Holistic Medicine Explained Through Perfumery
Holistic medicine, particularly Chinese medicine, is much like crafting a fine perfume, where each element—body, mind, and spirit—relate to Top, Heart and Base notes.
Perfumers carefully mix top, heart, and base notes to create a beautifully balanced blend, Chinese medicine seeks to harmonise the aspects of being, enhansing health and well-being.
Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Gua Sha, Cupping, and Moxibustion are the top notes, providing effects that invigorate the senses. These practices help restore the flow of Qi, removing stagnation. We tonify and we reduce excess or deficiency in the body according to constitution. These practices are like the first impression a perfume makes when it’s smelt.
The heart notes—the meat of the dish—are akin to lifestyle changes, such as dietary therapy and emotional balance. These are the sustaining elements that support long-term health, much like how the heart of a fragrance provides its true depth.
Finally, like the base notes in perfumery, which linger long after the first hint of perfume, can be compared to the emotional well-being nurtured in holistic medicine. This can also have a spiritual component. These enduring elements anchor your health, providing a foundation. It’s much like how base notes give a perfume its lasting scent.
In holistic medicine the goal is to compliment each component so it enhances the others. The result is a state of well-being perfectly crafted. Your constitution is your signature scent, where body, mind, and spirit resonate together.