Feeling overwhelmed by all the supplements and advice? You’re not alone. If you’ve tried taking random teas and supplements you might have noticed that if you do see improvement it goes away quickly when you stop taking your herbs. That’s because it’s not actually addressing the underlying cause.
That’s where I can help you. I’m a licensed herbalist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, with a 4 year Masters Degree. In TCM, we generally don’t use just single herbs, but use them in combination as a “team” to address and correct the underlying cause of the imbalance and dis-ease.
How TCM Herbs Work
A quality TCM herbalist will not throw formulas at you hoping for the best. Instead we use all the information we can gather to craft a diagnosis specifically for you and your current stage of illness and recovery, with tested protocols. We do not use Western medical diagnosis: we use a system of complex patterns designed to describe not only the condition concerning you, but also the factors driving the symptoms and condition you are experiencing.
As an example, if you asked me to help you with a sore throat (the simple diagnosis) I would ask some diagnostic questions, look at all of your symptoms and analyze your tongue and use other diagnostic tools to determine what is causing the sore throat (the differential diagnosis). That might be external pathogen like a virus, or bacteria, allergies, acid reflux, overuse of the voice, dry air, etc. I would then prescribe herbs for both discomfort relief and for the cause of the discomfort.
Chinese Medicine has flexible, effective herbal protocols for each stage of illness and recovery and never uses a one- size- fits- all approach. Why? Because this can be dangerous. Using the wrong formula, or using at the wrong stage of illness, not only delays your healing, but can make your condition it far worse, extending the time you are sick and slowing recovery.
There is a reason most TCM formulas are prescription only; because your age, general health, underlying issues, medications and supplements, and even the season and weather, will all impact what I prescribe.
This is the reason that hospitals like Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and UCLA Medical Center use TCM formulas rather than common Western single herbs or formulas. The formulas have been researched meticulously for hundreds of years. Some formulas have been in constant use for over 2000 years.
PREVENTION
Of course, we all know that avoidance is the best and only true prevention. Artificially ramping up your immune system and taking not only won’t prevent a viral attack, it can cause permanent damage.
However you can build up what TCM practitioners call your Wei Qi.
The most effective formulas would, be be customized specifically for you, but I can say that a few supplements are safe for long term use, meaning more than 3 months.
- Agarikon
- Lion’s Mane
- Ginger
- Astragalus
- Probiotics (I recommend BioK or Natren)
- Pho or hot and sour soup
- Avoiding or reducing foods known to cause inflammation, like sugar, processed foods, cow dairy (cultured dairy like yogurt is usually ok)
TREATING CONTAGIOUS CONDITIONS
Obviously, I would never endanger myself or others by treating contagious illnesses in person.
All herbal visits are by phone or video.
The Chinese medicine I offer to you has some very effective options for treating contagious infections (like C-19, flus and colds) and speeding your recovery. But in order to help you effectively, I need talk to you, and analyze your current health condition in order to determine the right herbal formula for you so that your condition doesn’t worsen.
This examination/analysis also helps me determine if you are in the contagious stage of an illness, are in the recovery stage, or if the disease has gone chronic (long term). Each of these stages need different herbal treatment.
As a matter of fact, this examination and analysis is so important that most states have made it illegal for a licensed TCM herbalist such as myself to dispense Chinese medical formulas or give medical advice without it.
TCM herbal formulas have proven so effective in hospitals in other countries that use integrative medicine, that the FDA is currently reviewing 3 formulas for use in our hospitals.
LONG C-19
If you have been infected, it is important to treat it correctly, to seek out help to monitor your condition. If any of your symptoms linger for more than 3 weeks or if you find they are recurring and you are testing negative, you may have Long C-19. The good news is there are many effective treatment protocols.
HERBAL TREATMENT
Since Covid symptoms vary so much from person to person, treatment depends on symptoms.
REMEDIES DURING RECOVERY PHASE
Eastern Food Therapy is really effective to spur recovery after illness. We categorize each food according to its medicinal properties, just as we do herbs.
- Hot cereal with pears, cinnamon and ginger
- Rice soup (congee) with mushrooms, garlic and chili
- Bone broth
- Gentle exercise like qi gong, tai qi or restorative yoga
- Eating seasonally
- Hibiscus tea
Fortunately, Chinese Medicine can help. Book an appointment with me so we can give you the attention you need, get the best diagnosis and differential diagnosis possible, and get you on the way to recovery!
Photo by Christian Palmer @Christianpalmer