HERBAL MEDICINE

What are Chinese herbs?
Chinese herbs are natural time-tested remedies made up of plant, mineral and animal parts used to create balance in the body. These herbs were traditionally boiled into a tea. But due to the bitter taste and inconvenience of boiling tea for an hour, the herbs are more readily available in pill, capsule, tincture or granular form.

How are Chinese herbs different from Western pharmaceuticals?
Chinese herbs treat the root cause of your illness and not just your symptoms. Most medicinal plants contain an active component, as well as other chemical components that balance any potential side effects. When the active chemical in a plant is isolated and concentrated, other important compounds that balance the effects are lost. Western medications often work very quickly, but can have unpleasant side effects. Most Chinese herbs have no side effects when used in their whole plant form. They must be taken consistently for one week to several months, depending on the ailment. Because the plant is in its whole form, Chinese herbs must be consumed in larger doses and more frequently. Chinese herbs can work in conjunction with your prescription drugs.

What should I expect at an herbal consultation?
When you come in for an herbal consultation, your practitioner will ask you about your symptoms, and go through a thorough intake of your overall health. She will ask questions about your sleep, digestion and emotional state. Then she will observe your voice, the brightness in your eyes, your odor, fingernails, hair, posture, gait and skin which all give valuable clues about your state of health. Finally, your acupuncturist will look at your tongue and feel your pulse, the major disgnostic tools of Chinese medicine. After getting a complete picture of your health, she will recommend herbal formulas individualized for your body.

“Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge.  Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favour compared with the products of nature, the living cell of the plant, the final results of the rays of the sun, the mother of all life." -Thomas Edison