| What is acupuncture? |
| An overview of acupuncture >> |
| What is considered an herb? |
| As defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary, an herb is “any such plant used as medicine, seasoning, etc., as mint and sage.” However, Traditional Chinese Medicine expands the definition to include animal and its byproduct, mineral, seashells and anything found in nature that can be used medicinally. |
| What is the difference between Chinese Herbs and other herbs? |
| Herbs that are classified as Chinese Herbs have been discovered as medicinal and tested by Chinese herbalists centuries ago. Most of the time, the herbs’ origin is in China. |
| Since herbs are natural, are they completely safe? Can I treat myself with herbs based on what I read about their characteristics and functions? |
| It is a common mistake to believe that everything natural that comes from the earth is safe and beneficial. This certainly is not true. Centuries ago, traditional Chinese herbalists would test the herbs on themselves and have poisoned themselves with herbs in order to document its true nature. Please approach the use of herbs with an open mind and an open heart, but also with respect and caution.Herbs are medicine, and thus they should be used wisely and moderately. Indeed, while the single herbs described in this website are generally safe when used in formulas, the use of the herbs alone is discouraged, with exception to certain herbs such as Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng, Reishi, Cordyceps…Visiting a traditional Oriental Herbalist or Medicine practitioner who will do a thorough assessment of your health and make adjustments in your herbal treatments is encouraged. In the case of serious and chronic diseases, we also strongly recommend you work under the supervision of a traditional herbalist and take advantage of the best that both traditional and conventional medicine have to offer. |
| Why do most of the herbal pills contain combinations of herbs rather than single herbs? |
| It has been long known that herbs work best in a combination with other herbs. Most pills are actually formulas of herbs that have been specially prepared for a certain ailment. Individually, the herbs have separate functions, but when combined with the right herbs, it functions as a whole while working off of each other to combat the illness. Some herbs such as Siberian Ginseng, Reishi Mushroom, etc., are typically used alone because their individual functions meet the needs of the patients. However it is not unusual to see those herbs mixed with other herbs. The formulas, or combination must depend on the illness. For your convenience, the pills/capsules we carry are pre-determined combinations of herbs formulated for the specified illness. |
| How long do I need to take the herbs? Will the herbs help if I take it for only a few days? |
| If there is a recommended amount of time that is suggested with the herbs, then it is best to follow the directions. Usually we advise our patients to take the herbs until they feel better, plus a couple of more days/weeks, depending on the severity of the problem, so the problem doesn’t just come back when you stop taking the herbs.Example: If you are taking herbs for seasonal allergies, we suggest that you take the herbs before your allergies hit and during the allergy season. Once your symptoms subside and you start feeling better, you can begin to take it every other day and cut down depending on how you are improving. It is different for everyone, so please use your own judgment.Example 2: If you are taking herbs for an acute problem, such as a cold, or cough that is a once-in-a-while occurrence, then we suggest you take the herbs until you feel better, plus a few more days to keep the symptoms from coming back.People with chronic problems, or problems that they have had almost their whole lives will need to take the herbs continuously for months, even years. Again, this depends on the individual and their situation. Please consult your herbalist and follow the directions provided.Example 3: If you are taking a daily supplement just for health maintenance reasons, then we suggest you follow the directions on the package and use your judgment. It is really up to you how long you want to take the herbs. Usually, these herbs are safe to take everyday for an indefinite length of time.Note: If you only take the herbs for a day or two, chances are you will see no results. It takes a day or two for the herbs to have an effect after it is being taken and if you stop soon after the effect is so minimal that you will not notice. We suggest giving it at least a week, or using the entire amount suggested on the box before you stop or cut down on the dosage. |
| Can I take this herb with prescription or over-the-counter medicine? |
| If you are concerned with mixing medication, we recommend that you consult with an herbalist, pharmacist or your doctor. Keep in mind that herbs are natural and most are not harmful to you. The best thing to do is to take your medication and herbs at separate times: one hour before or after each other. |
| Can I take this herb with other herbal supplement? |
| Most of the time, you can. Since most herbs are used in combination with other herbs, they will not counteract each other. However, there are a few herbs that should not be taken with others because they may cause an adverse effect. If you are concerned, take them 30 minutes before or after each other, and not at the same time. Please make sure you are taking the right herbs, if you are taking herbs for a fever, stay away from herbs that induce heat, such as Korean ginseng, which will make your fever worse. There is usually no problem with mixing other herbs such as a multi-vitamin.. To be completely sure, please consult your herbalist. |
| I looked up a particular patent herb. I have some, but not all, of the symptoms listed. Is this the right herb to take? |
