Handbook of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda - by Bridgette Shea (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A comprehensive reference tool for maximizing healing of the mind, body, and spirit through a holistic synergy of Chinese medicine and Ayurveda

- Details the foundational principles of each tradition and the many concepts they share, such as qi and prana, meridians and nadis, and energy centers and chakras

- Provides tools for self-assessment including a primer on tongue diagnosis and a mental, emotional, and physical constitutional questionnaire

- Offers breathing exercises, dietary regimens, herbal recommendations, and guides for detoxification, including safe and gentle at-home cleansing

Chinese medicine and Ayurveda are two of the oldest healing systems in use today. Each is a complete art, in and of itself, and has profoundly contributed to the health and well-being of millions of people around the world. Drawing on their shared roots and spiritual principles, Bridgette Shea, L.Ac., MAcOM, shows how these two practices integrate seamlessly, with the two traditions' individual strengths harmonizing to form a practical basis for prevention, wellness, detoxification, and treatment.

The author explains the foundational principles of both Chinese medicine and Ayurveda in detail, providing the reader with a working understanding of both disciplines. She examines shared concepts such as qi and prana, meridians and nadis, and energy centers and chakras. She explores the strengths of each practice, such as the clinical efficiency of diagnosis and the use of acupuncture for pain relief, improving fertility, and stress reduction in Chinese medicine and the dietary, detoxification, and spiritual guidance of Ayurveda, including the detox branch of Ayurveda known as Panchakarma. Moving beyond theory into practical application, she explores the Elements, known as the Five Phases and the Panchamahabhutas, and how they affect our well-being. She provides tools for self-assessment including a primer on tongue diagnosis and a mental, emotional, and physical constitutional questionnaire. Offering treatment and prevention strategies that draw from both disciplines, she encourages the reader to implement an integrated practice of these two systems in daily life or clinical practice. She details breathing exercises, dietary regimens, herbal recommendations, and guides for detoxification, including safe and gentle home cleanses, all rooted in the holistic synergy between Ayurveda and Chinese medicine.

Sharing case studies that highlight the interconnectedness of these approaches, Shea provides a comprehensive guide for self-healing of body, mind, and spirit and a practitioner's resource to cross-reference complex questions with respect to both healing traditions.

Review Quotes

"Bridgette Shea, in Handbook of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, has brilliantly captured the heart of two great and enduring Asian healing traditions. She illuminates and clarifies for the practitioner and layperson alike, in a clear and practical way, how these ancient systems can work together to enhance health and well-being. Without doubt, this is a timely and invaluable contribution to the study, practice, and integration of Chinese medicine and Ayurveda in the West."-- "Arnie Lade, author of Energetic Healing"

"In Handbook of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, Bridgette has made a significant contribution to the translation of profound wisdom from two major health traditions into language that is readable, accessible, and true to the traditions from which it comes. As a practitioner of Chinese medicine, I recognize in this text a contribution to what we call the Life Nourishing tradition. In that aspect of our medicine, the practitioner strives to first embody and then educate patients about how to be engaged in their own healing. This book will be very useful to have around the clinic--not only for patients but for me as well!"-- "Jason D. Robertson, M.S., L.Ac., E.A.M.P., owner of Kentucky Ginseng"

"Tackling the comparison of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine is no small feat, so kudos to Shea for attempting it, along with an interpretation of their evolution. The systems share historic roots and some general concepts, although I do not see them integrating quite so seamlessly as the book claims. The text itself tends to cover one healing system, then move on to the other, leaving detailed comparison up to the reader. This becomes a rich exercise in itself. In all, Shea, LAc, MAcOM--a Chinese and Ayurveda medicine practitioner--provides the reader with plenty of food for thought on both of these medical systems."-- "Kathi Keville, American Herb Association Quarterly Director"

"Unless we understand the cultural roots of a medical system we can't appreciate its depth, its diagnostic methods, or the reasoning for its prescriptions and treatments. If we don't compare the teachings of a medical system with other systems, we cannot understand it in a truly holistic way. In Handbook of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, Bridgette Shea provides insights into both the cultural roots of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine as well as a comprehensive comparison of their similarities and differences. This perspective and its practical applications are valuable and relevant for patients seeking more information about the treatments they are receiving and invaluable for deepening the knowledge of clinicians who may be trained in only one system of healing."-- "David Crow, L.Ac., master herbalist, aromatherapist, and acupuncturist and founder of Floracopeia"