Yin and Yang. Within traditional Chinese medicine, health is defined as a balance of the body's yin and yang aspects. These terms refer to the complementary but opposing qualities that make up everything in the natural world. All things have a yin aspect as well as a yang and these interdependent qualities comprise the parts of any whole. For example, time consists of day (yang) and night (yin), the body has in organs as well as yang, and so forth.

Harmony, and therefore health, depends on balancing yin and yang. This concept promotes a clinical perspective. Since our bodies are in dynamic balance internally as well as externally (with nature), we are constantly making minor adjustment to maintain equilibrium. In other words, perfect health is not some static state we can hope to achieve; instead, our bodies stay well by making changes in response to various influences.

When we unable to adapt-whether to change in weather or the invasion of a virus we fall ill.