by David Edge, O.M.D. |
“Foolish the doctor who despises the knowledge acquired by the ancients.” Hippocrates, circa 490 BC
Ah, the experience of a traditional Chinese herb market, jar upon jar of strange looking plant and animal substances. Boxes filled with roots and branches, all coated in a layer of dust and dirt. You experience every conceivable smell, from the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle to the stomach turning scent of dried insects. You proceed to hand your herbal prescription to the 150-year-old looking wise man or woman. They then gather up the mysterious ingredients, wrap them in paper and you are on your way. Go home, boil up the decoction (literally soup), strain the liquid, and prepare yourself for tastes that you did not know existed. Is this traditional Chinese herbal medicine? Well, the answer is both yes and no.
Over the past few thousand years this is how traditional Chinese herbal medicine was administered. There were variations to this of course, but for the most part, this was the method of choice. Most of what is known today about the effects of particular combinations of medicinals in Chinese medicine, known as herbal formulas, is based on using this method of preparation.
All medicinal substances come from the earth and all have the potential for healing if used properly, as well as being harmful if used improperly. One aspect of Chinese herbal medicine that sets it apart from other systems of herbal medicine is a very long history of observing and diligently recording the effects of those herbal formulas on many generations of patients. This results in a very safe form of medicine with few if any negative side effects.
Another differentiating aspect is the method of combining single medicinals into herbal formulas. This has several advantages. The most important one being the addition of medicinals to address a patient’s underlying imbalance, which could actually be the cause of their symptoms. Secondly, it allows the herbalist to address several different symptoms simultaneously. Finally, certain medicinals might counteract the negative effects of another or could possibly enhance their positive effects.
Though decoctions are still used in today’s modern Oriental Medicine clinics, depending on both practitioner and/or patient preference, they are no longer the norm. This is due in large part to modern technology. Today’s herbal manufacturing plants are high tech, state of the art facilities. Patients now have the option of choosing tablets, capsules, powders, alcohol tinctures, or glycerin based tinctures (great for kids). All the major herb companies have their medicinals tested for heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and follow the Good Manufacturing Products (GMP) guidelines. A growing number of them are even certified organic.
Patients can rest assured knowing that the Chinese herbs they receive from their acupuncturist or herbalist are free from contaminants, and have been prepared as close as possible to the traditional methods used for over a millennia by the Chinese.
References:
- Bensky, Dan and Barolet, Randall. Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas and Strategies. Eastland Press Inc, Washington 1990.
- Bensky, Dan and Gamble, Andrew. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica. Eastland Press Inc., Washington 1986.
- www.gfcherbs.com
For more info, contact David Edge, O.M.D. at (775) 783-4930 or (775) 781-3465.
