Herbal Medicine

What is herbal medicine?

The Chinese Herbal Materia Medica is a text which dates back to 1st century AD, describes 365 individual herbs, and details how plants have been used therapeutically throughout the ages. The phrase “materia medica” comes from Latin and literally means “healing materials.” Herbal medicine is the use of medicinal plants to achieve different therapeutic results and treat various conditions.

What is an “herb”?

In Chinese Medicine, an “herb” is generally a plant, root, stem, leaf, flower, mineral, shell, bark, or seed. Herbs can also be parts of an animal, for example, deer antler or cicdaoidea skin. All herbs are found in nature, or wildlife, and provided for us by Mother Nature. These individual herbs are used synergistically, to achieve different therapeutic results. Herbal formulas consist of two to twenty or more herbs and can be ingested in several different ways.

How to take herbal medicine

In traditional raw herbal formulas, dried herbs are boiled, steeped, and taken as a hot tea. If the patient does not wish to or does not have time to boil and decoct their formula, there are plenty of other options. Herbal granules, or herbal extract powders, can be taken with hot water. These powders can be in capsules as well and taken orally as pills. Other options include herbal tinctures or topical lineaments.

Herbal medicine is used to treat:

Respiratory disorders: Asthma, Bronchitis, Covid-19 recovery, Common colds and flu, Sore throat, Upper respiratory tract infection, Allergies.

Digestive disorders: Nausea, Vomiting, Bloating and abdominal distention, Constipation, Diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis.

Mental/emotional health: Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, PTSD, Stress management, OCD, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia.

Women's health: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Dysmenorrhea and painful periods, Amenorrhea, Urinary tract infections, Infertility, Morning sickness, PCOS.

Misc: Immune support, Acne and skin disorders, Headaches and migraines, Musculoskeletal pain, Chronic pain

It has been written in ancient Chinese text that “Acupuncture clears the channels; Herbs fill the channels.” Together, Acupuncture and herbal formulas work synergistically to improve many conditions.

Herbal medicine is often customized for each individual patient and carefully crafted to improve their current condition and help their body perform at its highest potential. Always make sure you are taking herbal medicine from a qualified and licensed practitioner.