“Herbalism is a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which is an essential part of the health care system in most Asian countries, it relies on natural products and has been playing a very important role in health protection and disease control for thousands of years. TCM therapeutic efficacy, usually attributed to the synergistic property of multiple herbs and constituents, has advocated combinatorial therapeutic strategies called formulae that improve efficacy through hitting multiple targets based on syndromes and patient characteristics, and guided by the TCM theory, formulae are designed to contain a combination of various kinds of crude drugs that, when combined, generally assume that a synergism of all ingredients will bring about the maximum of therapeutic efficacy.”
Most pharmaceutical drugs are synthesized chemicals engineered to target very specific biological processes. Herbal preparations are made with fresh or dried plants and contain hundreds to thousands of interrelated and active compounds known as phytochemicals. Over the last 30 years, science has demonstrated that the safety and effectiveness of herbs are often related to the synergy of the whole plant’s many constituents. Pharmaceutical manufacturers often focus on isolating one active constituent, or active compound, from a plant while herbalists and phytotherapists use the full spectrum of the plant (medicinal part of root flower, leaf, aerial part, etc.) to support healthy function of the body. In recent years, standardized herbs have been introduced to the marketplace and these products often isolate one active constituent, rather than using the whole plant part. Herbal practitioners vary in their opinion and use of standardized versus full spectrum herbs.
One of the challenges with pharmaceuticals is that the drugs can be difficult for the body to process, which in turn causes unwanted, adverse side effects, many of which may be as much of a problem as the original condition.
Herbal medicine takes an integrated or holistic approach to explore all aspects of an individual—physical, spiritual, mental, emotional and lifestyle—and acknowledges the innate healing power of the human body. Herbal, diet, and lifestyle recommendations focus on supporting the specific needs of each individual.
Conventional medicine is a system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals diagnose and treat symptoms and diseases. This system has many names including allopathic medicine, biomedicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and Western medicine. It should not be confused with Traditional Medicine, which refers to healing practices and herbal support that have been used with a high level of safety and efficacy for thousands of years. Conventional medicine employs modern techniques that could not be accomplished by Traditional Medicine, such as surgery to correct a cleft palate. While drugs and surgical techniques do save lives, conventional medicine seems to have lost its “whole person” perspective with a quick diagnosis and immediate intervention with pharmaceuticals that do not address the underlying health conditions and come with adverse effects, that, in some instances, lead to the use of additional pharmaceuticals.
The best medicine incorporates all the knowledge and tools available and starts with allowing the body to gently rebalance itself through dietary changes, stress reduction techniques and herbal therapies, followed by the intervention of pharmaceutical drugs and surgery when necessary.
One of the founding principles of the AHG is to “promote cooperation between herbal practitioners and other health care providers, integrating herbalism into community health care.”
Herbalists are people who dedicate their lives to working with medicinal plants. They may be native healers, scientists, naturopaths, holistic medical doctors, researchers, writers, herbal pharmacists, medicine makers, wild crafters, harvesters, herb farmers or even your grandmother or grandfather. Many have an intimate relationship with plants and their medicinal value. While herbalists approach their craft from various traditions, they share a common respect for all forms of life, especially the relationship between plants and humans. Herbalists apply traditional practices and evidence-based research of plants to support healthy function of the human body. A clinical herbalist is part of your wellness team, working collaboratively with you to support your health and wellness goals. ※
Source: Vital Force Wellness / “The American Herbalist Guild”
