Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM) Overview

Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM) is a modern term used to describe the various traditional and modern naturopathic health care systems and practices that have emerged from the vast body of the medical knowledge of ancient Asia and that have been in continuous use for thousands of years into the present day. This includes the well known complete medical systems of ancient China (Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM) and ancient India (Ayurvedic Medicine), as well as the various forms of acupuncture, nutritional therapy, herbology, meditation, fitness and exercise practices, and other therapeutic or healing modalities these systems have influenced or produced (i.e. traditional Japanese kampo medicine, meridian acupuncture, etc).

Over thousands of years, this knowledge has extended across the Asian region and beyond, first becoming independently acculturated and assimilated into the health care practices of India, Tibet, and China, then in surrounding countries such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand. More recently, it has migrated to Europe, North America, Australia, and South America, evolving and becoming an integral part of modern health care systems globally. As a result, a variety of unique natural medicine healing systems and modern therapeutic techniques and practices rooted in or influenced by this ancient knowledge can be found all over the world.