What is Chinese Herbal Medicine Therapy?

Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) Therapy involves prescribing specific formulas to remedy the disharmony and symptoms that the patient is experiencing. Choosing from several hundred single herbs and formulas, I am able to prescribe unique customized formulas for each individual. The herbal prescription is usually a combination of pharmaceutical-grade raw herbs or herbal powders. Tamie can also prescribe a combination of pre-made herbal formulas in capsule or tablet form.

Would you be interested in watching a movie about herbal medicine? → The Knowledge Of Healing

Frequent Asked Questions

Does Chinese herbal medicine interfere with Western medications?

Chinese herbs are natural plants, animal or mineral materials, or their natural extracts. They rarely interfere with other medications. Due to the powerful effects of certain herbs, however, you should always obtain prescriptions from trained herbalists and discuss with them any other medications you are taking before taking any forms of herbal medicines.

What type of herbs should I choose?

The commonly prescribed herbs include raw or bulk herbs, scientific Chinese herbs, and Chinese patent medicines.

1. Raw or bulk herbs: These types of herbs are the easiest for the body to absorb, have the fastest and strongest effects, and are administered to address acute and severe conditions. Patients boil these herbs at home. The time-consuming cooking procedure and unpleasant taste of the decoctions greatly limit their usage.
2. Scientific Chinese herbs: These types of herbs include powders, capsules, tablets, and pills that are manufactured from concentrated herbs. Of these, the powders are the most effective. Because the concentrated powders are easy to prepare (simply mix all ingredients and take with warm water) and the others require no preparation, this form is well accepted by most American patients.
3. Patent Chinese medicines: These types of herbs are made on the basis of classical or modern research for herbal formulas. Unlike the other types of herbs, the patent Chinese medicines are not formulated specifically for a particular patient. In general, patent medicines are absorbed slowly and over a long period of time, are more easily stored, and are less expensive. They are more commonly used for treating chronic disorders associated with deficiencies.

Which herbal medicine supplier I use?

• Evergreen Herbs
• Jane Lyttelton Herbal Formulas
• Blue Poppy
• Health Concerns
• Honso USA
• Golden Flowers
• Mayway
• KPC
• KanHerb

Are concentrated herbs as effective as raw herbs?

Currently used herbal powders are concentrated extracts (5:1 ratio of herb to water) made from individually cooked raw herbs. The manufacturing process has very strict quality control for properties, water content, solubility, concentration, harmful bacteria, fungi, and heavy metal content. The special low-temperature boiling process that is used to create the herbs provides a 95% return of the active components. Therefore, all of the natural properties of raw herbs are retained. A clinical study in 14 hospitals in China found that concentrated herbs have greater effectiveness than raw herbs. Other reports suggest, however, that they are slightly less effective due to the loss of interactions between the active principles of raw herbs that results from the decocting process.

Chinese Herbal Medicine used for Infertility – Very Powerful.

Many women and men are lucky to have babies without any problems. Some women get pregnant with just IUI or IVF. Some women get pregnant with just two acupuncture treatments before and after embryo transfer. Some women get pregnant with a couple of months of weekly acupuncture treatments. Some women come twice per week and finally get pregnant after failing 4-5 IVF. Every single case is different. Age matters but not all of it. If you are told nothing physically is wrong and have already tried IVF 2-3-4 times and did everything you can think of which includes proper diet, exercise (for example fertility yoga), stress reduction, supplements, and weekly acupuncture treatment) but still not able to conceive… My suggestion to you is to select an honest and qualified herbalist specialized in Chinese medicine and start taking Chinese herbal medicine w/ acupuncture. If you are planning to do IUI/IVF, I recommend you to stop taking the herbal medicine before your stimulation start or take herbal formula until you start taking BCP. Your next cycle will be different. If you have been taking a BBT chart, you will see the differences in the chart.

“A large number of patients who have tried IVF several times and were unsuccessful have soon become pregnant and were able to keep her pregnancy after the acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatment.

Resources

• TCM Central provides an overview of herbal medicine, with detailed explanations of the use of herbal treatments.
• The Herbal Medicine Pharmacy Update describes the risk and benefits of herbal treatments. (published in The Permanente Journal)
• FamilyHerbalRemedies.com describes the medicinal uses of many common plants and herbs.
• The Happy Herbalist Web site discusses herb-drug interactions.