1. Connections between Cell Biology and TCM
After nearly four years of studying “Integrative Medicine”, I still find it really challenging to make connections between Western medicine and TCM; especially with respect to microscopic things like cells. Chinese medicine doesn't really break things down like this. The approach is much more holistic. I’ve finally come to realize that both styles of medicine are very different. It's like comparing tennis and football. They're both competitive sports but beyond that is it even useful to find comparisons?
I have an appreciation and fascination for both types of medicine. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Because we live in a Western society and the majority of our patients will come to us because they want to supplement the care they are receiving from their Western medical doctors, I want to have a pretty good understanding of diseases from a Western medical point of view, at least the Signs and Symptoms, pathophysiology, labwork, treatment and medications.
2. How Cells Divide: Mitosis v.s. Meiosis
This was an interesting web site. I think the web site is better than the program, Nova. I used to watch Nova all the time, but it now tends toward sensationalism. I have no issue with the subject matter, it's just the presentation is sometimes too sensationalist for my taste. But, the web site is very good. I enjoyed the visuals.
3. Mrskingsbioweb.com/cell.html
There were some very good graphics on this web site. I mentioned on last week's assignment that one of the web sites pointed out that animal cells lack cell walls. I was surprised to hear this. Mrskingsbioweb.com/cell.html helped me to realize that I was equating cell walls with cell membranes. Two different things, of course! Anyway, I enjoyed this web site.
2 comments:
Interesting post about the connections, or lack of connections, between cell biology and TCM. I think you're right, that they are really two completely different ways of looking at things.
Maybe it's a right brain/left brain kind of thing, and having the Western medicine view, along with the TCM view, will give us a deeper understanding than we'd have with just one or the other. I hope so.
Hi Sandy:
I'm relieved to see that after four years of TCM studies you still find it hard to make connections. I came to the same conclusion after zero years of TCM studies and felt like I was missing something somewhere. Not only do I not find many connections, but feel resistant to the exercise of trying to! I'm so glad that we have all different levels of students in this class!
Post a Comment