Herbal medicine is by itself a powerful method of healing. Western drugs are usually used to control symptoms but do not alter the disease process. For example: antibiotics kill bacteria but do not improve a person’s resistance to infection; diuretics drain excess fluid from the body but do not improve the kidney function. Chinese herbs can also rid the body of disease but they, additionally, nourish and balance the body in very specific ways, thereby improving the specific medical concern and at the same time improving overall health. Indeed, more attention has been focused on herbal medicine to treat various diseases because of the ability of the herbs to affect multiple target signaling pathways and their multiple mechanisms of action. Chinese herbs provide a more complete solution. Below you will find a few examples of Chinese herbs and what they are used for.

Popular Chinese herbs to suppress pain include:

• Corydalis (Yan Hu Suo), a tuber that has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Its root extract alleviates menstrual cramps, chest pain and abdominal pain. It’s been previously studied for its analgesic properties, but this is the first time DHCB (dehydrocorybulbine) has been identified, extracted and tested.
• Curcumae (Jiang Huang) has gained popularity in recent years in remedies for chronic inflammation. It is beneficial for pain from traumatic injury as well as abdominal and menstrual pain.
• Coptis chinensis (Huang Lian) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects through different mechanisms. It is used to detoxify and disinfect, stop bleeding, cure eczema, burns, and ulcers.
• And many more…

Popular Chinese herbs to reduce anxiety include:

• Zizyphus Jujuba (Suan Zao Ren), is a sour jujube seed known to ease anxiety, fear, nervousness and calm those who are easily startled.
• Radix Polygalae Tenuifolia (Yuan Zhi) is an adaptogenic root that helps the body combat the effects of stress and enable the body to function normally during traumatic periods. Polygalae helps maintain the balance of the nerves when you’re under stress. It is thought to relax the soul, calm the heart, and ease restlessness and anxiety.
• Valeriana officinalis (Xie Cao) is a plant native to Europe and Asia. For many centuries, people have used the root to help treat sleep problems, anxiety, and depression.
• And many more…

With the increased knowledge of and accessibility to alternative medical modalities, it is not atypical for individuals to seek many paths to health. Therefore it is as important to know when not to use herbs as it is to know when to use herbs. Herbalists must always be aware of the cautions and contraindications based on patient presentation, other herbs being taken as well as what pharmaceuticals the patient is on. Blood-thinning, anti-platelet, diuretic, diabetic or antihypertensive medication provides the highest risk of potential interactions. This is not to say that herbs and pharmaceuticals cannot be used together. Rather, one needs to monitor these patients more carefully. Likewise, herbs contraindicated during pregnancy are well documented. In stating this, one must still remember that thousands of years have been spent perfecting the use of Chinese medicinal herbs and when in the hands of a knowledgeable herbalist, their use alone or in conjunction with other medications is quite safe as well as very effective.

As you can see, the Chinese herbs offer a lot of natural, safer benefits than using pills from a bottle. Call us today to book your appointment and start your Chinese herb journey to recovery!