Success with Herbs

July 8, 2011  |  Leave a Comment

Welcome to my world of composing herb formulas!

Out of 250 herb bottles stacked around me in my workroom, I try to choose the best 3 or 4 herbs to treat each patient.  Grouped in formulas, herbs have synergistic (greater than the sum of its parts) effect.  Each patient has a combination of symptoms caused by hot/cold, yin/yang, deficient/excess imbalances in the 12 organ systems.

For example: “Sabrina” has hotflashes, mood swings and headaches.

From looking at her tongue and taking her pulse, I can discern that her Liver system is very dehydrated (yin deficient) and stagnant (excess).

I choose 2 herbs to build blood and Liver/Kidney yin that are slightly cool or neutral. She takes 4-8 grams/day.

I give her acupuncture to release the stagnant energy flow in her Liver system.

One week later:  

  • The hotflashes have decreased to 3 times only at night.
  • She reports having “more even moods”.
  • The headaches remain unaffected.

She continues to take the herbs at 6 grams /day.

I give acupuncture to Gallbladder 20 (at base of the skull) and GB41(the exit point for stuck energy to be released from the Liver and Gallbladder channels).

She experiences immediate buzzing and energy moving in the whole Gallbladder channel.

Another week later:

  • No headaches!
  • Even moods.
  • “Much better sleep” hotflashes not waking her.

So we have discovered what works to treat Sabrina’s present complaints using a combination of acupuncture and herbs.

Blood and yin(fluids) deficiency is extremely common in women by the age of 30.  Stuck energy causing pain or mood swings is also extremely common.

Sabrina may need to continue to take the herbs to maintain freedom from her symptoms.

Category: Case Studies, Herbs