by Bobbie Grennier,
Master
Herbalist
Muscle Testing based on the concept of internal energy, which is
fundamental to traditional Chinese medicine. Muscle testing is a
noninvasive method used to evaluate the body's imbalances and
assessing its needs.
Testing the muscles is all about testing the body's responses
when slight pressure is applied to the large muscles one at a
time. This testing provides information about the body's energy
blockages, nutritional deficiencies, and food sensitivities. So,
you can imagine it's use in testing the body's responses to
herbs and herbal remedies.
When muscle testing, the person being tested is given an herb to
hold or a food, if testing for an allergy. They are then asked
to hold their arms out to each side away from their body. With
the herb in one of their hands, the practitioner then pulls down
on the person's other arm with equal pressure for balance. If
the person needs the herb or is not allergic to the food, the
arm will remain strong against the pressure. If allergic or not
in need of the herb, the arm will go weak and the person won't
be able to hold their arm in place against the pressure.
Muscle testing can also be used to determine how often each herb
should be taken and how much each time.
Although not the same, sometimes muscle testing is referred to
as Applied Kinesiology. Kinesiology is more the study of all
human movement. Muscle testing is focused on the large muscles,
usually but not limited to the arms.
Although muscle testing is simple, responses may be inconclusive
if the person's energy is blocked. Muscle testing requires a
check of the body's polarity, which reveals whether energy in
the central meridian is flowing in the right direction. If not,
it must be corrected before proceeding. Polarity checks are used
with each product tested, to make sure the product does not
interfere with a person's polarity. The selected herbs are also
tested as a group, because an herb may test well individually,
but combining it with other herbs may produce a synergistic
effect that reduces or eliminates the need for it.
As you can imagine, muscle testing is a wonderful way to help
diagnose herbal remedies.
If you are new to herbalism and want to learn more about
becoming a master herbalist, please visit our herbal education
websites:
http://herbal-college.com
and
http://master-herbalist.com.
About the author:
About the Author: Bobbie Grennier is a freelance writer and
master herbalist. She teaches herbalism at
http://herbal-college.com. She publishes several herbal health
blogs. Visit her web sites http://www.natural-healers.com and
http://www.master-herbalist.com for more herbalist healer
information and more FREE herbal reprint articles.
