Herbal Therapy :

Herbal Therapy

The medicinal benefits of herbs have been known for centuries. Records of Native American, roman, Egyptian, Persian, and Chinese medical practices show that herbs were used extensively to cure practically every known illness. Many herbs contain powerful ingredients that, if used correctly, can help heal the body. The pharmaceutical industry was originally based upon the ability to isolate these ingredients, and make them available in a purer form. Herbalists, however, contend that nature provides other ingredients in the same herbs to balance the more powerful ingredients. These other components, though they may be less potent, may help to act as buffers, synergists, or counterbalances working in harmony with the more powerful ingredients. Therefore, by using herbs in their complete form, the body’s healing process utilized a balance of ingredients provided by nature.

May people believe that herbs are just as effective as drugs, but without the side effect. Most over-the-counter drugs should be used with caution. In addition, many of them are not particularly effective. Others can mast important symptoms, possibly leading to misdiagnoses and, ultimately, worse health problems. It is of interest to note that in many industrialized countries today, herbs are prescribed by physicians and prepared and sold through neighborhood drugstores. In developing countries, where access to hospitals and doctors is limited, herbal remedies often are the only generally available form of medicine.

Herbs do perform many healing functions in the body, but they must be used appropriately, not indiscriminately. Although herbal remedies are less likely than most conventional medicines to cause side effects, herbs nevertheless can be very potent. Moreover, not all plant life is beneficial. There are poisonous plats, and some of them are deadly, especially if used for long periods of time. In fact, it is important to point out that qualified herbalists use herbs with great care. Also, since herbs contain active ingredients, you should be aware that some of these elements might interact negatively with prescribed medications. It is therefore wise to consult a health professional when there is any question about safety.

Questions and Answers about Chinese Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is the main treatment method within traditional Chinese medicine. It is the world’s oldest, continually practiced professional medicine. Its written history stretches back over 2500 years and its practice is probably much older than that.

Although acupuncture was the first Chinese method of treatment to gain wide acceptance in the west, Chinese herbal medicine is quickly establishing itself as one of the most popular and effective alternative therapies in the west.

Q: What’s the difference between western folk herbalism and Chinese herbal medicine?

A: Western folk herbalism primarily treats diseases or symptoms, such as headaches, runny nose, menstrual pain, etc. Chinese herbal medicine, when practiced as a part of traditional Chinese medicine, is based on an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as disease diagnosis. Your pattern is made up of your signs and symptoms, your emotional temperament and the overall composition of your body.

The traditional Chinese medicine receives a custom written herbal prescription designed to treat their individual pattern as well as the symptom or disease.

Q: Are all the herbs vegetable in origin?

A: 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 the vegetable used.

Q: Do all the herbs come form China?

A: The Chinese adopted and incorporated herbs from all over the world. Fifteen to twenty percent of the 500 ingredients considered standard originated from outside china. What makes these Chinese herbs is that they are prescribed according to Chinese medical theory and a traditional Chinese medicine pattern diagnosis.

Q: How long does it take to see results with Chinese herbal medicine?

A: In acute conditions, results may occur in a matter of minutes. In chronic conditions, some results should be seen within two weeks. Although chronic conditions may require taking Chinese herbal medicine for a long time, signs that the medicine is working should be apparent to the patient and practitioner alike almost from the very start.

Q: How are Chinese herbal medicines taken?

A: The most common method of taking Chinese herbal medicine is drinking a liquid, prepare 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 more traditional liquid form.

Q: What are the benefits of drinking Chinese herb medicines in liquid form?

A: This method allows the practitioner maximum flexibility in writing a prescription. They can put in just what is necessary in just in the right amounts. The formula can e changed frequently, if necessary, and the liquid forms tend to be more potent than other means of administration.

Q: Do Chinese herbal medicines have side effects?

A: Most of the components of Chinese herbal medicine have a very low toxicity.

Q: What is Chinese herbal medicine good for

A: Chinese herbal medicine treats the full range of human disease. It is used to treat:

Allergies, migraine headache, tension headache, depression, impotent, memory loss, hearing loss, arthritis, chronic pain, constipation, asthma, bronchitis, chronic cough, gastric ulcer, gastritis, PMS, gallstone, kidney stone, irritable bowl syndrome, hemorrhoids, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol, angina, anemia, chronic urinary tract infection, diabetes, hepatitis, insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, sciatica, bell’s palsy, fatigue, numbness of extremities (Perry, just make button for each disease, when people click on the button, the medicine, price per bottle, and ingredients will show up)