How to use Chinese herbs correctly?

Chinese phytotherapy (treatment with herbs or, more accurately, medicinal plants) is probably the most sophisticated natural healing system in the world. The use of herbal recipes is based on a deeply systematic doctrine of the causes of diseases and a subsequent diagnostic system. And imagine that the ancient Chinese possessed such perfect knowledge more than 3,000 years ago.

Unlike Western herbalism, Chinese herbs are in most cases used in mixtures (combinations of several herbs), which we call formulas. Formulas typically contain around 5-15 herbs. And not just herbs. Chinese medicine uses various other ingredients for treatment - parts of plants and trees, minerals and ores, various animal products such as shellfish or cicadas, etc. Individual ingredients are collectively referred to as Yao. The term Yao can be translated as "medicinal substances".

An important group in Chinese phytotherapy is medicinal mushrooms. In many respects, they hold an exceptional position among herbs. For instance, they are more often used individually.

There are ready-made traditional formulas that are used for specific health problems. There are thousands of these, and they have been used for thousands of years. However, if you visit a traditional Chinese medicine therapist who performs a diagnosis of your condition, they will likely modify the traditional recipe, precisely according to the causes of your problems – they will create a "tailor-made" herbal mixture for you.

1, In what forms can Chinese herbal recipes be used?

There are several forms. I will focus on the most well-known and most used ones.

a, Decoction form

This form uses dried medicinal substances that are mixed according to a specific recipe, known as Tang. Tang is translated as soup. Tang decoctions are usually very concentrated and have a distinct taste.

The daily dose is usually between 100-150 g of dried medicinal substances. The mixture of medicinal substances is soaked in about half a litre of cold water and boiled over a low flame for about half an hour. Then the decoction is strained and sipped.

The remaining herbs can be used again the next day to prepare a so-called "second brew".

Some therapists use a third boil, a so-called "third brew", however, herbs boiled for the third time are no longer very strong.

b, Tincture form

A formula composed of individual medicinal substances is macerated for a month in approximately 40% alcohol. Then it is strained and ready for use. Usually, tinctures from Chinese medicinal substances are not further diluted, as is common in Western herbalism.

Tinctures are dosed according to weight. A person should take as many drops per day as they weigh in kilograms.

If you weigh 60 kg, then the daily dose is 60 drops, and it is recommended to divide this into two doses: 30 drops in the morning and 30 drops in the evening. You can find more about tinctures on Google by searching for "Chinese herbal tinctures".

Tinctures are slightly weaker than Tang decoctions. Which does not have to be a bad thing (as we know from medicinal mushrooms, more does not always mean more in Chinese medicine). Macerating in alcohol gives the tinctures a relatively strong dynamic, and one of the advantages is that their effect begins already in the oral cavity.

c, Tablet form (Pian)

The third form is Pian tablets, which are produced by compressing herbal extracts. Usually, this involves a 5:1 concentration. This means they are 5 times weaker than the Tang decoction form. The advantage is their ease of use. Usually, 4 tablets are taken 3 times a day, but it always depends on the specific manufacturer.

d, Pill form (Wan)

This is a form where a decoction is first prepared from the medicinal substances, which is then concentrated by boiling and drying. The resulting powder is mixed with honey and small pills are moulded. Usually, 8 pills are taken 3 times a day, and again, it depends on the specific manufacturer.

e, Syrup form

Some manufacturers also use herbal formulas mixed into fruit juice. The resulting recipe is mainly suitable for children because the sweet taste at least partially masks the strong taste of Chinese herbs.

In the first phase of production, the dried herbs and mushrooms of the given recipe are boiled in water under high pressure (this is a traditional method of production). Only in this way does a complete integration of the active substances of the individual ingredients occur. The theory of Chinese phytotherapy says that boiling creates new active components. This also applies to the aforementioned decoctions.

In the second phase, the extraction process begins, which increases the concentration of active substances. Therefore, it is not necessary to take high doses of the syrup to achieve the desired effect.

The resulting extract is finally mixed with glucose syrup at lower temperatures.

Syrups are dosed according to age:

3-7 years: 1-2x 5 ml per day

from 7 years: 2-4x 5 ml per day

Further recommendations for using Chinese herbs

• Chinese herbal formulas should be taken on an empty stomach; I usually recommend a minimum interval of half an hour before a meal or an hour after a meal,
• the "empty stomach" recommendation also applies to other medicines or food supplements,
• Chinese herbal recipes are usually not combined (unlike, for example, medicinal mushrooms); usually, one recipe is used at a time. If it is necessary to use two recipes, then I recommend one in the morning and the other in the evening,
• the effects of the recipes are relatively targeted; one recipe addresses one specific problem or a group of similar problems. If you were to use multiple recipes at the same time, especially if their effects are contradictory, the organism will be in chaos; in the best case, nothing will happen, in the worst case, you could even harm yourself.

2, Duration of use

I am very often asked how long herbal mixtures should be taken for the desired effect on health to manifest? This is very individual and depends on many circumstances. It depends on the patient's age, the severity of the problems, the type and strength of the illness, the vitality of the person in question, etc.

