Health Concerns operates the Herbal Helpline for practitioners. The helpline is intended as an adjunct to the Health Concerns Clinical Handbook and the book, Chinese Herbs in the Western Clinic. This article presents some of the frequently asked questions by practitioners.
In treating a patient, sometimes I’m not sure how to get started. What’s a good strategy?
When you don’t have a clue, it’s best to begin with the basics. If the patient has a digestive problem, then start with that system, and assess the syndrome pattern in order to institute the treatment protocol. When the individual is under stress, the basic stress protocol can be used: Ease Plus combined with Calm Spirit, when normal stools or constipation is present, or Ease 2 combined with Calm Spirit, for loose stools. For both combinations, the dosage is two of each formula TID or QID. For lack of energy, Adrenosen or Power Mushrooms can be used, although the latter formula should be used cautiously when heat signs or yin deficiency Heat is present.
Why does Health Concerns modify traditional formulas?
We modify traditional formulas so that they are applicable to Western health concerns. Contemporary Western patients are often affected by simultaneous imbalances. Thus, by modifying original formulas, common combinations of syndrome patterns can be addressed just by administering one or two rather than several formulas. Of Health Concerns products, about one third are unmodified, another third are slightly modified, and the remaining are variations of one or more traditional herbal formulas.
Can herbal formulas be combined?
I usually recommend patients take two formulas at the same time since most of the cases that I encounter are rather complex. Since administering three or more herbal formulas can be confusing, I have discovered that it is easier for American patients to take two to three capsules of two different formulas say, four times per day, rather than four capsules or more of a single formula for four times per day. This is perhaps because a higher dosage of a single formula is a psychological barrier in that there are “too many pills to take.” On the other hand, patients who lead extremely healthy lives by having an exemplary diet, exercising daily, and engaging in stress reduction programs will respond quicker to smaller dosages. When combining formulas, it is important to avoid duplicating your effort. For example, I received a call from a practitioner who wanted to give the formulas Enhance, Clear Heat, Marrow Plus, and Source Qi to a patient who suffered chronic fatigue and diarrhea. Instead of administering so many formulas at once, I recommended that the patient use Colostroplex and Source Qi until the diarrhea was resolved, and then substitute Enhance for Source Qi. In this case, the most serious symptoms– fatigue and diarrhea– should be addressed first, rather than the root of the problem– heat due to viral infection. To have administered Enhance and Source Qi simultaneously would have duplicated the therapeutic strategy of these two formulas since they are both primarily Qi tonifiers. In this instance, Source Qi was recommended to be taken first because of its diarrhea-resolving property. With Clear Heat and Colostroplex, since they are both anti-viral remedies, taking both at the same time would have been redundant. In this case, I suggested that Colostroplex be administered because it is an antidiarrheal. However, if the patient would have had high levels of viral activity and more pronounced heat signs, I would have recommended that Clear Heat be taken with Colostroplex. Finally, in this case Marrow Plus was not indicated at the outset even though the patient had low red and white blood cell counts, because the symptoms of diarrhea and fatigue were being resolved first. Once the latter symptoms were cleared, then Marrow Plus could have been administered.
My patient picked up a remedy in Chinatown. This remedy is no longer available. Does Health Concerns have anything comparable?
Many of the products sold in pill form in Chinatown are not legally imported. As required by U.S. law, such products must state the name of the U.S. importer, and cannot make medical claims on the label. It should also be noted that some of the imported products contain toxic levels of certain ingredients such as lead, mercury, or cadmium. Health Concerns formulas have all undergone testing, including for pesticides and other impurities and meet or exceed U.S. “good manufacturing” processing standards for dietary supplements.
What herbs can I give my insomnia patients?
To treat the symptom, patients can be started on Schisandra Dreams at two to three capsules one hour before bedtime with hot water. Severe cases may require either another dose of Schisandra Dreams just at bedtime or upon awakening during the night. To treat the root of the problem, Shen-Gem can be administered for spleen and blood deficiency, with symptoms of fatigue, poor appetite, anemia, dry skin, palpitations, poor memory or concentration. For heart yin deficiency manifested by restlessness, dryness of the mouth, and overall stress, Calm Spirit can be considered. In terms of treating insomnia, Shen-Gem is for patients who have difficulty falling asleep, although they sleep soundly thereafter, while Calm Spirit is for persons who have trouble falling asleep and also wake up frequently during the night. Also, for individuals presenting liver fire symptoms, Coptis Purge Fire can be considered. The three preceding formulas usually take three weeks or longer to render results. This is why Schisandra Dreams should be started immediately in order to resolve the acute symptoms.
