Mirjam Hürlimann, Praxis für Chinesische Medizin Länggasse (Bern)

Chinese medicine is based on the assumption that in order to be healthy and vital, a body must be in balance. If regions are blocked, too hot or too cold, too full or too empty, too moist or too dry, illness will result. By means of a thorough diagnosis through questioning about the individual body functions and sensations, observation of the tongue and feeling the pulse, such imbalances are recognized and can consequently be treated and brought back into harmony. In this way, diseases can be healed.

In the beginning is the conversation. External influences (weather, viruses, bad posture, etc.) are recognized as disease-causing factors in Chinese medicine, as are emotions. Therefore, it is important to find the disease-causing pattern in order to create an individual treatment plan.

**Alternative Medicine

Nowadays alternative medicine is a big topic. But what is alternative medicine?

An alternative medicine degree, like the one I took in Traditional Chinese Medicine with specialization in Acupuncture and Tuina, includes many hours of conventional medicine in addition to the specialized subjects. This is in order to know about the nature and function of the body, to understand why a disease develops, but also to recognize the signs when a patient needs to be referred to conventional medicine, which is of course essential in some cases.

Nowadays, unfortunately, the opinion about alternative medicine is still strongly influenced by the attitude: "you have to believe in it" or "if everything has been of no use in conventional medicine, you still try alternative medicine".

This is a great pity, because alternative medicine has hardly any side effects. In contrast, drug side effects can cause harm, as well as unnecessary operations. After that, it is difficult even for alternative medicine to cure a person.

Those who want to balance their health with alternative medicine are required to take responsibility for their own health. It does not work according to the motto: Please patch me up quickly so that I can function again. Rather, part of the cure is finding out causes and making lifestyle changes depending on them. This scares most people at first, or one is too comfortable. But if you dare to take the path, you quickly realize that it makes you more fulfilled and happier to live more in harmony with your own body and its needs.

**Acupuncture

The conduction of excitation of the nerve cells works by means of the body's own electricity. Partly, a brief electrifying happens when the acupuncture point is reached with the needle. This, together with the relaxing effect of regenerating about 25 minutes in the acupuncture needles, explains the effectiveness of acupuncture.

Pain therapy with acupuncture Problems in the musculoskeletal system, e.g. knees, shoulders, elbows, back and also other pains such as headaches can be treated very effectively with a combination of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, cupping and massage without side effects.

Diseases and Acupuncture The WHO has published a large list of diseases that can be treated with acupuncture. Do you suffer from something and would you like to take an alternative path, with or without cooperation with conventional medicine? I would be happy to explain to you the chances of success or the possibilities of a treatment with acupuncture individually to your clinical picture. (see also list below)

Psychosomatics and Acupuncture A bit of heart palpitations or stabbing, stomach pain, constipation, flatulence or diarrhea, irritability, emerging sleep problems, no longer completely satisfied, listless, tired, excessive sadness for no apparent reason, inner nervousness, beginning questions about the meaning, forever cold or even hot, appetite loss or excessive appetite, etc. Symptoms of this kind show us that we are no longer completely in our center. Before serious illnesses develop from them, they are a good signpost for us, where exactly we are in a dead end, or which issues want to surface. Acupuncture, combined with an individual conversation that can bring out new ways of thinking, is a wonderful and effective way to feel whole again and find out which direction we want to go. To dig out our desires, to perceive, to get back in touch with our life energy.

Health care A regular treatment through a combination of massage and acupuncture, or acupressure, every 2 to 8 weeks, even if we feel basically well, is a luxury of time and treat yourself, an oasis from everyday life, which can contribute significantly to our well-being and staying healthy.

Acupuncture and the regulation of rhythms A regulated digestion, a regular menstrual cycle, restful sleep and vital waking phases, the balance of recreation and activity belong like day and night and the change of seasons to the health of man. Here, too, a combination of acupuncture, talks and dietary adjustment offers good support.

Application areas are for example:

Allergies: Hay fever, asthma, skin diseases

Pain: Neck and back pain, lumbago, discus hernia, headaches, migraine, rheumatism, osteoarthritis, gout, fibromyalgia.

Digestion: Abdominal pain, gastritis, heartburn, flatulence, food intolerances, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Gynecology: Menstrual disorders, gynecological disorders, desire for children, menopausal symptoms

Psyche: Exhaustion, restlessness, sleep problems, depressive moods, anxiety, cardiac arrhythmias, stress, burnout syndrome

Skin: eczema, acne, itching, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, shingles, hives

Immune system: Chronic infections such as tonsillitis, nasal or sinusitis, cystitis, bronchitis, eye inflammation, susceptibility to flu-like infections.

Other: Hypertension, tinnitus, multiple sclerosis complaints, sexual disorders, hormonal disorders, obesity, addictions.

**Tuina is the massage form of Chinese medicine.

Depending on the complaints, I treat with the following elements:

Energy balancing meridian massage - acupressure.

Through a targeted massage along the meridians (energy lines) and possible stimulation of certain acupuncture points (without needles), a balancing and harmonizing effect is achieved.

Foot reflexology The feet contain reflex zones of all organs, muscles, skeleton and nerves. Thus, one can treat the whole person through a foot massage.

Manual medicine and treatment according to Dorn/Breuss - straightening structures Causes of back pain are sometimes shifts or misalignments in the statics: in the pelvis, in individual vertebrae or in the joints. By means of a massage of the spine with St. John's oil and manual medicine, the skeleton can be straightened, space for intervertebral discs can be created and pain can be eliminated in the long term.

Cupping and cupping massage Cupping is an ancient healing method, which fortunately has recently started to reappear. Cupping strengthens the immune system and relieves stubborn tension.

Painting therapy as self-experience.

Working with colors and shapes is very exciting and enriching. Being the creator of one's own image is invigorating and the deep concentration that comes from painting brings us relaxation and a retreat to ourselves. Of course, painting also promotes our creativity, which we can also use in everyday life.

The free creative expression is one of the basic needs of man and painting is a basic skill, which was laid in the cradle of all. Thus, we need only experimentation and willingness to try something new.

The pictures are painted at home, taken into practice and discussed. This gives ideas to solve hidden blockages or to find a key that opens an unexpected door for the further path of life.

**NLP

Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) helps you become the artist of your life and actively influence your health and well-being. You will learn to shape the quality of your inner images, sounds and feelings so that joy and courage to live arise and you live in harmony with this image of yourself. With NLP you can grow all the potential abilities that are already inside you. Good e.g. for upcoming decisions, addiction reduction and weight optimization or lack of courage for change etc.

If the disease to be treated is a tugging disease, acupuncture can be used to treat it nourishingly, but in this case the person also needs something to take in order to replenish the depots. Vital mushrooms offer a wonderful possibility for this.

Generally, vital mushrooms are characterized by their high content of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. In addition, there are various secondary ingredients such as polysaccarides. It is precisely in the composition of the active ingredients that the great potential of vital mushrooms lies, for example, in the inhibition of inflammation, immune modulation and protection of the body's cells.

Frequent applications of the vital mushrooms:

- Strengthening of the body's defenses

- Regulation of gastrointestinal functions

- Strengthening of heart and circulation, improvement of blood flow properties and balancing effect on blood pressure

- positive effect on blood sugar and blood lipid levels

- modulation of the immune system in allergies and autoimmune diseases

- Gentle balance in case of nervousness and mood disorders

- Supportive treatment of cancer and other tumor diseases, thereby also improving the tolerance of conventional medical therapies.