I got asked that question again yesterday in clinic. Many people assume that when they stop taking their herbs and/ or acupuncture their skin problem or menstrual problem or digestive problem will return. I always use this as an opportunity to talk about homeostasis- the bodies intherent need to be in balance.

Our body wants health. It detests disease. Sometimes, though, the body forgets how to find health and so assumes that its diseased state is normal. A good treatment involves reminding the body what normal health is like, so that it can stay there.

Imagine a small tree that has grown up its whole life in a box with only a small slit for light in the side of it. The tree will grow in an anglular way towards that slit of light, all the while thinking that that is normal.  Now if that box is taken away, the tree suddenly remembers that it is supposed to grow straight upwards, not sideways, and very quickly adjusts itself. The tree knew within its DNA what normal health looked like and when the opportunity presented itself the tree knew what to do.

Our bodies are very similar. Our DNA knows what normal health is like, there just may be some factors, like a big box over our heads, preventing the realization of this inherent memory. As our bodies heal, this memory is re-awakened and the body strives to get back there. If treatment is long enough, and the bodies memory of balance becomes strong enough, then disease is unlikely to re-occur. Remember that your body wants to be healthy.

I have talked in the past of my wifes journey with atopic dermatitis, or eczema. She had widespread itchy lesions covering most of her body since she was about 6 months old, until she was almost 23 years of age. Three months after taking Chinese herbal medicine her skin was almost entirely clear of any rash. One year later her skin was completely clear. She had no inlfammed rash anywhere. No dry craked skin anywhere. Her skin looked and felt like any other persons normal skin. A phenomen that she felt would never happen. At this point she stopped taking the Chinese herbal medicine, and well you already know the rest- 7 years later her skin is still clear of any eczema.

My wifes body was reminded what normal health looked like and it stayed there. Plain and simple.

This is certainly the case for many of the patients I have seen. And for the thousands of patients my teacher, Mazin Al Khafaji, has seen over his long practice.

Trevor Erikson, May 5, 2009