There is a lot to learn about traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, if you want to start using it to supplement your healthcare. One of the more basic things that must be understood is the role of natural herbs. The Chinese people have always drawn on the natural environment to heal and strengthen the human body, so it makes sense that a lot of herbs from the region have been used for centuries.
Comfort in History
The fact that herbs have been used in TCM for thousands of years should give some comfort. Many others have used these herbs and many TCM doctors have used them to create treatments for thousands of different medical conditions.
This shows that herbal remedies can be quite effective against many medical conditions. They can also be effective against general concerns such as boosting energy or overcoming depression.
Just keep in mind that natural herbs are the foundation of some of the strongest prescription drugs used in modern medicine. This doesn't mean all of the herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine will be that powerful. Some may be, while others are quite harmless even in larger doses.
It is very important to stick to package directions or doctor's orders when using TCM herbal treatments.
Benefit of Herbs
According to the Alternative Medicine Foundation, different herbs are used in different ways in TCM:
* Dispel or moving
* Astringe or restrain
* Purge or expel
* Tonify or strengthen
Herbs are categorized according to their ability to do one or more of these things for different organs or regions of the body. The taste of the herb is also used to determine what the herb may do inside the body and thus which medical treatments it is best used for.
For example, the Alternative Medicine Foundation says Dandelion and goldenseal are used for upper respiratory treatments because they are bitter in taste and therefore good for drying out inside the body.
This is quite different from the way medicines are developed, tested and then put on the market in the modern world. Some may feel going on taste is insufficient to determine the value of an herb, but these herbs have been working for generations based on this type of assessment alone.
Using TCM Herbs
Most people in the Western world supplement their modern medical treatment by taking pill forms of Chinese herbs. This isn't the way it has traditionally been done in China. Doctors there using traditional Chinese medicine will use complex medical theories and examination of the patient to create unique herbal treatments.
For the most part, herbs are dried and turned into a power which can then be turned into a tea. This way, the exact treatment that a patient needs can quickly be ingested for faster effects.
The problem with the tea is it can take be very bitter. Most people trying to supplement or enhance their regular medical treatment won't tolerate that taste. This is why the pill forms of TCM treatments are now on the market.
Herbs are natural and most present no danger to the human body, but it is very important to stick to recommended dosages. This is true of American herbs and herbs growing everywhere else in the world as well.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 