Chinese Herbal Medicine operates within its own diagnostic and therapeutic framework and does not profess to provide a cure or treatment for medical conditions. Instead, it adopts a holistic
approach to address the individual's overall well-being within Chinese Medicine theory .
Herbalism aims to alleviate some symptoms associated with the following
Through a natural and holistic approach Chinese Herbal Medicine aims to address the root cause of illness through its own unique paradigm, with the ultimate aim to restore balance and harmony within every apect of the self, always striving to promote longevity, vitality and personal transformation.
About the Session
A Chinese Medicine Practitioner uses a wide number of Chinese Medicine theories to understand the relationships that naturally maintain homeostasis in the body.
A thorough investigation of the presenting signs and symptoms is carried out using the ancient Chinese Medical paradim. Pulse taking and tongue diagniosis enables the practitioner to identify possible underlined imbalances and pattern of disharmony as they pertain to Chinese Medicine, and come up with a Chinese Medical diagnosis that systamatically explains the presenting issues. Once a clear Chinese Medical Diagnosis is realized, a herbal treatment can be devised to address the underlined condition, and presenting symptoms. Headache, stomach ache, menstrual conditions, fatigue, etc.. are seen as manifestations caused by some internal imbalance. Chinese herbs deal with the entire presentation. The aim of which is to direct the body to re-attain its natural state of balance, manage symptoms while addressing the underlined pathology.
Herbal formulas can be created from scratch or created from pre-existing formulas and adjusting them to suit the individual, by drawing on established herbal strategies and principles. When a practitioner is sufficiently trained he/she is able to discern herbal constituents for their synergetic relationships, while at the same time accounting for the patients constitution. A balanced herbal formula adresses the presenting complaint, and also accounts for the digestibility to enable better integration into the body.
Use of Herbal Medicine
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine dates back thousands of years. "The Compendium of Meteria Medica" is an ancient pharmaceutical text, written by Li Shizhen (1518-1593AD), during the Ming Dynasty. The ‘Shan Han Lun’, is a famous and pivotal text of herbal medicine. Collated by Zhongjing between (196-220CE). This work was the first to group sets of symptoms and prescriptions. It provides specific formulas, modifications, and additional constituents and methods of herbal preparation with incredible detail. The herbs are synergistically attuned to resolve illness as depicted according to Chinese Medicine and takes into account the patients specific presentation and constitution..
Herbal constituents are classified by their innate nature. They may be cool, warm, hot or cold. Their flavour may be bitter, salty, sour, sweet, pungent, bland, or a mixture of those. Each herb targets particular organs, body functions and body region. In Chinese Medicine each herb affects the Yin or the Yang. Influences the Qi, blood, fluids, bone, muscle or a combination of those.
These energetic herbal differentiations are a reflexion of the chemical constituents (secondary metabolites) of the given herb. They are generally plants that evolved for a particularly long time when compared to other plants and therefore have a more concentrated array of active ingredients that give them their medicinal qualities and are hence recognised as herbs rather than just "plants".
More about Herbs
A herbal decoction may consist of a single herb, or have as many as fifteen single herbs that work in synergy with each other. Each herb in the decoction is chosen to serve as ‘chief’, ‘assistant’, or as a ‘guiding’ herb. The most relevant herbs in the formula are termed 'Chief herbs'. Assistant herbs synergetically supports the chief herb's function or helps with their digestion and integration into the body. The guiding herbs ensure that the formula reaches its desired site or location within the body.
Over thousands of years, the effect of Chinese herbal formulas have been observed, recorded, re-evaluated, formulas changed and and rewritten. Prescriptions have been tried, tested, modified, and enhanced over thousands of years. No other medicine in the world has been scrutinized and revised through the ages in this way and for the length of time as is the case of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.
From the bamboo etching found in ancient tombs, to the very current scientific tests conducted on Chinese herbs and their constituents. All this in an attempt to understand their function.
Herbal interactions with modern medicine is constantly being updated and recorded. This ensures the safe practice of Herbal Medicine in conjunction with Biomedical drugs in the Western modern clinic setting..
Chinese Herbal Medicine has certainly withstood the test of time.