Western medicine, everything must be tangible and calculable, which is why some scholars are hesitant to delve into more philosophical, cosmic realms with Chinese alternative medicines and therapies. But in this era, there has been a sudden interest in yoga and Buddhism as an alternate, natural approach to pain relief that has some Western scientists baffled. Chinese herbology has been used for centuries, with some manuscripts, such as “Recipes for 52 Ailments” dating as far back as 168 BC. The Han, Tang and Ming dynasties all have treatises on Chinese medicine that have become the foundation of modern day traditions.

One of the most popular herbal remedies is echinacea, which sells like crazy during flu season. Another herbal medicine gingko biloba is said to naturally help the memory of elderly people. Other everyday herbs like ginger (reduces nausea), mint (aids digestion) or chamomile (helps sleep) are commonly used. Yoga has long been touted as the “toning, weight loss secret of the stars.”Now women are using it to stave off baby weight gain and balance emotions during pregnancy. More business men are running down to get Chinese massages on their lunch breaks to find their center too. If for no other reason, Chinese alternative medicine is catching on in America because it simply feels good.

Chinese herbal practice is very well known for its natural ingredients and its numerous organic products. One of the wonders of Chinese health practice is green tea. Through the years, the habit of drinking green tea has become popular from the mainland to many parts of the world. Because of its known health benefits, demand for the beverage has significantly risen to new levels. Now, there are studies that link natural skin care benefits from consumption of green tea.

Many modern traditional Chinese skincare products now have green tea as an active ingredient to them. There are creams, lotions and beauty preparations that are known to have green tea extracts in them. These skin care and beauty products also have antioxidants and vitamins E, C and A added to serve as natural preservatives. What is more? These natural products are said to be more effective because the good effects of green tea are matched by the natural good effects of the other nutrients. Currently, there are many manufacturers that are focusing on green tea because the natural herbal beverage has been found to have better and more effective skincare benefits.