Herbal Medicine
A brief history,
Herbal medicine is the oldest form of medicine in the world. Plants have existed on Mother Earth long before the appearance of humans. Herbs have been used by our human ancestors and animals to enhance health and especially to treat diseases. Guided by instincts, tastes, smell, and experience, they are led to the right medicinal plants to ingest or use to heal certain ills. Research observations documented that pregnant giraffes and lactating cows will seek out and eat plants with high content of phosphorous and calcium to nourish their young. (1)
Human use of herbs goes as far back as 60,000 years ago as evidenced by archeological findings of burial remnants in the part of Middle East that is now northern Iraq. (2) All cultures of the world have used herbs through the ages to support health, including the West. The development of biomedicine and chemical drugs since 300 years ago has made pharmaceuticals a major force in modern medicine. Nonetheless, natural herbal medicine still is and continues to hold a vitally important place in medicine and healing.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine as an organized and documented system of healing is dated back to 200 B.C. - 100 A.D. and is still widely practiced today. (3) It is a well established, thoroughly developed, and perhaps the most comprehensive system of herbal medicine in the world today. As of the latest update in the herbal pharmacopoeia published in 1977 by the Jiangsu College of New Medicine , the Chinese herbal system comprises of 5,767 sources of herbs. (4) In the United States, the practice of Chinese herbal medicine is limited to about 470 herbs, for practical reasons.
Ginger root is a common Chinese herb.
Its usage:
What are the sources of herbs?
Chinese herbal system comprises of herbs sourced from plants, animals, and minerals, with plant herbs make up the largest portion.
Our clinic uses only plant herbs and some mineral herbs for all of our treatments. Vegetarians and vegans can feel safe taking our herbs.
What parts of the plant are used as herbs?
Herbs can come from any parts of a plant depending on the purpose of healing. They are made from the leaves, stem, root, fruit, rind, or seeds. Many herbs are made from the entire plant.
Although they belong to the same plant, different parts have different functions, properties, and actions when enter the body.
Different forms of herbs:
In the old days, herbs were used in loose form and in dried or fresh state. They require several steps of cooking and brewing, or soaking, and the final product was taken as a tea.
Now with modern technology, herbs can be processed into many different forms. Most herbs now are processed and taken in these forms:
- Pills: most convenient, easy, but least strong in potency
- Concentrated granules: convenient and stronger in potency
- Tinctures: convenient and stronger in potency
- Loose herbs: not convenient as they require cooking like the traditional way, but this form is strongest in potency.
