QUESTIONS & ANSWER ABOUT CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
WHAT ARE THREE TREASURES OF CHINESE MEDICINE
QUESTIONS & ANSWER ABOUT CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
Information for Patients Herbal medicine is the main treatment method within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is perhaps the world's oldest, continually practiced professional medicine. Its written history stretches back over 2,500 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.
1) Q: What's the difference between Western folk herbalism and Chinese herbal medicine?
2) Q: Are there any other differences?
3) Q: Are all the "herbs" vegetable in origin?
4) Q: Do all the herbs come from China?
5) Q: Does Chinese herbal medicine work for Western patients?
6) Q: How are Chinese herbal medicines taken?
7) Q: What are the benefits of drinking Chinese herb medicines in liquid form?
8) Q: Why do liquid herbal medicines taste so bad?
9) Q: What are the benefits of pills and powders?
10) Q: Do Chinese herbal medicines have side effects?
11) Q: What is Chinese herbal medicine good for?
12) Q: Can pregnant women take Chinese herbs?
13) Q: Can children take Chinese herbal medicine?
14) Q: How long does it take to see results with Chinese herbal medicine?
15) Q: How do I know if a practitioner is professionally trained in Chinese herbal medicine?
1) Q: What's
the difference between Western folk herbalism and Chinese herbal medicine?
1) 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 TCM, is based on an individualized pattern
diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. Tour pattern is made up of your
signs and symptoms, your emotional temperament and the overall composition
of your body. The TCM patient receives a custom written herbal prescription
designed to treat their individual pattern as well as the symptom or disease.
2) Q: Are
there any other differences?
2) A: Western folk herbalism usually focuses on one symptom or
disease at a time and uses a single herb or groups of herbs for treatment.
TCM formulas are crafted to treat your entire pattern as well as the symptoms
or disease that prompted you to seek treatment. TCM formulas may include
six to eighteen herbs to treat the symptoms or disease as well as your
entire pattern.
3) Q: Are
all the "herbs" vegetable in origin?
3) 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.
4) Q: Do
all the herbs come from China?
4) 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
TCM pattern diagnosis.
5) Q: Does
Chinese herbal medicine work for Western patients?
5) A: Yes, Chinese herbal medicine works as well for Westerners
as it does for Chinese. Chinese herbal medicine has been used successfully
in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and
all throughout Asia.
6) Q: How
are Chinese herbal medicines taken?
6) A: The most common method of taking Chinese 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.
7) Q: What
are the benefits of drinking Chinese herb medicines in liquid form?
7) A: This method allows the practitioner maximum flexibility
in writing a prescription. They can put in just what is necessary in just
the right amounts. The formula can be changed frequently, if necessary,
and the liquid forms tend to be more potent than other means of administration.
8) Q: Why
do liquid herbal medicines taste so bad?
8) A: Chinese herbal teas end to taste very bitter because they
are made mostly from roots and bark where the strongest medicinal ingredients
are found. The bitter taste may go away after a day or two.
9) Q: What
are the benefits of pills and powders?
9) A: Pills and powders are good for:
- Prolonged administration, like for chronic disease
- Where formulas do not need to be very potent
- Where formulas do not need to be changed very often Pills and powders are also commonly used to continue therapeutic results after a successful initial treatment with liquid herbal medicine.
10) Q: Do
Chinese herbal medicines have side effects?
10) A: Most of the components of Chinese herbal medicine have a 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 a few, if any, side effects, only beneficial healing results.
If you experience any discomfort while taking Chinese herbal medicine,
tell your practitioner who will modify the formula until there are no
side effects.
11) Q: What
is Chinese herbal medicine good for?
11) A: Chinese herbal medicine treats the full range of human
disease. It is used to treat:
- Acute disease, like intestinal flu and the common cold
- Chronic disease, such as allergies, gynecological disorders, auto-immune disease and chronic viral diseases
- Degenerative diseases due to aging Chinese herbal medicine is especially good for promoting the body's ability to heal and recover from illness.
12) Q: Can
pregnant women take Chinese herbs?
12) A: A professional TCM practitioner can write prescriptions
that are appropriate for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
13) Q: Can
children take Chinese herbal medicine?
13) A: Yes, again. Pediatrics is a specialty within TCM and children
can be given reduced dosages. There are also specially prepared pediatric
medicines in pill and powder form. Chinese herbal medicine can treat colic,
the fussiness of teething, earache, diarrhea, cough and fever in babies
and children.
14) Q: How
long does it take to see results with Chinese herbal medicine?
14) 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.
15) Q: How
do I know if a practitioner is professionally trained in Chinese herbal
medicine?
15) A: Although Chinese herbal medicines are safe when prescribed
by a trained, knowledgeable practitioner, they are strong medicine. Patients
should ask about where the practitioner trained, how long the training
was, how long he or she has been in practice and what experience the practitioner
has had in treating the patient's specific ailment.
