Curious about the benefits of herbal therapy? Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about what herbs are and how they can help you.
What is herbal therapy?
Herbal therapy involves the use of individual herbs, or more often, herbal formulas as a treatment for symptoms or as preventative medicine. Herbal therapy has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to help patients with a wide variety of issues.
In most cases, patients are given a customized herbal formula to take, which consists of a mixture of a number of herbs designed by the practitioner to complement each other and suit the unique health needs of each patient.
What forms can I take herbs in?
Traditionally, herbs have been taken in the form of herbal decoctions. These “teas” are very potent, but are often time consuming to prepare and sometimes very strong tasting. Today, most people take herbs in the form of herbal powders, which consist of traditional herbs refined into an extract powder. These powders are mixed with hot water to prepare a tea-like drink that is taken a few times a day, usually before or after meals depending on the formula.
How can herbal therapy benefit me?
Herbal therapy is one of the cornerstones of traditional Chinese medicine and can often greatly benefit patients who have been having trouble seeing results with other therapies. Herbal therapies allow you to help retain the positive results from other modalities like acupuncture and cupping by providing ongoing support to your body between appointments.
Patients can often use herbal therapies as alternatives to prescription medications, allowing them to help improve their health without taking pharmaceutical drugs.
Who can take herbal remedies?
Herbal remedies are generally suitable for people of all ages with the necessary adjustments made. They can usually be used alongside prescription medication; however, it is important to always tell your practitioner about any other medications or supplements you are taking to ensure there are no negative interactions. Herbal therapy can be used during pregnancy, but again, it is important to let your herbalist know that you are pregnant so your formula can be appropriately adjusted to best support the changes in your body.
How can I try herbal therapy?
The best way to experience the benefits of herbal therapy is to consult with a experienced herbalist. Our licensed acupuncturists are also skilled herbalists, so if you are currently having acupuncture treatments, you can talk to your acupuncturist about herbs at your next visit. For new patients, we also offer herbal consultations, which include an examination of your body and symptoms and an order for the custom herbal formula our herbalists will prepare.
To learn more about herbal medicine, reserve an appointment space with one of our licensed acupuncturists and herbalists. Here at Healing with Zen, we have lots of experience helping patients use herbal therapy to improve their health. Our practitioners are experts at customizing herbal formulas to treat your specific case. We have built a relationship with a number of excellent herbal pharmacies and offer custom formulas made with exceptionally high-quality herbs.
