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June 25, 2007
Filed Under (Fitness & Health, Videos) by Angela Chih
As you learned in Part I: Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Cure for What Ails You, Chinese herbs are very rarely taken as single herbs. As Dr. Maryam Mahanian explains in this video, they are taken as combinations of many different herbs. Sometimes you’ll have up to twenty or so herbs in one prescription to treat a single ailment. To give you an idea, we take a look at the common cold. In Western medicine, there’s actually no treatment for it, even though it’s the most common illness in the world. Western medicine relies on antibiotics, which don’t treat the virus and can actually weaken the immune system even further. It may surprise you to find that there are dozens of Chinese herbs with antiviral properties. This segment introduces some of them. The second concoction Dr. Mahanian introduces is recommended for people with eczema and psoriasis. Those who suffer from such a condition know very well that finding a cure for this problem is very rare. If this is you, then you may be happy to find out that you don’t have to resort to taking cortisone (a steroid hormone) creams to relieve the symptoms. Click on the image above to learn more and read on for further details!
Dr. Maryam Mahanian Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Clinic of Vancouver Dr. Cam Tran Sunny Day Herbal Store How to Take the Prescriptions: Many Chinese herbs are quite potent on their own so do not eat them! Take a regular sized pot (any pot will do as long as it’s not aluminum or cast iron), cover the herbs in water, bring them to a boil and simmer for about half an hour. Oftentimes this will produce a very dark brown brew, which you will strain and consume as a tea. The taste will take some getting used to, even for Asian people who regularly take these medicines, but it’s just a cup or a bowl so pinch your nose and gulp it down. You may be wondering why you would bother to go through all the trouble of making this tea when you can take it in a pill form (which is also available). Well, there are actually several advantages to taking a decoction. If your situation is quite acute (for example, if it just happened or it’s quite severe), an herbal tea is medicinally stronger and is better absorbed in the body. Women who deal with PMS know how important it is to have something stronger! The following formula would be prescribed in such a case: Chai Hu This combination increases energy and blood circulation, and helps to balance the hormone levels. It doesn’t directly work on the endocrine system to add to the hormones in your body but rather helps your body to produce the hormones on its own. Angelica Root is the most important herb for menstruation in Chinese medicine. It’s very good for regulating the period and helping with pain. Chinese Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong) is very good for increasing blood circulation in the pelvic region. The cost varies greatly. It really depends on the herbs which are prescribed, as some are more expensive than others. This particular formula for example, which is very good for hay fever and allergies (a very common complaint right now), is about seven dollars for a dosage: Cang Er Zi This formula is very good for sneezing, nasal congestion, headaches and itchy red eyes due to allergies. An allergy is linked to a weakened immune system so we have an Astragalus Root (Bai Zhi) which benefits it. We’ve also got a funny looking herb called Xhin Yi Hua which really helps to open up the nasal passages and works quite fast. Many people are rather surprised by its effects. Once the prescription is consumed, you’ll generally have to return to your doctor for a follow-up, after which you’ll either be prescribed another week’s worth of dosages or your problem will be resolved. One dosage equals one day of herbs. You may be prescribed three days worth of herbs or several weeks worth of herbs depending on your individual situation, and what the Chinese doctor thinks is best for you. It’s very important to have these prescriptions done by a qualified Chinese medicine doctor. It is strongly advised not to self-prescribe. Even though it is “natural medicine,†it doesn’t mean that there are no side effects or contraindications. Don’t exceed the started dose for the herbs; start with a small dose and work your way up. Many herbal stores will have Chinese doctors available to diagnose you. Most of them don’t quite have a handle on the English language but if you know where to look, you’ll have no problems. Dr. Cam Tran, who is featured in this segment, had no trouble communicating with us. Dr. Mahanian regularly consults with him and she doesn’t speak Chinese. The benefit of going to shops such as the Sunny Day Herbal Store is the convenience. You can get a diagnosis and the prescription on the spot, and take the herbs home to begin treatment right away. Another option is to go see someone like Dr. Mahanian. You’ll find many Chinese medical doctors in their own practices write prescriptions and the patients will either get their herbs at their particular clinics in maybe a different form (perhaps a pill form or a concentrated powdered extract) or they will be sent to the herbal store, where the prescription is given to the staff and it’s prepared right away. A little patience will be required when you opt for Chinese traditional medicine over Western medicine, as it does take longer to cure an ailment with the former. However, as stated, it cures, not temporarily relieves the systems of, the ailment. Chinese medicine treats the root cause of any problem and finds a permanent solution. It may cost more than going to the pharmacy for a bottle of painkillers, but you may find the long-term effects worth the expense. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a try! Leave a Reply |
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