Generally, I say: "Persist for 2-3 months". By then, some effect must be visible. At least an improvement in the condition. Sometimes people observe improvement within days. Sometimes, however, it takes longer.

As for the duration of treatment, medicinal mushrooms can be used long-term. Even for years. However, the person must constantly see some effect, some improvement in their condition.

Regarding preventive use, medicinal mushrooms are better for this, as they can increase a person's ability to adapt and their resilience. If a child is about to start kindergarten and you know they will be sick immediately, that is a case where it is good to use mushrooms in advance. Or for people who have gone through oncological treatment, it is suitable for them to do a medicinal mushroom cure 1-2 times a year to support their vitality and resilience.

3, The quality of Chinese medicinal substances is important

Buy Chinese herbs from verified suppliers who have their products regularly tested. It is undesirable for the herbs that are supposed to heal you to introduce various impurities such as heavy metals, pesticides, or moulds into your body.

4, Side effects and contraindications

When using herbal recipes, I observe practically no negative side effects. However, the recipe must be correctly indicated, ideally based on a deeper examination and determination of the cause of the problem.

Allergic reactions are also rare. In my many years of practice, I have encountered an allergic reaction to mushrooms about once.

Herbs can be used concurrently with other medicines. However, a person should know exactly what they are doing because significant interactions between individual preparations can occur here. A person could even worsen their condition. Therefore, it is better to consult an expert or a doctor first.

5, Are Chinese or Czech herbs better?

I occasionally encounter the opinion that since we live in the Czech Republic, we should use local herbs. I definitely agree with this opinion. But...

The problem is that herbs grown in China have slightly different effects than Czech ones. This is due to the climate, geography, and perhaps even genetics. And these specific effects are accounted for in the given formulas. If one herb functioned differently, it would affect the effect of the entire recipe. And that is something neither the therapist nor the patient would appreciate.

There is one more aspect. I occasionally encounter the opinion of whether it is possible to treat Europeans with Chinese herbs. After all, they are different from the Chinese. That is true, however, by using recipes, we influence certain mechanisms, certain principles, certain processes that are in the human body. It is clear that a black person will have different imbalances (diseases) than an Eskimo. But traditional Chinese recipes address the mechanisms that trigger the given problem. That is, I will probably use different recipes more often for Eskimos who are exposed to constant cold, and others for black people living in the tropical zone, where it is always humid and hot.

If you are interested in Chinese phytotherapy and want to learn more about it, then in addition to my Wiki Herbarium, you can also watch some of the webinars that I regularly organise. You can also find a lot of information in the Articles or Videos section.

How to use Chinese herbs correctly?

Chinese phytotherapy (treatment with herbs or, better, medicinal plants) is probably the most sophisticated natural healing system in the world. The use of herbal recipes follows a deeply systematic doctrine regarding the causes of diseases and the subsequent diagnostic system. And imagine that the ancient Chinese possessed such perfect knowledge more than 3,000 years ago.

Unlike Western herbalism, Chinese herbs are used in most cases in mixtures (combinations of several herbs), which we call formulas. Formulas typically contain around 5-15 herbs. And not just herbs. Chinese medicine uses various other ingredients for treatment - parts of plants and trees, minerals and ores, various animal products such as shells or cicadas, etc. Individual ingredients are referred to by the collective name Yao (pronounced yao). The term Yao can be translated as "medicinal plants".

An important group in Chinese phytotherapy is medicinal mushrooms. In many respects, they hold an exceptional position among herbs. For instance, they are more often used individually.

There are already ready-made traditional formulas used for specific health problems. There are thousands of these, and they have been used for thousands of years. However, if you visit a traditional Chinese medicine therapist who performs a diagnosis of your condition, they will likely modify the traditional recipe, precisely according to the causes of your problems – they will create a "tailor-made" herbal mixture for you.

1, In what forms can Chinese herbal recipes be used?

There are several forms. I will focus on the most well-known and most used ones.

a, Decoction form

This form uses dried medicinal plants that are mixed according to a specific recipe, known as Tang. Tang is translated as soup. Tang decoctions are usually very concentrated and have a distinct taste.

The daily dose is usually between 100-150 g of dried medicinal plants. The mixture of medicinal plants is soaked in about half a litre of cold water and boiled on a low flame for about half an hour. Then the decoction is strained and sipped.

The remaining herbs can be used again the next day to prepare a so-called "second brew".

Some therapists use a third boil, a so-called "third brew", although herbs boiled for the third time are no longer very strong.

b, Tincture form

A formula composed of individual medicinal plants is macerated for a month in approximately 40% alcohol. Then it is strained and ready for use. Usually, tinctures from Chinese medicinal plants are not further diluted, as is common in Western herbalism.

Tinctures are dosed according to weight. A person should take as many drops per day as they weigh in kilograms.

If you weigh 60 kg, then the daily dose is 60 drops, and it is recommended to divide this into two doses: 30 drops in the morning and 30 drops in the evening. You can find more about tinctures on Google by searching for "Chinese herbal tinctures".

