Traditional Chinese medicine is appreciated all over the world for its ability to help resolve or mitigate health conditions. However, most people think of things like acupuncture and massage as being the limit of Chinese medicine. The truth is, medication plays a role too, but it's not the typical kind you'd buy off the shelf or get from a doctor. Traditional Chinese medicine uses herbs to treat conditions and help boost your overall well-being. Here's what you should know about herbal medicine and how it works.
Balancing You
If you've ever had acupuncture or seen a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, chances are you know a thing or two about chi, or qi. This is the type of energy that traditional Chinese medicine believes flows through the body. How much chi you have the quality of that chi determines whether or not you get sick, have bodily pain, or even struggle with mental health issues, according to practitioners.
Acupuncture helps to balance the energy that you already have, but in order to acquire more of a certain type of energy, what you eat comes into play.
What You Eat Matters
While traditional Chinese medicine practitioners may recommend specific diets for you, they're most likely to recommend herbal medication. These formulas are designed specifically for your condition, with specific herbs that are intended to give you more of the energy you need. For example, patients who have too much 'cold' energy, otherwise known as a Yang deficiency, may be given supplements containing warming herbs like ginseng. These medications are harmless and can usually be taken with any other prescription medication without any interference.
What to Expect
If you're interested in trying herbs to boost your overall health, you should know that there are multiple ways to take them. Herbal supplements in pill form are one popular choice, as they're easy to swallow and tasteless. However, solid herbs are often also sold and intended to be brewed like tea, and then the herbal tea is drunk. In either case, the effects of the herbs will help to give your body a boost in any area that it needs help in, ranging from things as simple as difficulty sleeping to serious, chronic health conditions.
Herbal medicine has been appreciated all over the world for hundreds and thousands of years because of its ability to gently provide a boost to a person's well-being. If you're interested in herbs, talk to a specialist who works with them and can assess your condition so you can ensure you're getting what you need.