Taking Chinese Herb Mixtures

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Using Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicines for Good Health

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Trust is a crucial part of establishing a working relationship with a primary care physician, and this is why some people are turning to Chinese herb mixtures. Trust in the medical establishment has plummeted in recent years — the reasons why are complex and myriad. Many U.S. patients don’t trust the effectiveness of prescription medications and fear the side effects. The surge in opioid abuse and the addiction epidemic can also explain consumer’s distrust of conventional treatment methods for many ailments and health issues. This lack of trust in the medical establishment may also explain why the supplement industry, specifically CBD supplements, are becoming more popular.

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China has dominated the market for traditional herbal medicines and supplements for many years. These remedies have been in use for centuries, and traditional herbal medicines have been used to treat a range of health issues, both chronic and acute. Often, traditional Chinese medicine is referred to as simply TCM. TCM uses a variety of practices such as making natural herbal teas and tinctures, acupuncture treatments, diet changes, and cupping to either prevent or treat a disorder. Chinese herb mixtures are still used alongside modern medical facilities in China, but in the U.S., TCM is considered an alternative medical practice.

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What are the origins of Chinese herbal medicine?

Because Chinese herb mixtures date back thousands of years, the origins of the practice have mostly been lost to history. The practice of using natural herbs and plants to fix health problems and alleviate symptoms is considered a part of prehistory before the written word was invented. Written language and the ability to record recipes and medical treatments did not start in China until the Shang Dynasty in 1766 B.C. At that point in history, the first-ever medical writings refer to practices that originate from two thousand years earlier. So at its core, TCM’s origins are legendary.

An integral part of TCM is acupuncture treatment. According to legend, acupuncture points were first discovered and manipulated during the Stone Age, and stone knives and sharp stone tools were some of the first devices that were used for acupuncture treatments. Also, TCM doctors used the tools to lance and drain boils and perform minor, primitive surgical procedures too. Years later, these stone tools were changed to bone and bamboo tools.

The acupuncture and acupressure points were accidentally discovered, and theories abounded about their meanings during wars and battles. Ancient soldiers hit with arrows noticed that pain would radiate to other, seemingly random parts of the body. When people became ill with infections, patients and ancient physicians alike saw that different parts of the body would become painful or tender and discolored when someone had an infection. Ancient Chinese monks also noticed that energy would move and radiate from regions of the body during rituals and meditations. As time and medical knowledge progressed, these acupuncture and acupressure points and channels were discovered, mapped, and manipulated for medicinal purposes.

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It was also during this period that TCM doctors began to create and record the power of different herbs and natural ingredients, and how they could restore harmony to the body. At the root of TCM is the belief in universal balances and the balance between both the Yin and the Yang.

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In traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Yin is passive energy, and Yang is active energy. These universal energies impact all parts of the human body and the universe. TCM believes that a person will be healthy if both Yin and Yang are balanced, and if they are not, health problems will ensue. Herbs and other natural items and byproducts are used to restore equilibrium to a person’s Yin and Yang energies, along with other TCM practices like cupping and acupuncture.

When someone visits a Chinese herbal medicine shop, they will find hundreds of different herbs and natural items sorted and stored in small drawers and cabinets, glass jars, and cases. These pharmacies sell a variety of dried plants and animal products, like leaves and flowers, deer antlers, and insects. The first written collection of the different herbs and natural items used in Chinese herbal medicine dates back to the late 1500s. This book listed over 11,000 formal prescriptions for the various health issues that plagued the Chinese people at the time.

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What were different Chinese herbs used to treat?

Doctors and healers have been using traditional herbal formulas to treat a range of chronic and acute issues for thousands of years. In Western medicine, ingredients are usually used to treat one isolated problem or symptom. Chinese herbal medicines, in contrast, are a combination of herbs that are supposed to work together to address an imbalance causing a health condition.

