Digest Number 1714

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/5/2006 4:56:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

Chinese Traditional Medicine writes:

 

Was the percentage or portions of each herb given? I believe that was

the original question, not which herbs, but how much of each.

The formula is a secret. The label requires the herbs be listed but not

their proportion or weight.

 

In general, it is not wise to use patent formulas. Consult a Chinese doctor

and get a diagnosis. Each formula is individualized for the patient. A

good herbalist can construct a formula from the ingredients and may add new

herbs, omit some of the herbs or change their proportion depending on the

diagnosis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Many Chinese people treat themselves with patent herbs and only turn

to practitioners when they need to do so. Cost of TCM care in the

West is a big motivator for most, especially in the USA where many

herbal/acupuncture practitioners charge close to Western doctor prices

with no insurance available for either the cost of seeing the

practitioner or paying for the cost of the herbs and/or acupuncture,

which are also often priced close to prescription drugs prices (one

practioner in my area often tripled or more patent herbs bought in a

nearby city's oriental section and then took pains to conceal what the

formula was so that patients, who were often hard pressed to make ends

meet, could not buy them on their own at greatly reduced prices).

Many TCM practioners are poorly trained in herbal usage in acupuncture

schools and do not know that much about raw herbs and writing formulas.

 

If this situation (as exists in the USA) had existed in China there

never would have been a TCM tradition. Most Chinese have some

knowledge of using herbs as food. It is a part of their general

knowledge and culture. Many early Chinese were peasants with limited

means, which did not extend to paying a TCM doctor for every problem

which arose within the family. Hence the advent of patent herbs in

China for self care. TCM practitioners, if available in peasant

villages at all, were often not well trained (TCM even in the early

days being the rich man's arena) and were often called only if needed

for dire emergencies. Not everyone can afford extended TCM care in

the West nor can all TCM practitioners write a good TCM prescription.

There are a few practitioners who charge according to scale just as

there are a few practitioners who take the time (or have the

knowledge) to put together their own raw herb presciptions, but they

are often few and far between in many Western locations.

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , martyeisen wrote:

>

> In a message dated 8/5/2006 4:56:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> Chinese Traditional Medicine writes:

>

 

>

> In general, it is not wise to use patent formulas. Consult a

Chinese doctor

> and get a diagnosis. Each formula is individualized for the

patient. A

> good herbalist can construct a formula from the ingredients and may

add new

> herbs, omit some of the herbs or change their proportion depending

on the

> diagnosis.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " baidanwu34 " <bonmotSarah

wrote:

>

> Many Chinese people treat themselves with patent herbs and only turn

> to practitioners when they need to do so. Cost of TCM care in the

> West is a big motivator for most, especially in the USA where many

> herbal/acupuncture practitioners charge close to Western doctor prices

> with no insurance available for either the cost of seeing the

> practitioner or paying for the cost of the herbs and/or acupuncture,

> which are also often priced close to prescription drugs prices (one

> practioner in my area often tripled or more patent herbs bought in a

> nearby city's oriental section and then took pains to conceal what the

> formula was so that patients, who were often hard pressed to make ends

> meet, could not buy them on their own at greatly reduced prices).

> Many TCM practioners are poorly trained in herbal usage in acupuncture

> schools and do not know that much about raw herbs and writing

formulas.

 

One of my local health food stores carries a few of the most commonly

used patent formulas in the Plum Flower Brand. And of course, they're

readily available on the internet in a wide range of pricing. If you

know which formulas you need, it's good to have them easily available.

 

sue