For as long as human beings have walked the Earth, herbal medicines have been in use. Many of the pharmaceutical drugs used today are based upon the chemical structures of compounds found in nature. In a Traditional Chinese Medical pharmacy hundreds of different plant, mineral, and animal products are used to bring about health. The chemical compositions, flavors, temperatures, indications, contraindications, dosage requirements, and the regions of the body affected are unique to each herb. All of these factors, along with possible food and drug interactions, are carefully considered for each individual.

TCM recognizes that each person, and likewise each illness, in unique. In this way herbs are combined and formulated according to the patient's present condition. During the course of herbal treatment the makeup of the formula will change as symptoms begin resolve. At the beginning of treatment the combination of herbs can be quite complex and complicated. As the body reestblishes balance, its need to rely on outside intervention decreases. As a result the formula becomes increasingly more simple. Most commonly medicinal herbs are ingested as a tea, decoction, or pill. Herbal therapies may also include the topical application of soaks, plasters, poultices, ointments, linaments, and incorporating food grade herbs into meals.

It is a common misconception that herbs are harmless. Although gentle in comparison to pharmaceutical drugs, herbs can be very powerful and dangerous if used inappropriately. Knowledge of proper combination, correct dosing, and possible interactions is essential when working with herbal medicines. To a trained herbalist, the realm of possible treatments with herbal medicine is very vast indeed.

Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine works from the inside out, regulating and balancing the functions of the body in a safe, gentle, and effective way. Unlike pharmaceutical medicines which are formulated for the public, Chinese herbal formulae are customized to specifically and safely address the individual.