose your own hours, dictate your own work environment, and set up shop wherever you’d like to live. 

 

A career in Chinese medicine is rewarding, engaging, and secure, offering you the opportunity to work hands-on with patients to improve their health every day. If you’re considering a career in Chinese medicine, the Sydney Institute of Chinese Medicine can get you where you want to go. Our Bachelor of TCM is fully accredited by the CMBA in all 3 divisions (Acupuncture, Herbal Dispensing & Herbal Medicine) and our courses are practical, allowing students to get hands-on experience at our thriving clinic in Sydney’s Chinatown. Learn more about our courses today. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)  is a holistic approach to health based on the understanding that the mind, body, and spirit are all connected and that illness and disease arise when there is some kind of energetic imbalance in one or more of these areas. While TCM practitioners are highly trained to use specific healing techniques such as Acupuncture, Cupping, Chinese Herbs, and Moxibustion, you can also integrate practices based on TCM into your everyday life to improve your overall health. Here are some simple ideas to get started. 

 

Diet

Like all aspects of TCM, a healthy diet is based on the idea of balance. But unlike the Western concept of a balanced diet, a TCM balanced diet includes consideration of the flavours in the food, the temperature, and speed at which it is eaten, and the mental and emotional experience of eating. According to TCM, your diet should be made up mainly of:

• Cooked vegetables – Aim for plenty of variety and lots of leafy greens. Raw vegetables are generally to be avoided.
• Gluten-free starches – Rice, millet, or quinoa should be eaten in moderation with meals
• Protein – This can take the form of animal products or beans.
• Healing foods – Incorporate healing foods such as ginger, seaweed, bone marrow/broth, organ meats, mushrooms, ginseng, and goji berries into your diet. If you have a particular ailment, there are specific healing foods you should incorporate to treat that issue. For example, if you have a cold, you should eat ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon or if you’re suffering from vomiting, add orange peel to stews or tea.
• Warm liquids like tea – Avoid drinking until around an hour after your meal.
• Avoid dairy, cold, raw food, processed foods, and sugar. 

 

A TCM diet also takes the seasons into account. For example, winter meals should be warm, slow-cooked foods like stews, whereas summer meals should be cooler and faster to cook, like stir-fries. 

 

Finally, the environment in which you eat your meals is also important in TCM. When you sit down to eat, you should choose a quiet, peaceful place where you can focus on eating. Eat slowly and chew your food properly, and avoid arguing while you eat, eating on the go, or taking your meals in front of the TV.

 

Acupressure

While acupuncture requires extensive training to perform safely, acupressure is an effective needle-free tool that you can use at home to boost your health and treat mild ailments. According to TCM, your qi, or vital life force, flows through the meridians in your body. When this energy becomes trapped or stagnant, problems can occur. Acupressure involves applying pressure at specific points on your meridians to help improve the circulation of your qi. When performed correctly, acupressure can help relieve stress, headaches, and pain, improve sleep, regulate digestion, and relax your muscles and joints. 

 

Movement

Movement is an essential part of health, but unlike Western Medicine which often prescribes specific exercises and intense workouts, healthy movement in TCM can be whatever feels good for your mind and body. Make sure you move your body every day, preferably outdoors where you can get some fresh air and spend time in nature. If it’s not possible to exercise outdoors, open the windows wide so you can enjoy the breeze while you move. Tai Chi is a special form of movement used in TCM to energise and rebalance your body’s qi. Integrating an outdoor Tai Chi session into your daily or weekly routine can make great improvements to your overall health and well-being. 

 

Meditation

In TCM it is understood that your thoughts and feelings can have a significant impact on your physical and spiritual health. Negative emotions and thoughts can deplete our bodies, increase inflammation and weaken our immune systems, making us more susceptible to both short and long-term illnesses. One of the most beneficial daily practices you can incorporate into your life is a short meditation. While meditation and mindfulness are becoming increasingly trendy in Western medicine and popular culture, this practice has been part of TCM for thousands of years. 