Each herb in traditional medicine will be used to target a symptom, but the entire recipe is carefully crafted to address the whole disorder. For each ingredient that’s put into a traditional Chinese herbal remedy, every part of that ingredient must be identified for its specific healing properties. TCM also views food in the same way. Each meal ingredient will have different energy that can permeate an organ system and help specific organs heal.

Some of the most common issues that Chinese herb mictures are used for is to treat the following:

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  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Back pain
  • Arthritis
  • Allergies
  • Anxiety
  • Skin conditions
  • Infertility
  • Insomnia
  • Obesity
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Menopause
  • High blood pressure
  • Parkinson’s

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Chinese herb mixtures also differ from Western medicine in that Western medical treatments are based on the person’s diagnosis. Instead, TCM bases treatment on the person’s underlying Yin and Yang imbalance. For example, a person with anxiety might have an imbalance in an organ system that can be targeted with a specific herbal formula. Any alleviation of anxiety symptoms is attributed to fixing the underlying imbalance.

In modern Western medicine, many treatments can attribute their origins to TCM. People with asthma can be treated with the herb ephedrine, which was first isolated from the Chinese herb mahuang hundreds of years ago. Scientists today are continuously finding new compounds in TCM that can be used to develop new drugs and treatments. In TCM, a moss called Huperzia Serrata is an ingredient in different herbal formulas. Modern-day findings on this moss have identified compounds in it that can be used to make anticholinesterase drugs for treating Alzheimer’s symptoms.

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How effective is TCM?

Research into the effectiveness of TCM and Chinese herbal medicine is ongoing. But preliminary findings have shown promising results. Current research is being conducted on the efficacy of TCM and herbal medication for treating conditions such as fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, respiratory issues, and heart disease. Surveys have found that one in five U.S. adults use TCM, and claim that the treatment works.

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Are there adverse effects of using Chinese herbal remedies and TCM?

Reports on adverse reactions to TCM and Chinese herbal formulas are rare, but adverse reactions can and do happen. Most of the issues people have had with these remedies stem from herbal formulas being contaminated with foreign animal material, heavy metals, other drugs, and sulfite compounds. Also, some people may have severe allergic reactions to some herbs. Acupuncture adverse effects are also rare, and typically occur when needles are not properly sanitized.

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Are there risks of long-term use?

Using a Chinese herbal medicine that comes from a questionable source can cause a toxic, cumulative effect in some people. Taking medicines that are full of heavy metals or other chemical contaminants can build up in a person’s body and cause allergic reactions and other issues.

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What other herbs or supplements can treat these issues?

 TCM treatment methods claim to treat a wide variety of ailments and issues, some chronic and others acute. Many other supplements are popular for treating similar issues that TCM is commonly used to treat. For example, capsaicin topicals and supplements are used to treat muscle aches and pains.

 TCM and acupuncture is also used to alleviate depression symptoms. While the most popular conventional medicines used to treat these issues are popular, many consumers do not enjoy the side effects that often happen with antidepressant medications. Some of the most popular herbal supplements used to treat depression are St. John’s Wort, ginseng, and omega-3 fatty acids. Typical medications used to treat depression can also take several weeks to start working, and users may prefer supplementing with an herb or health food for relief during this time.

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CBD is also becoming a very popular addition to many consumers’ health food and supplements arsenal. Research into CBD’s effectiveness for treating a variety of ailments is ongoing and the results are inconclusive at this time. But, consumers can enjoy a wide range of CBD products to use that can be an enjoyable addition to their routines, such as enjoying CBD-infused bath bombs, teas, and candy.

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While Chinese herbal medicine can be a promising alternative treatment for a range of issues, it might not be easy for many patients to obtain high-quality herbal medicines and TCM care from an experienced practitioner. However, getting high-quality, CBD products from a reputable company has never been easier or more affordable. Hugs is committed to bringing transparency and quality to the CBD industry. All products from Hugs are independently tested, and grown from organic hemp on reputable and experienced Colorado farms. Shop online at Hugs today and have CBD delivered straight to your door.

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Last updated September 18 2019

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