Chinese Herbal Medicine: What Is It?

To us in the Western hemisphere, Chinese Medicine appears to be shrouded in mystery. This is especially the case with Chinese herbal medicine. On hearing the term “Chinese medicine” our minds conjure up images of unusual and exotic herbs. Although these images may appear exciting, they are however not representative of the reality.

In the majority of instances, the herbs used in Chinese Medicine comprise of: grasses; roots; leaves; twigs; bark; stems; flowers; fruits and seeds. There is nothing odd or strange about them except that they have been sourced from another country.

In truth, many of the herbs used in Chinese Medicine are also found in the West. Such herbs which are frequently prescribed include: peppermint; dandelion; honeysuckle; goji berries; liquorice root; ginger; talcum; tangerine peel; chrysanthemum; cinnamon; rhubarb; shallots; and almond kernel.

Dr Kirk Wilson (PhD) is mindful that he is prescribing to patients who are unfamiliar with Chinese herbs. To help them feel more at ease, he has a display wall which features a sample of each of the herbs he prescribes in raw form. So if you are unsure about drinking herbal medicine, you will get the chance to see what you will be taking. This will put your mind at rest.

If you have any objections to ingesting animal based products, please inform Dr Wilson. Few of the herbs prescribed at Meridian Healing Centre are animal based, and for those that are, suitable substitutes can be offered.

If you have any questions or if you are interested in Chinese herbal medicine, please contact Dr Wilson on 9231 3377