Why Customized Herbal Medicine is Different
Over a decade ago, I had an unpredictable menstrual cycle, unstable moods, and paralyzing existential dread. I yearned for a way out and found no help in conventional medicine. I started studying herbalism and experimenting with self-prescribing plant medicines.
This approach quickly proved futile. I accumulated several jars of plant material in alcohol tincture and dozens of symptom-targeting serums and potions. Months later, I had the same problems, lots of “herbs”, and far less money.
I began seeing a Chinese herbal medicine practitioner. It wasn’t until she prescribed a customized formula with eight plants chosen specifically for me that all of my symptoms began to shift. I no longer take this formula and my ailments have not returned.
Being a person interested in natural medicine on the internet leaves one inundated with advertisements for products promising smooth skin, easy sleep, and longevity. Words like “synergy” “extract” and “isolate” flood the sidebars of web browsers.
On the one hand, I am grateful that culture has acknowledged the value of plant medicine. And yet, the guiding pillar of this approach remains a limited Western reductionist perspective that capitalizes on our well-intentioned desire to heal naturally.
Companies relate to plants as isolated substances made up of constituent chemical parts that “cure anxiety” and “boost digestive enzymes.” They drive us to buy well-designed packages of powders, tinctures and balms of “super-foods” and “super-herbs” that help for a little bit, not at all, or only if taken every single day forever and ever.
Over the last few decades, this has created a mountain of misinformation, and given every legitimate lineage of herbalism a shoddy reputation (“it is ineffective”, “bogus”, “woo”, etc). The truth is, you probably don’t need reishi mushroom powder or a bottle of schizandra syrup. You need a better approach for herbal prescription.
Classical Chinese herbal medicine is fundamentally different from other herbal approaches. It is not DIY supplementation from the health-food store, and it is not a boutique blend to “optimize” your morning beverage.
Classical Chinese herbal medicine is a comprehensive system of medicine whose efficacy is rooted in diagnostic rigor and nuanced, adaptable treatment strategies. Treatments are individually customized to address a patient’s unique constitution and root cause of disease, rather than target isolated neurochemical chains, anatomical parts, and physiological functions.
When practiced thoughtfully and integrated with simple lifestyle shifts, clinical herbal medicine restores your organs’ ability to function optimally on their own. This is categorically different from taking an over-the-counter supplement targeted to conditions like “insomnia”, “anxiety”, or “menstrual cramps” that creates new symptoms or stops working the day you stop taking it.
Our functional medicine approach works by reminding your body that it already knows how to sleep well, menstruate well, and digest well, not by surrendering to a lifetime of 27 supplement capsules morning and evening, but by slowly and systematically supporting your body as a whole functional organism. Learn more about our herbal medicine offerings here.
Ultimately, I believe all of us are looking for vitality and ease of being. After a decade of exploration and thousands of clinical hours engaged in this work, I have come to know Chinese herbalism as the most comprehensive system of plant medicine available, and the most effective way to arrive at the deep health we intuit is possible.