| Some over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol, list many symptoms, like headache, toothache, cold, fever, etc. However, you can take Tylenol for a headache even though you do not have a toothache or fever. This is also the case for many patent herbs. Usually, as long as the symptom you have is listed for a particular patent herb, it is the right herb to take.Chinese herbs do not treat individual symptoms, rather it targets the root or cause of the problem. Here is an example: Headaches can be caused my numerous occurrences, such as stress or excess heat or high blood pressure. However, one must remember each and every person’s body is different and reacts differently to the same factors. Someone with stress may have no symptoms of headaches, but has poor appetite and trouble sleeping. This is why the patent herbs list the most common and possible symptoms one may have when suffering from a certain disorder, instead of limiting the symptoms to a short list. The main target of the patent herb is to treat the illness, not the individual symptoms. You do not have to have every symptom listed, unless it specifically states that you should have certain symptoms in order to take the herb. To be absolutely sure, please consult your herbalist. |
| Why do I have to take so many pills?? |
| Traditionally, herbalists would combine many herbs together as a concoction for a patient. Sometimes, the concoction would contain over 12 different herbs and could easily fill a small pot. The patients would be instructed to take the herbs home and cook it with water and drink the tea extracted from the concoction.Over the years, patent herbs have become available. The patent herbs usually consist of combinations of herbs that have been proven successful for specific ailments. Often the patent herbs, as pills or capsules, are not concentrated. This means that the patent herbs have not gone through a process that would make one pill equal to a dosage of the herbal tea. Instead, one concoction of herbs is either cooked with ingredients turning the herbs into a pasty substance that is rolled up into pills or the herbs are grinded into a powdery substance and put into capsules. The result is a large lump of pasty substance or a large mound of grinded powder. Many pills can come out of the pasty substance of just one concoction of herbs and many capsules can be made from the large mound of grinded herbs. Therefore, one must take many pills or capsules in order to equal a drink of just one dosage of herbal tea.We suggest that you follow the directions accompanying the patent herbs, no more, no less. Taking too little will have very minimal results, if any. And, depending on the herbs and the ailment, taking too many pills can sometimes have an adverse affect. Often though, too many pills will just make your herbs run out faster and costing you more money, while not having any better or quicker results. |
| If I have trouble swallowing pills or capsules, can I grind it up or mix it in water? |
| Although it is best to swallow the pills/capsules with warm water, you may open the capsule and mix the powder in water. You may also grind up the pills and mix it in water, or swallow the smaller parts with water. Please note that the powder/grind up pills may not all dissolve in the water. |
| Most patent herbs recommend to take the patent herbal pills with warm water, do I have to? |
| It is best to take herbs with water and not with tea, coffee, sodas, etc. Some beverages might actually counteract the herbs and make them useless, especially drinks containing caffeine. Taking herbs with warm water helps the herbs work a little quicker than with cool water. |
| Should I avoid any foods while taking the herbs? |
| Please follow the directions and precautions accompanying the herbs. As with any other medications, it is best to avoid excessive alcohol use, smoking, etc. For the most part, it would depend on the herbs. You should consult your herbalist in this regard. |
| Some of the herbs come in liquid. Can I mix the liquid with honey to sweeten the taste, or add sugar to the teas? |
| The best way to take herbs is to take it straight as it is, but if you need to sweeten the herbs/tea, then we suggest you use honey instead of sugar. |
| I understand that I will receive a discount if I buy in more quantity, but do I really need so many? |
| This is your call. We want our customers to save when shopping our products, but the other reason we offer this discount is to encourage you to take the herbs as a course treatment. Usually, for example, a bottle of pills, is not a course treatment, but will only last you 5 days/1 week. You might need to buy in more quantity to get the full result anyway. Especially if you have a chronic problem, you may need to take the herbs for months or even longer, so this way you can save money while getting the amount you need. |
| When can I expect to receive my order? |
| After placing your order, you will receive an email stating that you should receive your package within 3 to 7 days. Orders are processed immediately, however, in some cases, orders might be delayed from shipping due to them being out of stock at the time of purchase. Also, we may need more time for orders with large quantities. We do our best to ship immediately; we know how important it is for our customers to receive their herbs in a timely manner. You can email us any time at orders@chinesenaturalherbs.com if you would like an update on the status of your order. |
| Do you ship outside the United States? |
| It is not our policy to ship outside of the United States because we cannot keep up with other countries’ ever changing customs regulations. Therefore, we do not ship outside the United States. We apologize for any inconvenience. |
| I see some products are temporarily out of stock. Why does this happen? When can I expect to be able to purchase the items? |
| In some cases, we simply sell out of certain products and need to wait for a new shipment. This usually will take no longer than a week. However, in other cases, products being imported have been stalled due to FDA regulations or import delays. Whether it be the packaging, the description of the products, the ingredients or many other specifications, US Customs may hold a product until it has complied completely and meets with FDA approval in order for it to reach the American market. This may take weeks, and in rare cases, it may take months. |
| I have received the products I purchased, but have noticed that the packaging looks different from the picture on the website. Is this the same product? Why does this happen? |
| This is due to the manufacturer’s compliance with FDA regulations. In order for some products to reach the American market, the FDA will require certain specifications or description of the product to be a certain way for it to be approved. The product remains the same, just the packaging has changed. We will try to update new pictures as they change to avoid any confusion. |