One in four hospitals now offer complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) services to patients, according to a recent survey by Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. Patient demand is the primary reason for offering CAM programs; however, hospitals also cited clinical effectiveness and the fact that CAM services reflect the hospital’s intent to treat patients holistically.

The Chinese observe that the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) exist in everything and are vital for life. In the year’s seasons, the elements manifest in their cycle of change and transformation. In spring, the Wood element season, buds appear while summer, the season of Fire, brings fruition and flowering.

As the medical community increasingly recognizes its benefits, massage therapy is becoming a mainstay health care component within hospitals. Doctors are now prescribing massage to their patients; according to a recent annual American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) survey, more than half (53 percent) who discussed massage with their health care providers say their doctor recommended they get massage therapy.

Chinese herbal medicine is effective in health maintenance and disease prevention. To utilize herbs within the scope of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the herb properties that determine its function must be understood. Herbs have four properties: Temperature, taste, affinity, and primary action.