Wiser Gentlemen: The Shen Chinese Herb Posse

Founders note: This is a guest post by second year Chinese medicine student Derek Henderlong. Please do add your comments to the post, he is excited to learn from your contributions. “…It is said that there is a king ginseng in each field which supervises the growth of the rest, and in Korea it is believed that, in order to thrive, the ginseng has to hear each day the footsteps of its cultivator” ~Dixon Before I began my formal studies in Chinese medicine, I was already unknowingly following the golden walkway of medicine unfolding beneath my feet. I found myself eager to receive my weekly acupuncture. The benefits from treatment were undeniable and I knew I was on to something big. Herbs, on the other hand, were a different matter. I hesitated to start taking something internally to change my state of being, awareness, and function. When given my first patent formula, Si junzi tang, I walked to the local Chinese herb market and purchased a colorful white bottle with a magical picture on the label. This picture created a yearning in me to become what was pictured on the bottle; a wise, charismatic, and stately looking gentleman. As I investigated the bottle further, I learned that the formula contained only four herbs: Dangshen, Baizhu, Fuling, and Zhi Gancao. I had no idea what these herbs were or what the intention was behind the formula. After taking the little pills for a couple weeks I reported unimpressive changes in my overall wellness and had little inclinatio...
Source: Deepest Health: Exploring Classical Chinese Medicine - Category: Alternative Medicine Practitioners Authors: Tags: Acupuncture, Herbs & Other modalities Source Type: blogs