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Herbal Therapies: East vs. West
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Herbs are in. From St. John’s Wort for depression to Black Cohosh for menopausal symptoms, people from all walks of life are using herbs to facilitate their health.
Herbal therapies have the reputation of being utterly safe, a reputation that isn’t totally deserved. Herbs are biologically active and can therefore have side effects and can interact with conventional medications. However, in general, herbs are gentler than standard medications and tend to have fewer adverse events.
If you are interested in pursuing herbal therapies, you have two basic frameworks from which to choose: Western and Eastern. The Western method of using herbs generally involves picking a single herb for a single symptom. It is a bit like standard medicine, but without the medical doctor’s prescription.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), on the other hand, follows an entirely different framework. In TCM, a conglomeration of herbs are combined into a personalized formula that takes into account your unique constitution, symptoms, and health vulnerabilities. Some formulae may contain as many as 10 herbs or more. Practitioners are trained in TCM diagnosis, which involves a review of your symptoms and health history as well as an evaluation of your pulse and even your tongue. TCM practitioners see the tongue as a window into the internal workings of your body.
Some people are afraid of Traditional Chinese Medicine because they are afraid they’ll be given stinky, unpalatable teas. They may be right – in China many of the herbs are consumed this way. However, to accommodate the finicky American palate many of the Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulae have been made into capsules. Many practitioners will accommodate your request for easy to take herbs if you’ll just ask.
Chinese Herbal Therapies can be particularly effective for people with chronic illnesses. Have you tried them?
Be well,
Dr. C.
www.insightmedicalconsultants.com
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