What do you recommend for patients who are unable to swallow capsules?
The simplest solution is to cut the capsules in two or four parts with a sharp butcher’s knife in order to reduce the tablet’s size. Capsules can also be emptied into hot water added to make a tea. It is preferable to take herbs in tablet rather than in tincture or extract form, as one is obtaining the maximum dosage of herb material with tablet.
What can I do for patients who are constitutionally sensitive?
In my experience, individuals who are constitutionally sensitive often react strongly to herbs. I once treated a woman who consistently reacted strongly to herbs at the normal dosage (nine capsules daily). However, when the dosage was decreased to two capsules per day, she had excellent results. Another case involved a patient who took only one tablet daily of Astra 8 and reported that he hadn’t felt so energetic in years (the recommended dosage is nine capsules daily). For patients who have many food and/or environmental sensitivities, including to herbs, it is best to start them at half to one tablet daily of the formula(s). If there are no untoward reactions, then the dosage can be increased slowly. In many cases, the best way to begin is to administer Quiet Digestion and Six Gentlemen in order to aid their digestive function.
What about side effects from herbs?
Unless the patient is unusually sensitive, side effects from herbs rarely occur. Sometimes, though, there are persons who are allergic to one or more of the ingredients in a particular formula, in which case another formula must be substituted that does not contain the offending element(s). Also, mis-prescribing can cause the patient to either not respond or to react negatively to an herbal formula. This situation calls for a rethinking of the syndrome differentiation in order to confirm whether the formula is in fact the correct (or incorrect) one. Another phenomenon is what appears to be a skin rash, which results after taking Heat clearing herbs. This is actually a positive reaction in that the pathogenic Heat is being vented through the skin.
Can Colostroplex be administered to persons who are dairy intolerant?
Colostroplex is a special blend of bovine colostrum collected during the first six hours of milk production following the cow’s giving birth. It is not contraindicated for those who are dairy intolerant. However, this product should not be taken by a patient who is already constipated, since it does treat diarrhea. (If constipation does result from taking Colostroplex, then the dosage should be reduced.) Some of my clients who have general food intolerance have had encouraging results after using this product in low dosages over three to six month periods. Since its introduction, Colostroplex has been used successfully to treat many digestive conditions. In addition, we have found it to have antibacterial, anti-viral, and possibly antifungal capabilities. I’ve begun recommending Colostroplex as part of a Lyme disease treatment protocol.
My husband and I will be traveling overseas. What herbs should we take with us?
Parasites are rampant throughout the world, particularly in tropical regions and developing countries. Many travelers come down with gastrointestinal problems either due to parasitic infection or from the change caused to their systems by the local bacteria. I recommend taking a combination of Artestatin (one tablet TID) and Aloe 22 (one tablet TID). Increase the dosage of Aloe 22 for constipation, and decrease the dosage for diarrhea. Artestatin is especially effective in treating conditions caused by amoebas, such as giardiasis; the formula is also effective for diarrhea in general. Note that Artestatin is a rather strong formula and as such, the starting dosage should be one tablet TID, less for HIV and highly sensitive individuals, then gradually increased to six to nine capsules per day. Actually, in treating parasites, it is more effective to administer the formula(s) in small dosages over a longer period, rather than in large dosages over a short period to avoid Herxheimer’s reaction. For those who will be traveling to malaria endemic areas, Artestatin is a good remedy to take along as some of its ingredients have anti-malarial actions. However, I do recommend that conventional anti-malarial medications be taken along as well. Additionally, practitioners may want to advise patients who are immuno-compromised to carefully weigh the pros and cons of a trip to the tropics, as these persons are magnets for strange bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Other formulas that are helpful for long trips include Quiet Digestion which can be taken on an as needed basis, and when combined with Astra C is useful for extended plane rides, since passengers are subjected to pathogenic invasion due to the cabin air being recycled. In addition, for those who are affected by water retention during airplane travel, Water’s Way can be taken before, during, and after the flight.