What is Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine is an intelligent system of knowing specific actions that individual herbs have on your body, as well as how these herbs work in combination to help your specific health conditions.
Today, we use herbs from all around the world, as well as from local herbs and plant medicines, to support our health.
Many beneficial herbs and plant medicines grow in your garden, or can be found at Farmer’s Markets.
Herbs and plant medicines do not have to be imported from China or be exotic to work. Simple herbs and plants like mint, basil, rosemary, garlic, and green onions are just a few of the many herbs you will find, that also cross over into the “food” category.
Herbs and plant medicines are commonly taken as:
- Teas
- Tinctures
- Capsules
- Liquids and Extracts
Ancient Plant Medicines Often Lead to Modern Medicines
While the idea of using plants as medicine seems foreign to many people, it is worth noting that many pharmaceutical drugs and over-the-counter remedies owe their existence to the active ingredients originally found in plants.
An example of this includes how the active ingredient in aspirin, was initially discovered in willow bark.
The active ingredient (salicylic acid) in aspirin was used as far back as 3,000 B.C. when ancient Sumerians and Egyptians would drink a tea from willow bark and its leaves. They had discovered that willow bark tea could reduce pain and inflammation.
This is just one of many examples that illustrate how plant medicines contain contribute to modern medicine.
When you come in for your acupuncture treatment, we can talk about herbal remedies, supplements and “at home” plant medicines you can use, to promote better health.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine benefits:
- Migraines
- Fertility Issues
- Women’s Health
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Sleep Issues
Find out how acupuncture and herbal medicine can help you. Book your free consultation today.
By using herbal extracts and teas that John recommended to me, my digestion has improved. I like that this approach is natural and some of the herbs I use, I get at the grocery store.
How herbs may help you
The teeter-totter approach:
If, for example, you are frequently cold, with cold and hands and feet, then you may have a “cold imbalance” in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.
To counteract this cold imbalance, and move you toward balanced health, you will benefit from warming herbal teas containing ginger, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
These warming herbs will swing you away from your cold imbalance, and help you feel warmer and more energized. That is how herbs balance your health.
FAQ
How do you know which herbs I should take?
Traditional Chinese Herbal medicine strives to help you find balance. If your body is out of balance, herbs are often selected to help you recover your balance.
Keep in mind, herbs can imply food, too. Food is medicine.
For example, if you are constantly cold, have cold hands and feet and a sore back (especially in winter), you would do well to seek warming herbs (like ginger, ginseng, cayenne pepper) and eat warming foods (soups and stews with slow-cooked beef, pork or well salted veggies).
In this way, one type of food (warming foods–both thermally warm and spicy warm) can counter-balance your feelings of internal cold (cold hands, cold feet). It is like a teeter-totter. If you are lopsided in one direction (in this case “cold”) you can use food and herbs (warming) on the opposite side of the spectrum, to help bring you closer toward the middle-ground and balance.
Are herbs safe?
Under the guidance of an experienced herbalist, selecting and consuming herbal products is recognized as a generally safe practice.
There are have been no reported deaths from herbal use that I have encountered in my research. There are thousands of deaths associated with prescription medications and over-the-counter remedies ranging from pain pills to cough syrup.
There are some herbs that are toxic in excess, just like there are common over-the counter medications (like Tylenol) that are toxic at higher doses.
My preference is to use herbs with a long history of safe use, low-to-no toxicity at suggested usage levels and if possible, use food-grade ingredients (like ginger, cayenne pepper, and so on) when possible.
Can I just take herbal supplements from the grocery store?
In many cases, yes.
You can find good quality products at most grocery stores, co-ops and other locations that carry a variety of “herbal supplements”. This is not the same as a Traditional Chinese Herbal formula, but it may be just fine for your needs.
We can talk about this and other herbal questions when you come in to the clinic for your acupuncture appointment.
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