Chinese Healing Superior Herbs  

In every natural food and herb, there are disease-fighting properties known as phytochemicals and glyconutrients that even up to now, modern food science has not fully understood. That is why in Chinese medicine, only the real foods and herbs are used. And it is very seldom that a single herb is used on its own. Usually, combinations of herbs are used to increase potency, to complement each other and to enhance the healing properties of main herbs used.

In Chinese pharmacopoeia, there are more than 2,000 medicinal herbs listed, but only about 300 are used in general practice and less than one hundred are commonly prescribed. Many of the common herbs are classified as food herbs used in everyday cooking.

They are the superior or tonic herbs, which have extremely high nutritional value and can be used on a long-term basis. They can improve overall health and resistance, increase vital energy, promote longevity, anti-aging and anti-cancerous. They are adaptogenic in nature, which help the body to adapt to the environment and stimulate self-healing functions. They can suppress unfavorable conditions and elevate those that are acking. This is known as the double-direction effects on the body. Superior herbs can be further classified into:

* Energy tonics - to fortify qi and to increase energy.

* Blood tonics - to promote the production and circulation of blood to every part of the body for proper functioning.

* Yin tonics - to benefit the five vital organs and the production of vital fluids.

* Yang tonics - to strengthen bones, muscles, the mind and sexual functions.

* Shen tonics - to regulate the spirit and increase alertness and concentration.

There are inferior herbs which are drugs used for fighting specific symptoms of diseases. They are harsh in nature and can be poisonous. They can only be used when certain symptoms are present and have to be stopped once sypmtoms are under control. Prolong use may cause harmful side effects.

The rest are general herbs which are for non-specific disease and are used for general prevention purposes. They are slightly harsh in nature and are not for regular use.

The herbs described in our website are food herbs for making therapeutic dishes. Although most of them are safe for regular use, they have to match one's constitution and specific health condition first. That's is why Chinese herbal medicine cannot be pre-mixed and has to be changed throughout the treatment process.