Walker Josh. Materia Medica for Martial Artists

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012. — 445 p. — ISBN10: 147819393X; ISBN13: 978-1478193937.In traditional medicine as practiced in China, about 80% of all traditional Chinese medical patients are treated with herbs, while the remaining 20% are treated with acupuncture, Tui-na or Qi Gong. Herbal medicine is very potent in treating a wide variety of medical disorders and this modality offers tremendous advantages to those who employ it.Materia Medica for Martial Artists is a practical guide for the application of herbs in dit da, the field of Chinese herbalism that deals with the healing and management of inj ury. Its intent is to demystify Chinese herbal medicine and to provide martial artists with a sound working knowledge of herbs.The internal and external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), are equally important and essential. The external therapies discussed in the Materia Medica for Martial Artists are particularly useful in dit da.The Materia Medica for Martial Artists is an important addition to the literature on Chinese medicine and is of material value to anyone needing to treat injuries arising from the practice of the martial arts, or other physical stressful conditions, including bruises, back injuries, and bleeding, as well as more serious injuries. It also excels in the area of preventing cumulative injuries due to conditioning in striking arts. It is highly practical in nature, written by someone with extensive experience in the martial arts and particularly in Iron Palm.The herbs discussed here are exactly those needed for dit da. Herbs common in more general clinical practice are not included if they don't serve some function in the context of the martial arts, while herbs uncommon in other contexts play a larger role here. For example, herbs such as Kuan Jin Teng are rarely seen in most materia medicas, and Lі Lu, usually included but little discussed, is examined here in great depth.A particularly useful feature of this reference is that a list of dit da formulas is given for each herb. As well as being helpful for understanding the use of particular herbs, this provides immediate applied knowledge for martial artists.After reading the Materia Medica for Martial Artists, I was inspired to expand the use of external therapies with the management of injuries in my clinical practice, and I have been very pleased with the results. This book is an example of kind of book needed to ensure a faithful and creative transmission of Chinese herbal medicine, both to martial artists and to practitioners of Chinese medicine wishing to extend their abilities and clinical effectiveness.