Herbal medicine is the world's first Materia Medica and is in fact the basis of pharmacology - the modern theory of medicines.


Medicinal plants are a central and important tool in the traditional Chinese medicine system, they are an inseparable part of the culture in China, and to this day they constitute a significant part of public medicine there. According to sources, there are about 6,000 plants and substances used for medical purposes. In Israel, an active clinic may use about 200 of them. Chinese medicine defined the qualities of a plant according to its energetics - the temperature and taste that are unique to it. When you want to treat with Chinese medicinal plants, it will almost always be necessary to build a formula for the patient consisting of several different plants. This method of personal concoction is supposed to not only alleviate the symptoms, but solve the problem from the root.

Using the whole plant, without isolating active ingredients from it as is done with chemical drugs. This is what, on the one hand, prevents side effects, but on the other hand, causes slower action in the body.

Here are two examples of Chinese medicinal herbs that some of you may be familiar with:

GAN CAO:


Or in Hebrew - licorice root. This is the only plant that can be found in almost all classical Chinese prescriptions, and this is because of its neutral temperature and sweet taste, which actually balance and moderate the action of the other plants.

According to Chinese medicine, it affects all 12 meridians, but mainly the spleen, heart, lungs, and stomach. It strengthens the qi of the digestive system, moistens the lungs, removes heat and toxicity, treats pain (especially in the stomach), and regulates the pulse.

Many studies have been conducted on it over the years that have proven its healing properties, for example, the study by Prof. Michael Aviram, head of the Lipids Department at the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, which demonstrated the plant's ability to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol and thus prevent its deposition in the blood.

GOU QI ZI:

 We know it as the Goji berry. Today it is already known as a popular superfood that can be found in health food and spice stores, but according to Chinese medicine, it is really OLD NEWS. It is a medicinal plant that has been used for thousands of years and has been nicknamed the "longevity fruit" thanks to its unique properties.

It belongs to a category of herbs called "blood tonics." It nourishes and strengthens the yin and blood of the liver and kidneys, improves jing (life essence) and strengthens the yin of the lungs. In terms of symptoms, it can be suitable for conditions such as decreased/blurred vision, dizziness, tinnitus, lower back pain, hair loss, infertility, impotence and dry cough.

The goji berry is considered a fruit rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins such as A and B, and in particularly high amounts of vitamin C. It contains choline and is rich in minerals and trace elements (potassium, iron, selenium, zinc, germanium, phosphorus, sulfur, and copper).

The Chinese attribute anti-aging properties to it because it is rich in antioxidants. It is even ranked #1 on a scale that measures a food's ability to absorb free radicals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

You can consume it as a medicinal herb or eat it as a dried fruit and combine it with salads, rice, porridge, muesli, etc. You can also drink it as an infusion.