Traditional Medicine as a Model for Health Promotion

The earliest written records of traditional East Asian medicine reveal a long history of preventive thought. Treatments include the use herbs, acupuncture, massage, moxibustion, qi gong, and other therapies. Also of great importance is the role of lifestyle. The historically esteemed doctor, Sun Si Miao, of the Tang dynasty (618-906) was one of the leading exponents of the essential role of daily living in health. He wrote that one should use food and movement first to tonify resistance, promote longevity, and cure illness; and then to use medicine if needed.

Today traditional East Asian medicine is widely used throughout China by a major portion of the population, in addition to serving a growing number of Western patients and consumers. A recent study estimated that over 8 million Americans have tried acupuncture. The proportion is significantly higher for Chinese Americans. Similar findings are reported for the use of Ayurvedic products in India and the US. In the US use is growing among non-Indian populations, and is comparatively quite high among Asian Indians. This medicine shares a similar philosophical root with other traditional medicines, which advocate acquiring knowledge of how to live in accord with nature and the practice of preventive habits.

The WHO reports that traditional medicine is a key resource for many in the developing world and is a growing resource for industrialized countries as well. Given its large population base, and its relevant practical and philosophical perspectives, its role in US and global health promotion merits consideration.