office (902)
444-3111
Chinese Herbal Remedy:
"Gift of Heaven and Earth "
Chinese
herbal medicine is easily the the most highly evolved medical system
in the world. Its immense scale of experience spans countless
trillions of administrations over thousands of years.
Over 10,000
natural substances are catalogued in Chinese herbal pharmacopia.
These substances, refered to as "herbs", consists of thousands of
plant species from all over the world as well as both mineral and
animal materials. Chinese herbs are most often taken in formulae
(combinations of herbs) rather than singly. By combining herbs,
synergies have been discovered that vastly increase the medicinal
effects. Blending herbs in this way also allows the herbologist to
neutralize unwanted side-effects. These blends (formulas) consist of
principal herbs, assisting herbs, directional herbs, and herbs that
reduce the side effects, or aid the digestion of a particular herb.
Herbs can be ingested as boiled teas called decoctions (tang),
milled powders (san), pills (pian), tablets (wan),
granulated or tinctured extracts, or draughts (steeped like tea).
Topically, herbs are used in poultices, plasters, soaks, ointments,
washes, and fumigants (burning herbs).
DECOCTIONS
The potent odors and flavors of Chinese herbs are legendary. Boiling
the herbs and drinking the tea will provide the fullest
experience of these medicines. Commonly, Chinese herbs are boiled
for 20 - 40 minutes, the dregs are strained out and the "tea" is
taken warm or at room temperature. Boiling times are averaged
according to the composition of the formula. Flower and leaf will
yield medicine in 10-20 minutes. Roots take 20 to 40 minutes; Shells
and minerals must cook for at least one hour. A few herbs, like mint
or tangerine peel, must be quick-boiled 3-5 minutes lest they loose
their valuable volitile oils. These are added seperately to the
boiling mixture just before completion.
HERBAL PILLS
The Chinese invented the pill. Chinese doctors were prescribing
pills in the twelfth century,
much as we do today. Ancient formulas
were often prepared as pills made from milled herbs bound with
water, honey, ginger juice, or other substances.
Theraputic dosages of powders or pills range between 3 - 10 grams
daily. That's usually three to thirty pills, two or three times a
day. That may seem like a lot of pills to take. But it's really only
a few grams of herb powder. Our body perceives, and responds to
herbal medicine as it does to food, not as it does to a
hyper-concentrated chemical. Herbs are like vegetables, very
powerful vegetables.
The "I Stop Pain" Acupuncture Center is owned by Registered Acupuncturists Tom Tian and Wei Yuan. Since we opened our center in 2007, we have served more than 3000 patients. We have treated different kind of ailments: chronic pain like neck and shoulder pain, headache and migraine, tennis elbow, arthritis, back pain, frozen shoulders, heel pain; emotion problems like depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia; other health issue like menopause, infertility, quite smoking, weight loss, low energy and so on. We very much enjoy meeting and treating clients here in Halifax.