Tinctures are slightly weaker than Tang decoctions. Which does not have to be a bad thing (as we know from medicinal mushrooms, more does not always mean more in Chinese medicine). Maceration in alcohol gives the tinctures a relatively strong dynamic, and one of the advantages is that their effect begins already in the oral cavity.

c, Tablet form Pian

The third form is tablet Pian, which are produced by compressing herbal extracts. Usually, this involves a 5:1 concentration. This means they are 5 times weaker than the Tang decoction form. The advantage is their ease of use. Usually, 4 tablets are taken 3 times a day, but it always depends on the specific manufacturer.

d, Pill form Wan

This is a form where a decoction is first prepared from the medicinal plants, which is then concentrated by boiling and drying. The resulting powder is mixed with honey and small pills are modelled. Usually, 8 pills are taken 3 times a day, and again, it depends on the specific manufacturer.

e, Syrup form

Some manufacturers also use medicinal plant formulas mixed into fruit juice. The resulting recipe is suitable mainly for children because the sweet taste at least partially masks the distinct taste of Chinese herbs.

In the first phase of production, the dried herbs and mushrooms of the given recipe are boiled in water under high pressure (this is a traditional production method). Only in this way does a complete integration of the active substances of the individual ingredients occur. The theory of Chinese phytotherapy states that new active components are created by boiling. This also applies to the aforementioned decoctions.

In the second phase, the extraction process begins, which increases the concentration of active substances. Therefore, it is not necessary to take high doses of syrup to achieve the desired effect.

The final extract is eventually mixed with glucose syrup at lower temperatures.

Syrups are dosed according to age:

3-7 years: 1-2x 5 ml per day

from 7 years: 2-4x 5 ml per day

Other recommendations for using Chinese herbs

• formulas from Chinese medicinal plants should be taken on an empty stomach; I usually recommend a minimum interval of half an hour before a meal or an hour after a meal,
• the "empty stomach" recommendation also applies to other medicines or food supplements,
• recipes from Chinese medicinal plants are usually not combined (unlike, for example, medicinal mushrooms); usually, one recipe is used at one time. If it is necessary to take two recipes, then I recommend one in the morning and the other in the evening,
• the effects of the recipes are relatively targeted; one recipe solves one specific problem or a group of similar problems. If you were to use multiple recipes at one time, especially if their effects are contradictory, the organism will be in chaos; in the best case, nothing will happen, in the worst case, you could even harm yourself.

2, Duration of use

I am very often asked how long herbal mixtures should be taken for the desired effect on health to manifest? This is very individual and depends on many circumstances. It depends on the patient's age, the severity of the problems, the type and strength of the illness, the vitality of the person in question, etc.

I generally say: "Persist for 2-3 months". By then, some effect must be visible. At least an improvement in the condition. Sometimes people observe improvement within days. Sometimes, however, it takes time.

As for the duration of treatment, medicinal mushrooms can be used long-term. Even for years. However, the person must constantly see some effect, some improvement in the condition.

As for preventive use, medicinal mushrooms are better for that, as they can increase a person's ability to adapt and their resilience. If a child is about to start nursery and you know they will be ill immediately, that is a case where it is good to take mushrooms in advance. Or for people who have gone through oncological disease, it is suitable for them to do a cure with medicinal mushrooms 1-2 times a year. To support their vitality and resilience.

3, The quality of Chinese medicinal plants is important

Buy Chinese herbs from verified suppliers who have their products regularly tested. It is undesirable for the herbs that are supposed to heal you to introduce various impurities such as heavy metals, pesticides, or moulds into your body.

4, Side effects and contraindications

When using herbal recipes, I observe practically no negative side effects. However, the recipe must be correctly indicated, ideally based on a deeper examination and determination of the cause of the problem.

Allergic reactions are also rare. In my many years of practice, I have encountered an allergic reaction to mushrooms about once.

Herbs can be used concurrently with other medicines. However, a person should know exactly what they are doing, because a significant interaction between individual preparations can occur here. A person can even worsen their condition. Therefore, it is better to consult an expert or a doctor first.

5, Are Chinese or Czech herbs better?

I occasionally encounter the opinion that since we live in the Czech Republic, we should use local herbs. I clearly agree with this opinion. But...

The problem is that herbs grown in China have slightly different effects than Czech ones. This is due to the climate, geography, and perhaps even genetics. And these specific effects are counted on in the given formulas. If one herb worked differently, it would affect the effect of the entire recipe. And that is something neither the therapist nor the patient would appreciate.

There is one more aspect. I occasionally encounter the opinion of whether it is possible to treat Europeans with Chinese herbs. After all, they are different from the Chinese. That is true, however, by using the recipes, we influence certain mechanisms, certain principles, certain processes that are in the human body. It is clear that a black person will have different imbalances (diseases) than an Eskimo. But Chinese traditional recipes solve the mechanisms that cause the given problem. That is, I will probably use different recipes more often for Eskimos who are exposed to constant cold, and others for black people living in the tropical zone, where it is always humid and hot.

If you are interested in Chinese phytotherapy and want to learn more about it, then in addition to my Wiki Herbarium, you can also watch some of the webinars that I regularly organise. You can also find a lot of information in the Articles or Videos section.