TCM, like most traditional medicine uses natural, primarily part plant-based substances, combined to treat acute and chronic conditions, including viral and bacterial infectious diseases.

Herbal prescriptions are carefully formulated to address the symptoms and root cause of a condition or disease, while minimizing possible side effects of strong acting ingredients.

There are many classical formulas available, some of which have been used for over two thousand years. A trained herbalist knows which formula to prescribe and often modifies it to be most effective in each individual patient.

What is the advantage of a formula versus a single herbal remedy?

We often hear individual plant based remedies being recommended for certain symptoms, such Black Cohosh for hot flashes in perimenopausal women or Gingko Biloba for enhanced memory.

With some exceptions single herb remedies are less effective than combined herbs. They may work for some individuals and not for others, even though the efficacy of the plant derivative may have been “scientifically proven”.

Why is that?

Most imbalances, diseases and conditions are complex in nature involving various organ systems and physiological levels of function. They are best addressed with a combination of herbs, which can treat the complexity of the symptoms and root causes.

In TCM there are few herbs that are prescribed by themselves and they have been historically shown to be effective and, with proper dosage, non-toxic. These are very powerful herbs, such as Ginseng.

Depending on the chemical properties of a plant, a single herb can increase the occurrence of side effects and be less effective alone. In an herbal formula the chemistry, the property and the function of the ingredient are optimally balanced.

It is crafted to decrease possible side effects and increase the formula’s potency, thus yielding the best possible outcome.