NATURAL HEALTH CORNER
Joshua Singer, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncturist
Welcome back to our monthly natural health column. Last month I had talked about acupuncture, one of the branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Another branch that is being more commonly used in our country is herbalism.
Often herbs in the West are taken by themselves to manage certain symptoms or illness, for example using Echinacea for immune support. In Chinese Medicine, herbs are almost always used in formulas, combinations of up to twenty different herbs. Because these herbs have been used for thousands of years, we have seen how they interact in combination to affect the body.
Pharmaceuticals are often created from isolating an active ingredient in the plant and concentrating it to have a strong and quick acting effect on the body. By using that active ingredient within its whole plant form, we reduce the potential side effects when interacting with our bodies. We further reduce the risk of side effects and improve the effectiveness when we combine them with specific other herbs.
One commonly known and used Chinese herb is cinnamon. We think of it as a spice to flavor in baking, but it is mentioned as far back as 2700 B.C. in one of the earliest books about Chinese herbal medicine. Cinnamon, both the twig and bark, is one of the most important herbs to improve circulation. Hence it’s commonly used as a main herb in formulas treating menstrual disorders, masses, abdominal cramping, chest pain, and arthritis. Aside from invigorating blood, cinnamon is warming to the body and used to prevent and treat the common cold and upper respiratory congestion.