In a
word, well - in two words - probably not. Acupuncturists go to school for
a loooooooong time to learn the intricacies, indications, contraindications,
and safety standards of Chinese herbs, Chinese herbal manufacturers and herb
distributors. So PLEASE check with an acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist
before you purchase a formula on Amazon or even a drug store. Your
acupuncturist knows YOUR body, patterns, other medications you are taking,
dietary sensitivities and other physiological nuances of your system.
From this information, they will be able to make a professional
recommendation regarding an herbal formula that is right for you and right for
EXACTLY the symptomology you are experiencing. I
recently heard from a patient that they were trying to get a bulk discount on
herbs that I had prescribed for their temporary use. Thankfully, the
distributor they spoke with advised them that they are only allowed to sell to
practitioners. But this
prompted me to do a search on Amazon for the product and to my dismay, I found
a seller offering the herbs to the general public. Often, you cannot trust
any of the specialized Chinese herbal products that are seen on Amazon. You
don’t know where the seller is getting the products from, how they are being
stored, if they are expired or if they are even legitimate. Buyer beware. Granted,
many multi-use formulas are sold in stores like Pharmaca or Vitamin Cottage or
Whole Foods, and they are generally safe to use, but PLEASE ask an herbalist on
staff for recommendations if you don't have an acupuncturist's referral.
You can really damage yourself through self-prescribing. And in
addition to hurting yourself, it casts a bad light on ALL alternative
therapies. It also invites the FDA to ban
important medicinal substances and prevent public access to care. Thank you
for your questions and comments |