Herb strength (Magnesium Deficiency Causes?)

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " zenisis7 " <findme@z...> wrote:

 

> My question is this . . . one reason that I never have really gotten

> into herbal remedies in the past is that there is really no way to

> tell how much you are getting and therefore you don't know if you are

> getting enough to have a therapeutic benefit. My ob/gyn grudgingly

> admitted that herbal therapies can be helpful, but she was quick to

> point this out.

 

TCM Materia Medicas and Formula books give the recommended dosage for

each herb. There are going to be some variations between potency of

batches of herbs based on the weather while the herb was growing,

where the herb is grown and under what conditions, when the herb was

harvested, etc. But I wouldn't worry about these variations unless the

herb is of very poor quality. BTW, some herbal texts give guidelines

on how to recognize good quality of particular herbs.

 

Part of the training of TCM herbalists is they have to sample herbs

and note their effects.

 

When an herb isn't having the desired effect or enough of a desired

effect, one does NOT increase the dosage. Instead, one adds another

herb from the same class. Say for example that a person is Qi

Deficient and on a formula for Qi Deficiency that is not doing

enough. One adds another Qi tonic herb to the formula. (One also

reevaluates the diagnosis.)

>

> As I said once before, I was surprised to find that practicioners

> offer herbs in a pill form. Of course, I am willing to drink yucky

> teas, but not everyone is.

 

There are several ways to administer herbs. Sometimes the way doesn't

matter, but sometimes it does. For example, when a person suffers

from Interior Cold and Yang Deficiency, teas are better than pills for

that, and the teas should be taken hot instead of at room temperature

(never cold for any formula because of the extra work that puts on the

Stomach).

 

Cayanne helps me, but it helps me best when taken with food - like

homemade chili. For other people the capsules work fine.

 

Sometimes herbal extracts are used. Alcohol is the most common

extraction medium. These extracts are particularly good for liver and

Liver problems. (Note the contraindication and cautions in alcohol

extracts for alcoholics.)

 

Formulas are made into syrups for children.

 

Sometimes the formula is taken as a powder - like one takes a Goody or

BC or Standback powder in the US.

 

The modern Chinese sometimes inject formulas, particularly into

acupoints.

 

When taken as a tea, unless there is a particularly nasty-tasting herb

in the formula, one gets used to the taste of the tea, and may even

find the taste comforting after a while because it comes to be

associated with feeling a lot better.

 

For the beginning TCM students on the list: When you see the

word " wan " in a Chinese formula name, that means " pill " . " Tang "

is " decotion " (or " tea " ). " San " is " powder " . (Note: There should be

a - over the a in tang, and a small v-like mark over the a in san.

These are tonal marks. Chinese is a tonal language. The tone used will

change the meaning of a word.

 

Some additional info on how an herb is grown affecting its potency:

The Chinese pay top dollar for American ginseng grown in forests.

American ginseng can be grown under artificial shade, but that grown

in forests is more potent and considered better qualtiy. (China

doesn't have enough forests to grow all the shade-needing plants the

Chinese use. They do grow various plants under artificial shade, but

they prefer the shade-requiring plants grown in forests.

 

The time of day a plant is harvested also will affect the potency of

many herbs. The ideal time varies according to the herb.

 

Different parts of the same plant do NOT necessarily have the same

properties. For example Herba (herb of - in this case the part of the

plant above ground) Ephedra and Radix (root of) Ephedra have opposite

properties.

 

The way some herbs are processed (or not processed) will affect some

herb's properties. For example, raw ginger has warm thermal energy and

is used to treat Cold in the Exterior. Dried ginger has hot hermal

energy, and is used to Warm the Interior. (Note: There are

contraindications and cautions for pregnant women taking ginger. As

far as I know, dried ginger is safe for cats. (Most herbs aren't.))

[Guest guest]

This is my first post so I hope you don't mind a question. I have some

capsules from Sun Ten labelled Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and I'm curious why

that is? Why is it not labelled Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan since it's swallowed

like a pill?

 

Nancy S+13

 

victoria_dragon wrote:

 

> For the beginning TCM students on the list: When you see the

> word " wan " in a Chinese formula name, that means " pill " . " Tang "

> is " decotion " (or " tea " ). " San " is " powder " . (Note: There should be

> a - over the a in tang, and a small v-like mark over the a in san.

> These are tonal marks. Chinese is a tonal language. The tone used will

> change the meaning of a word.