Chinese herbal medicine may be part of the testing done where acupuncture is a licensed and regulated healthcare profession. Ask your practitioner if your state requires a license to practice; about half states do. In states that do not currently require licensing, patients should ask their practitioner if they are certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists (NCCA). NCCA has created a certification process for Chinese herbal medicine. Practitioners who have passed that certification are entitled to add the abbreviation Dipl. C.H. (Diplomate of Chinese Herbs) after their name.
| INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE The Five Elements Phases In TCM, or these systems are related to five elements in nature: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. In TCM, the organs are inter-linked with the seasons of the year, temperatures, colors and tastes, all of which have relevance to our health and well-being. For Example, the Kidney is most susceptible to cold and damp, trouble with the Heart is seen in a "red" complexion and tastes most cleansing to the Liver are "sour". The Five Elementıs Theory emphasizes our interconnectedness. By using the thousands of years of observation offered by TCM as a foundation, we can assume a more proactive role in our personal health and well-being. |
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THE
LIVER
corresponds to wood and spring, a time of activities and new beginnings.
This important organ system can be referred to as the energy factory of
the body, performing over 500 regulatory functions that give the body
its flexibility and adaptability. In the Chinese model, the Liver not
only neutralizes noxious chemicals, but also harmonizes excessive anger.
The Liver stores Blood and is the seat of microcirculation, hence and
key to strong nails and healthy eyes.
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THE
HEART
reflects the fire of summer, the season of abundance. In Chinese philosophy
it is the home of Shen, the mental, psychological and spiritual factors
in the body. A clear complexion and a joyful countenance are signs of
a healthy heart.
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THE
SPLEEN
is associated with the earth and the harvest of late summer. It is the
primary organ of digestion. From food, it extracts Qi, mixes it with blood
and transports it to the lungs and heart. A healthy Spleen will be seen
in a good appetite and digestion, energy and good muscle tone. An impaired
Spleen will engender fatigue, abdominal distension, poor digestion, diarrhea,
edema, obesity and phlegm related disorders. The lips relate to the Spleen
energy. If the taste is dull and the lips pale and dry, the Spleen energy
is out of harmony.
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THE
LUNGS
are associated with metal and autumn. The importance of this organ system
is evident in Taoist tradition of Qi Gong, which cultivates vitality and
prevents disease through the practical discipline of breath.Lungs extract
the Essence from the Air, combining it with Essence from Food sent by
Spleen. The two are blended into Qi, pure energy, which is dispersed downward
into the chest and abdomen and outward toward the muscles, skin and extremities.
In TCM, the skin is referred to as the "third lung" and most skin disorders
considered to be the result of weak lung Qi. The Lungs mobilize the Wei
Qi, or first line of defense, which enables the body to adapt to its environment
and resist adversity. The Lungs also disperse moisture to all parts of
the body. Healthy Lungs insure healthy metabolism. The Kidneys, associated
with water and winter, literally harbor the germ, the seed of continuous
regeneration. In TCM, this is referred to as the Jing, all that inherited
from our parents.
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THE
KIDNEYS
is the seat of bone marrow production and the key to strong bones, teeth
and efficient brain function. The Kidneys regulate the fluid balance of
the body, eliminating any waste water from the body. The Kidneys receive
Qi from the Lungs and have the function of holding Qi down, thus facilitating
the healthy breathing process.
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WHAT ARE TREE THREASURES OF CHINESE MEDICINE
Three Treasures and Traditional Chinese Medicine For 5,000 years the Chines have observed the human condition and how it relates to nature. The concepts now known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), folklore and the famed herbs used by the Chinese practitioner have often formed the basis for modern drugs. Today there is a resurgence of TCM and its reliance on nature to restore and maintain balance and optimum health.
Three Treasures as Jing, Shen and Qi. are important substances that are believed to nourish all levels of our being.
JING |
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SHEN |
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QI |
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TCM also recognizes two essential fluid systems of the body: Xue (Blood) and Jin Ye (Saliva, Synovial fluid and mucus). The Chinese model of Blood view it as a fluid that is not only confined to the blood vessels, but also runs through the meridians or energy channels of the body.
Yin and Yang all elements of the body and of nature itself are viewed through the eyes of the Chinese practitioner in relationship to yin and yang. This dual, yet complementary, phenomena describes a constant ebb and flow from the "dark" to the "light" (yang, meaning bright side of the mountain and yin meaning the dark side). It conveys the reality of nature observed through the centuries. It endorses balance and harmony in every aspect of our lives. With the observations meticulously recorded by Chinese practitioners throughout the centuries, the concept of yin and yang also provides us with powerful diagnostic tools to help us understand disease processes and make choices that will restore and maintain health and vitality.