Herbal Medicine FAQs
Our earth has given us a safe and proven alternative to pharmaceutical drugs
History
Chinese herbal medicine is one of the richest and most wonderfully documented practices of medicine in the world. The first texts were recorded over 2000 years ago and are still applicable today. Throughout China’s history the greatest minds would contribute many clinical volumes on all areas of medicine and treatment with various herbal and mineral substances. A short list being cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology, and women’s health have all been at the forefront of treatment. A study by the American Journal of Geriatrics Society has wonderfully displayed the longevity of these herbal masters in a time when there was no hand washing or septic systems. Today herbal medicine is widely practiced throughout East Asia with many in China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea using it as their primary care. Chinese herbal medicine also has a very important role in the founding of western America. Early Chinese immigrants to the west coast brought with them herbal medicine that was the top treatment for treating epidemics, women’s health, and venereal diseases. Notable figures still have museums to their efforts like Ah Fong in Boise, Idaho and Doc Hay in John Day, Oregon. We may not realize it, but herbal medicine is still a part of everyday medicine and we use it all the time! Digoxin a common pharmaceutical is isolated from the Rehmannia plant that has been used in China for centuries in treating heart problems. The Nobel Prize in Medicine was even awarded in 2015 to a Chinese researcher Youyou Tu for discovering our most useful drug to combat malaria from a strain of artemesia plant that has been used in Chinese Herbal Medicine for over 1500 years!
What Kind of Herbs Do You Use?
Chinese herbs are various parts of plants including the roots, bark, stems, leaves, and fruits. They are grown, collected, and cooked to create an extract. This extract is adhered to a starch to create a powder that we use in our clinic. This cuts out the mess of preparing herbs yourself or drinking bitter teas.
Where Do Your Herbs Come From?
All our herbs are grown in China, Japan, and Taiwan. They are processed by trusted herbal companies that we carefully selected for their rigorous testing and safety standards. Only those that pass the highest international safety standards are carried in our clinic.
How Do I Take Them?
Our extracts come in powder form. You mix them in a small amount of water and take them 2-3 times a day.
Do I Have to Take Them Forever?
What we love so much about Chinese Herbal Medicine is that unlike so many supplements and medications, you do NOT have to take them forever. In fact, most herbs are prescribed to be only taken for a few weeks or months, with only a special selection being appropriate for long term tonification after other pathologies have been cleared. Patients also love this because it saves them a great deal in trialing useless supplements or paying for costly medications indefinitely.
Should I Keep Taking My Supplements and Medications?
Please inform us of all the medications and supplements you are currently taking. You may keep taking your supplements if you choose and are asked to stay on all medications until you decide with your physician to come off of them. Jason is not a PCP in the State of Michigan and cannot discontinue or manage your medications for you. As your condition improves with herbs we will ask you to return to your PCP and see if you need to continue on the medications.