Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

An investigative report has found a thriving black market for an ingredient believed to have healing properties in China despite being illegal for over a decade.  Human placenta, who people buy fresh to either cook and eat, or process into traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is thought to help people strengthen their immune system, treat various illnesses and improve reproductive health.  According to a report from the news portal Thepaper, the trade in illegal placentas is mainly based in Bozhou in the southeastern province of Anhui, Pizhou in Jiangsu in the east, and Yongcheng in Henan in central China.  Traders collect placenta for about US$12.30 each from hospitals, medical waste plants

To the Chinese, kumquats are a symbol of good luck and prosperity and are an important feature of the Chinese New Year holiday.  But they also pack a powerful health punch.  The small orange citrus superfruit, a popular delicacy during Lunar New Year, are storehouses of nutrition, packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. As more than a billion people in China and millions are around the world prepare to celebrate Lunar New Year, kumquats will be among the delicacies eaten, or given as gifts.  Kumquat trees adorned with red lai see fong (literally, good fortune envelopes) are auspicious decorations at the start of the Lunar New Year.  Native to China, the fruit is available ar

A draft regulation issued by Beijing’s city government that seeks to punish people for “defaming” traditional Chinese medicine has triggered fierce opposition online. The planned regulation, which was released for public consultation in May, is aimed at expanding the use of traditional Chinese medicine in the health care system, from cancer treatment to infectious disease prevention. One proposed clause bans people from “denigrating or defaming traditional Chinese medicine”. Violating the rule could result in criminal punishment. Despite the limited scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness, traditional Chinese medicine is seen by the Communist Party as a source of national pride and

Scientists throughout human history have been on a neverending search for the elixir of life, but most of them didn’t have to deal with social media.   More than 20 traditional Chinese medicine doctors in southwestern China are being investigated over a “longevity drink” they developed. They claimed it could help people live to be 120 years old. Health authorities in Binyang county, in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which borders Vietnam, said they would look into the case, Nanguo Morning Post reported on Monday. The case came to light after a photo of the doctors preparing a concoction in front of a banner for a “longevity drink” was widely circulated on Chinese social media over th

Tired? Headachy? Brain feeling sluggish? You might just be eating too much raw centipede. Chinese researchers have traced a dangerous parasite found in two patients to their consumption of raw centipedes. This is the first time the food-borne parasite, which can prove fatal to humans, has been found in centipedes, according to research published by the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene on Monday. Centipedes are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, along with other insects such as cockroaches. In their dried or powder form, they do not carry parasites. “We don’t really hear of people eating raw centipedes, but apparently these two patients believed that raw centipedes

Trigger warning: there are a LOT of cockroaches in this video. Viewer discretion is advised. In the world’s largest cockroach farm, more than six billion roaches are being bred every year.   The purpose? Medicine. The cockroaches are ground up and turned into a concoction said to treat stomach aches and respiratory problems.  The facility is run by Gooddoctor Pharmaceutical Group in the city of Xichang, in southwestern Sichuan province. Check out our video… and good luck sleeping tonight.

Suffering from back pain or stiff joints? This Chinese doctor recommends bee sting therapy. At a Chinese medicine hospital in the southern city of Shenzhen, Dr She Ruitao has pricked more than a thousand patients over the past three years with the stings of honey bees he has raised himself. The doctor says the 2,000-year-old treatment relieves body aches and the symptoms of autoimmune diseases such as gout and some types of arthritis. Some Chinese medicine practitioners believe bee stings help regulate the body’s energy flow in a similar way to acupuncture; they also believe the insect’s venom contains substances that reduce pain and inflammation. With no evidence of its effectiveness, the p