What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?

For more than 5000 years, the Chinese have been developing, improving and perfecting health-promoting herbal recipes. More than 80,000 herbal prescriptions are recorded, whose precise quantities and proportions are crucial to their efficacy. In fact, many of today's wonder drugs were derived from traditional herbal formulations. One of the characteristics of Chinese herbal medicine is that most herbs are used in prescriptions with 3 or more herbs, there are sometimes 10 and more herbs in a single prescription. Many subordinate (or assistant) herbs cooperate with a major ingredient (or main herb) in a prescription to produce a better effect on one particular organ or condition. The main herb "rules" the prescription and has the primary effect on the diseased condition. The assistant herbs helps to synergistically increase the effect of the main herb, to treat a disease complex, also "supervise" the function of other herbs.

Are all the Herbs Vegetable in Origin?

Chinese herbal medicine may include vegetable, animal, and mineral ingredients, however, the majority of ingredients are from vegetable sources,. Leaves, flowers, twigs, stems, roots, tubers, rhizomes, and bark are among the parts of vegetables used.

How are Chinese Herbs Taken?

The most common method of taking Chinese herbal medicine is drinking a liquid, prepared by boiling the selected herbs. There are also herbal pills, tinctures, and powdered extracts for those who do not have the time or taste for drinking the more traditional liquid form.

Do Chinese Herbs Have Side-Effects?

Most of the components of Chinese herbal medicine have very low toxicity compared to even common, over-the-counter Western drugs. When they are prescribed according to a correct TCM pattern diagnosis, they should have few, if any, side effects, only beneficial healing results.

How Long Does it Take to See Results with Chinese Herbs?

That depends upon the duration, severity, nature of each individual's complaint and the individual response of the patients. In acute conditions, results may occur in a matter of 1-3 days. In chronic conditions, results should be visible within two weeks.

What is the Difference of Single Herbal Granules and Formula Herbal Pills?

Chinese herbal prescriptions are either tailored to fit the individual patient or designed to fit general conditions. For the individual patient, Chinese pharmacists measure single ingredients on hand-held scales, mixing formulas for individual patient to take home and brew into tea. But for the general conditions, there are lots of ready-made formulas herbs prepared in manufactories and sold in apothecary shops, side by side with individual herbs. The patent herbal formulas are grown in remote rural herbal mountains and farms deep inside China. and they come in variety of shapes and forms, easy-to-swallow herbal balls, pills, tablets, capsules, liquid, or tea extracts, which are then processed from raw herbal plants, roots, bottled or packaged. Because they are ready to use without cooking, they are convenient and welcomed in the modern society.

Are Your Herbs Safe and do they Interact with my Medications?

The herb formulas prescribed by our clinic are meticulously processed using formulas that have been passed down through many generations of herbalist. They contain no harmful drugs, chemicals or additives. All ingredients are grown in China in unpolluted soils that are largely uncultivated by man. So they remain in their most natural states, to ensure the greatest potency and purity.

What Can Chinese Herbs Treat?

The Chinese remedies exist for a vast array of disorders: high cholesterol, arthritis, sciatica, migraine, insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome, painful or irregular menses, PMS, infertility, asthma, indigestion, colitis, bad circulation, allergic sinuses, acne, hypoimmunity, tinnitus, impotence, and the common cold, etc. A number of the most effective Chinese products are currently in-stock, visit our herb store to check their availability.

What is the Typical Dosage of Chinese Herbs?

Since some products from China are made from extracts and others from raw herbs, the dosage varies from as few as 2-5 pills for extracts to 8-20 pills at a time for formulas using raw materials, generally 1-3 times per day. Dosages for fluid extracts are about 1-4 milliliters (1/4-1 teaspoon), depending on the concentration, 2-3 times per day. Dosages for children are proportionately less than for adults.

How should One Take Chinese Herbs?

With herbal pills or fluid extracts are usually taken on an empty stomach 1/2 hour before or 1 to 2 hours after eating. They are most effective swallowed with warm water since cold drinks inhibit the digestive function of the stomach. Usually, the herbs can be taken with Western medications or vitamins together. With herbal granules, make sure your daily doses are correct, then pour total # of bags into one cup of hot water (5-6 oz), use spoon to stir until dissolve, then drink 1/2 cup in the morning, and 1/2 cup in the evening after food.