History of Chinese Herbal Medicine
· The first known Chinese herbalist, dating back to 1st century C.E., composed a manual called the Shennong Bencao Jing containing 365 medicines.
· Since then, herbal medicine has expanded greatly in terms of knowledge, theory, and practice as illnesses that afflict humankind have evolved.
· Chinese Herbal Medicine is a complete medical system which continues to play a fundamental part in hospitals and clinics around the world.

How Does Chinese Herbal Medicine Work?
· In contrast to Western medications, Chinese Herbal Medicine places a greater emphasis on the balance and interaction of many ingredients as opposed to the effects of the individual ingredients themselves.
· Chinese herbal remedies usually consist of one or two main ingredients along with many other ingredients which adjust according to the specific condition of the patient.
· Some ingredients are needed to cancel out the toxicity or side-effects of the main ingredients while other ingredients may be needed as a catalyst in order for the remedy to work. Because this is such a complicated process, a great amount of experience and knowledge is required.
· The key to the success of Chinese herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine in general is the treatment of the patient as a complete person as opposed to just treating a specific sickness.

What Does Chinese Herbal Medicine Treat?
· Chinese herbal medicines are used to treat all kinds of ill health for people of all ages and constitutions.
· Some of the most common and popular uses of Chinese herbal medicine in the West have been:
· Gynecology
· Digestive problems
· Respiratory conditions
· Allergies
· Immunity disorders
· Pain
· Children’s diseases
· Addiction
· Skin diseases