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Gardening Article: Muscle Testing for Herbs

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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 bodys imbalances and assessing its needs.

Testing the muscles is all about testing the bodys responses when slight pressure is applied to the large muscles one at a time. This testing provides information about the bodys energy blockages, nutritional deficiencies, and food sensitivities. So, you can imagine its use in testing the bodys 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 persons 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 wont 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 persons energy is blocked. Muscle testing requires a check of the bodys 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 persons 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.