Q: Are all the “herbs” vegetable in origin?
A: Although called Chinese herbal medicine, TCM practitioners use ingredients from all three kingdoms, vegetable, animal and mineral. However, the majority of these are from vegetable sources. Leaves, flowers, twigs, stems, roots, tubers, rhizomes, and barks are some of the vegetable parts used.

Q: Do all the herbs come from China?
A: From 15-20% of the standard Chinese repertoire of 500 ingredients originated from outside China. The Chinese have adopted and incorporated into their material medical herbs from all over the world. What makes these “Chinese” herbs is that they are prescribed according to Chinese medical theory and a TCM pattern diagnosis.

Q: Do Chinese herbs work for Western patients?
A: Yes, empirical evidence has proven that Chinese herbal medicine works for Westerners just as well as for Chinese. Chinese herbal medicine has been used successfully in North and South America,

Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and all throughout Asia.

Q: How are Chinese herbs taken?
A: The most common method of taking Chinese herbal medicine is as a decoction. This means that the herbs are cooked are cooked at a low boil for an hour or more and then strained and drunk 2-3 times per day. However, there are also herbal pills, tincture, and powdered extracts for those who do not have the time or taste for drinking traditional decoctions.

Q: What are the benefits of Chinese herbal pills?
A: Pills are good for prolonged administration in the case of chronic disease where formulas do not have to be very potent or changed on a frequent basis. Pills are also commonly used to consolidate therapeutic results after a successful course of therapy with decoctions.