 

Rhythms and rituals

TCM understands that the human mind, body, and spirit thrive off rhythm and rituals. Having a set rhythm to your day can help your body know what to expect, making the day flow more smoothly, while rituals can help restore peace and balance to the brain and promote mindfulness. Rituals don’t have to be complicated to be effective; they can be as simple as preparing a pot of tea to drink in your garden each morning or taking a calming foot bath each evening before bed.

 

TCM is based on an understanding that good health is all about balance. Changing your daily habits to align with TCM principles can help to maintain your long-term health and prevent illness from occurring.  If you’re interested in learning more about TCM, why not check out the Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine? Contact us today to learn more about our Diploma or Bachelor level courses in TCM, or to make an appointment at our teaching clinic. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient practice that has been used to treat illness for over 2,000 years. Unlike Western medicine, which views the human body as a machine with different parts that can be treated individually, Chinese Medicine takes a totally holistic approach. According to Chinese medicine, the mind, body, and spirit all impact one another, contributing to overall well-being or illness and disease. What’s more, individuals are seen as part of the wider universe and the natural world, rather than discrete entities living in isolation from the world around them. 

 

The key focus of Chinese Medicine is the vital life force called Qi which runs through the body.  Qi is made up of the opposite and complementary forces of the Ying and Yang. Good health is a result of a balanced Qi, whereas imbalances can lead to ill health or disease. Chinese Medicine practices work to restore the balance through targeted treatments such as acupuncture, herbs, tai chi, moxibustion, hot cupping and more.

 

Many people find that the “human body as a machine” approach of Western medicine fails to treat their conditions because it treats an illness in isolation, without taking into account the broader context of the individual’s mind, body, spirit, and the wider environment. Chinese Medicine is backed by the ancient wisdom of thousands of years of traditional practice and is often able to resolve complex or chronic health issues that do not respond to Western medicine. 

 

Here are some of the key reasons why Chinese Medicine works so effectively.

 

Chinese medicine treats the issue holistically

While most Western treatments will focus exclusively on the area where symptoms are showing (e.g. the eye), Chinese medicine aims to treat the overall systematic issue underlying these symptoms, based on the understanding that no part of the body functions in isolation. This may involve integrating multiple types of treatment aimed at restoring balance to different systems within the mind, body, and spirit. 

 

Chinese medicine creates long-lasting effects 

While many Western medicines can work instantly but have short-term benefits only, Chinese medicines may take longer to work but they work on a deeper, more holistic level which results in long-term improvements. For example, while Western medicine for a cold may instantly suppress cold symptoms without helping to resolve the virus, Chinese medicine works to strengthen the overall immune system, helping reduce the duration of the cold.

Chinese medicine treats the root cause of illness

While many Western medicines are designed to treat the symptoms of illness, Chinese medicine aims to treat the root cause. This means it not only works more effectively, but it can also help to prevent the reoccurrence of the issue, leading to better long-term health.

 

Chinese medicine is tailored to individual needs

A Chinese Medicine practitioner will assess an individual’s symptoms and unique attributes in order to create a personalised formula for them. This means two patients presenting with the same illness will be provided with two different treatments, personalised to their unique needs. Usually, the formula will also be further refined based on an individual’s response to the treatment. This individualised approach means that the treatment is more effective and less likely to produce any negative side effects. 

 

Chinese Medicine is recognised as an extremely effective way to treat a wide range of illnesses and diseases of the body, mind, and spirit. It works so well because of its holistic approach which is backed by thousands of years of use. Chinese Medicine aims to treat the root cause of illnesses, taking a personalised and holistic approach to produce long-lasting effects without negative side effects.

Interested in becoming a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine? The Sydney Institute of Chinese Medicine offers a Bachelor of TCM that is fully accredited by the CMBA in all 3 divisions (Acupuncture, Herbal Dispensing and Herbal Medicine). Get in touch to find out more or book an appointment at our teaching clinic where we offer various Chinese medicine treatments.