Chinese Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine is growing in popularity in the West as more people want effective medicine with minimal side effects.
At Harmony, we aim to eliminate the root of a disease rather than just its symptoms, thus achieving a state that is truly dis-ease free. Chinese medicinals help stimulate the body’s and mind’s natural healing potential and balances the body’s systems for lasting wellness.
Used correctly, herbs are safe for children, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, before and after surgery, for the young and old.
Herbs have been relied upon for the healing of ailments for thousands of years. The focus of herbalism is to support the body’s healing ability. Herbs can nourish us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. When we take herbs their essence enters the acupuncture meridian and adjusts the vital flow of energy in the body. Herbs are strong foods, so by eating them we enrich ourselves with a vast array of nutrients. The energetic classification of herbs is a science which has been refined over the last 3000 years. Today, we see further refinement due to the changing profile of disease.
Herbal Medicine and Modern Pharmacology
There is a growing body of research which indicates that traditional uses of plant remedies and the known pharmacological activity of plant constituents often coincide. However, herbal medicine is distinct from medicine derived from pharmaceutical drugs in the following ways:
- The complexity of plant materials it is far more balanced than medicine based on isolated active ingredients and is far less likely to cause side-effects.
- Herbs are typically prescribed in combinations, and the different components of a formulae balance each other, undergoing a synergy which increases efficacy and enhances safety.
- Herbal medicine seeks primarily to correct internal imbalances rather than to treat symptoms alone, and therapeutic intervention is designed to encourage this self-healing process.
What can Chinese Medicine treat?
Chinese medicine is successfully used for a very wide range of conditions. Among the more commonly treated disorders are:
- Skin disease, including eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, urticaria
- Gastro-intestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, ulcerative colitis
- Gynaecological conditions, including pre-menstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis, infertility, pre and postpartum conditions.
- Hepatitis and HIV: some promising results have been obtained for treatment of Hepatitis C, and supportive treatment may be beneficial in the case of HIV
- Chronic fatigue syndromes, whether with a background of viral infection or in other situations
- Respiratory conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, and chronic coughs, allergic and perennial rhinitis and sinusitis
- Rheumatological conditions (e.g. osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Urinary conditions including chronic cystitis
- Psychological problems (e.g. depression, anxiety)
- Children’s diseases
Many of these conditions, especially in their chronic forms, are difficult for conventional medicine to treat. Chinese Herbal Medicine can help a great deal. The results that can be expected and the length of treatment required depend on the severity of the condition, its duration, and the general health of the patient.
Who can have treatment?
Chinese medicine can be used by people of any age or constitution. The practitioner will take any previous or current illnesses or medication into account before providing treatment. With suitable adjustments for dosage and with some provisos which will be determined by your practitioner, children and pregnant women can safely be treated by Chinese medicine.
What are the herbs like?
Herbs are now available in a number of formats, both traditional and modern. The traditional method is to either prepare a tea by boiling a mixture of dried herbs, or to use pills. Nowadays, the herbs are also commonly prescribed as freeze dried powders or tinctures. At first, the herbs taste unusual and often bitter, but the vast majority of people get used to the taste very quickly.