WHAT ARE CHINESE HERBS AND WHAT IS HERBAL THERAPY?
Herbology is a key modality utilized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It has been developed over centuries, and practitioners require substantial experience and knowledge. A practitioner will create a decocted brew from the ingredients of plants, animals and minerals. The remedy is designed to target a specific illness and also interact with and enhance a patient’s yin and yang state, and is therefore highly personalized. Additional ingredients may be added as a catalyst, or to cancel out toxicity or side-effects of the main ingredients. Critical to the success of the remedy is the balance and interaction of all the ingredients within the systems of the individual. Some well-known herbs used in Chinese herbology are ginseng, cinnamon, ginger, licorice and salvia.
