Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas

Information on an Alternative Method

Ancient Chinese herbal formulas are as effective now as they were when first introduced more than 3,000 years ago. The Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia is one of the most extensive in the world. Average practitioners know about 300 individual herbs that can be combined into thousands of prescriptions. Most formulas consist of two to eighteen different types of herbs and treat a wide variety of symptoms while stimulating the body's natural healing process.

The beauty and efficacy of Chinese herbal formulas is that the physician can look at patients as a whole, monitor them closely and subtly adjust their formulas when needed during a follow-up visit.

Chinese herbal preparations are safe and effective when provided by adequately trained practitioners. Side effects or discomfort are rare and there is no risk of using herbs contaminated with chemicals or drugs. The safety of herbs and understanding of side effects rely on two factors: thousands of years of documented clinical experience and modern research. Each herb has a definite safety range with standard dosage based on a patient's weight, age, constitution and digestive condition.

As a result of this, Chinese herbs are very safe and most of them have little recognized side effects. In other words, formulas have already been used and tested millions of times before being handed to the patient.

In one way, Chinese herbal therapy does not differ from medical therapies: healing may take time and call for patience. Quick solutions address only superficial symptoms. Progress is generally faster for acute conditions, but chronic conditions take more time. People suffering from years of chronic diseases should bear this in mind.