Reading material

Hello,
I'm looking for some material on TCM to compile a set for personal study. I'm trying to prepare for eventual education in TCM field.

Currently I'm trained as a military medic (NREMT-Basic and basic nursing). I'm working towards getting the training documented in transcript form to challenge the NCLEX-PN. I'm using Lippincott's Manual of Nursing Practice 8th edi. as well as some test prep material. I want to also study into TCM as that is where I would like to aim my education after I'm military released to reserve status. There is a college in Orlando, FL that has BA program and is in progress of setting up a Ph.d program which to my understanding is non-existant on the east coast at this time.
Florida College of Integrative Medicine
http://www.fcim.edu/index.aspx

I have Henry C. Lu's Chinese Natural Cures. I'm looking for some sources on overall system and methodology; things like yin/yang in medicine, 5 elements destructive/supportive, PT care procedure (for example in nursing there is the Nursing Care Plan), Qi, meridians and flow, etc. Though I'm not looking into really memorizing all the points and such as that's just too much without being in a classroom for me. My problem is that all the stuff I find is written to the perspective of a patient. So the info while nice, is watered down for the most part. The info in all those books can be found on any website so I don't need those so much. I'm looking more for a textbook style material...a Lippincott's for TCM if you will. As well as if there is one, a medical dictionary for TCM.

A way that I have found that helps me study is to have a book such as Fundamentals of Nursing for the overall methodology and to reference for "why are they doing this?", Clinicals of Nursing for actual procedure step-by-step and a dictionary for unfamiliar terms. This is what we used when I was in school for basic nursing. The Lippincott's I have now is more along the lines of the Clinicals of Nursing book.

I'm looking for this sort of set for TCM. As well as info on TCM dieting and herbology as my own perspective on medicine is least invasive to invasive if possible and I think that coupled with exercise could aid in recovery and eventually prevent most of the problems we see now days in medicine. Its an issue of teaching people though that they have control over their own health and stop taking all the crap that they're fed about medicine and the reactive mindset that holds everyone. For me there is nothing like impending doom when you see a patient's laundry list with 15+ medications.....

Thanks
~CJ~

That would be a huge booklist, but...

For starters:
"CAM" - 'Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion', Foreign Languages Press, Beijing
(a good entry level textbook - required by state of Calif. board)

'The Web Has No Weaver' - Ted Kaptchuk - probably the best intro to OM. Very readable, very reliable.

Do some searches for 'Bob Flaws' - he is a very prolific writer and I'm sure he has some stuff on Trauma/Ortho

'Materia Medica' - Bensky, et al. -the almighty herb bible. Simply the best herb reference out there. There's another one by John Chen, and it is also really good.

'Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine' - Giovanni Maciocia - another must have text. His books on Diagnosis and the Practice of Chinese Medicine are also excellent.

Henry Lu has good recipes for dietary treatment.

Outside of that, formal education or an apprenticeship with a practitioner is going to give you the deepest understanding of OM/TCM. I spent years reading everything I could find but just couldn't wrap my head around some concepts - wind, bi, phlegm misting the orifices, etc... That's why I finally got my @$$ in school!

Spend time in nature. Sit with the plants. Feel your qi and the qi around you. Nature and time are the best teachers.

peace

herb ox

Whoo hoo thanks for the list herb ox....that membership at Barnes & Noble is looking mighty good right now.....

Unfortunately self study is my limitation at the moment due to my other obligations. Even after I'm released from active duty I still have to work as well so any head start I can get will be all the better for me.

Plus the issue of relocating back to Florida for the schooling. Which will require me to get reciprocity on my EMT stuff to get work, meaning more time before I can actually be down there and in class.

So I guess I'll start with CAM and see where that takes me.

Thanks again
~CJ~

You might also give Michael/Leslie Tierras books a try. They have a 2-volume Materia medica/formulas (the orange ones) that you might find on Amazon used for cheap. I think when I got mine 3 or 4 years ago I picked them up for $10 or something ridiculously cheap...

A word about these books: They are not as chock-full of material as a Bensky or Chen Materia Medica and the listing of herbs/formulas is not as extensive, but they will serve as a stepping stone and are definitely worth the value if you can get a good deal on them. They do however have occaisonal references and info on Ayurvedic methods/herbs as well as Western medicine and a tad different perspective. Ultimately, its realyl a pretty good addition to anyones study and collection.

I really like Michael Tierra's Planetary Herbology. I at first dismissed the title, thinking it was related to astrology or something...:p

However, I was pleased to find out it was a well thought out TCM treatment for many Western herbs. Kinda closes that East West gap thing. Recommended for sure.

peace

herb ox