Frequently asked questions – herbal medicine

Department medicine and pharmacology manufacturing herbal medicines natural or processed raw materials obtained from medicinal plants and their use in prophylaxis and therapy diseases. The term is also used to denote a branch alternative medicine dealing with treatment with plant preparations.

Yes of course. Herbal medicine is not homeopathy. The active ingredients in herbs are not as active as those in prescription drugs, but overdose is possible. Instead, the side effects are milder than those of pharmacy drugs.

I have been dealing with herbs and herbal medicine since I can remember, that is over 30 years. The basic advantages of herbalism include the ease of growing, collecting and processing them. In a very simple way, a person who has the appropriate knowledge can use these methods. Herbs, first of all, do not deteriorate like drugs that have a strictly defined use-by date, usually around 2 years. Plants that can help us in our ailments grow in virtually all conditions and do not cause any side effects. They are effective in treating many ailments. The most important thing in my opinion is that you can find them almost everywhere, hence they are much cheaper than pharmaceutical drugs.

I strongly advise against this. In Poland, we have about 200 well-known species of herbs, and in the East there are about 5,000. Getting to know everyone takes a long time, and learning how to interact with the individual ingredients and the so-called drug interactions are an additional problem. It is better to use the knowledge of educated specialists in traditional medicine. I would like to add that in most cases, herbal mixtures are produced by specialized companies in the health medicine industry.

Yes, and I will even say very important. Herbs are characterized by the fact that they collect all pollutants from the environment in which they are planted. The composition of the earth, air, water and climate also affects the final quality of a product made of herbal ingredients.

Definitely yes. Please do not forget where did academic medicine originate from? This is precisely the case with the broadly understood natural medicine. According to the World Health Organization, over 7,000 chemicals used in medicine come from plants. Of course, the active substances are artificially synthesized in order to reduce the production costs. Currently, herbal medicine is used in conventional medicine to alleviate the side effects of drugs, reduce their number and support treatment.

Overall, about 80% of the world’s population uses phytotherapy as part of their healthcare. Among the 120 active chemical compounds widely used in modern medicine, 80% indicate positive the relationship between their modern therapeutic use and the traditional use of the plants from which they are derived. About 24% of the modern drugs used in the United States are derived from plants. There are no official statistics on this subject in Poland, and obtaining any reliable information in this regard is almost a miracle. In China, phytotherapy is as popular as conventional treatments.

In my opinion, herbs have no disadvantages as you call it. However, if I were to give any examples, these are, for example, no greater or lesser effectiveness in the case of serious diseases such as malignant tumors. Here you have to act quickly and use conventional medicine for symptomatic treatment. The second thing is slightly bothersome administration and dosing and the taste of herbs itself (you need to measure the amount of herbs quite precisely, and then brew in a specific way to extract the most important healing substances). Thirdly, and most importantly: the lack of any normal rules related to trading, importing, testing, etc., so herbs may be traded, e.g. on busy streets or contaminated with heavy metals.

You have to definitely look at the country of origin of the product. If the manufacturer does not directly say that the product is, for example, ecological, it means that it is not. For us, it means nothing else that the active substances of the product have been artificially replaced by substitutes. Let us remember that the capitals of herbal production in the world are currently China, Mongolia, Russia, Japan and India.

If we go to the TCM doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, who prepares specific herbal mixtures, we pay for each ingredient and its amount separately. It may happen that we will pay the product of all ingredients for the preparation of a specific product. It can be quite expensive. Homogeneous products, i.e. products containing one active substance, will often not be the solution to our problems. Numerous health medicine companies that produce ready-made mixtures for the pharmacy trade come here to the rescue. These products are relatively cost-effective and effective at the same time.

Yes, we strongly advise against self-medicating with herbs or using them without consulting a qualified traditional medicine doctor. A visit before prescribing any herbal treatment is obligatory.

In the case of light diseases such as headache or nausea, the first effects will appear up to several hours after taking the herbs. With more complicated ailments, such as acne or chronic diseases, this time may be extended to 3-4 weeks.

The cost is included in the price of the first visit and includes a full medical history. We invite you to familiarize yourself with pricelist our office services.

No you cant. We combine herbs in traditional Chinese medicine in accordance with the power and direction of action. In conventional medicine (phytotherapy), herbs are consumed in the presence of food, separately or with a time interval so as not to cause interactions between the ingredients.

Yes. Depending on what kind of pain we are dealing with. If the pain is mild or moderate, herbal medicine may be of help. If the pain is severe, we recommend that you use conventional painkillers.

If it is a mild cold, nothing needs to be done. However, if there is a low-grade fever, we recommend discontinuing the treatment and starting it only after the ailments have been treated.

No. Herbal medicine, as well as conventional drugs, should be increased gradually.

Factors proving the professionalism of a doctor are: the type of university that has been completed, scientific courses and symposia, academic titles, age and experience of the doctor, and the willingness to improve one’s professional qualifications. The age of the specialist and his clinical practice are often decisive factors.

Yes of course :-). Professor Enji has been living and working in Poland for a long time, and communication in Polish is not a problem for her. The analysis of medical records, specialized vocabulary of classical and eastern medicine is a normal working day for the doctor. When you come to our office, you will not talk to the interpreter but to the doctor directly.

The fastest way to register a visit is to contact professor Enji by phone at no 607 489 251 . If you registered via email or the visit booking form, it always takes longer (about 1-3 business days). In addition, people who are already patients of Prof. Enji are always served first.

You can send a text message from the number that is assigned to your patient card with this information. You can call the professor directly at 607489251 or send an e-mail to the following address: akupunktura@tutanota.com

Yes. Each active substance contained in a specific herb has scientifically proven effects. Synthetic drugs are nothing more than an artificially patented active substance, e.g. obtained from herbs. So herbal medicine is effective and must be ordained wisely by qualified specialists.

The differences are. First of all, in Polish herbal medicine we have about 200 well-known and described herbs, and in the eastern one – about 5,000. There are also large component differences due to the climate and the method of cultivation. In Poland, all herbs over the 200 listed are imported from China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Chile, Brazil and Amazon. Polish suppliers are not able to ensure regular deliveries of goods for which there is such a high demand. Even the so-called Tibetan herbs are already fully produced, for example in Mongolia and India. Due to the active actions of Chinese politicians, Tibet has long ceased to be an oasis of herbal medicine and knowledge about traditional medical systems.

No. Products for wholesale or retail sale in pharmacies are often completely worthless. It is important to choose the right herbs, their composition, origin and method of cultivation, and then to prepare them for sale (packaging), keeping and, most importantly, the method of preparation and dosage. Most herbs from Asia are produced by traditional companies respecting ancient recipes and without the use of any chemicals or artificial fertilizers. It is not possible to produce herbs in European conditions due to the climate, the relatively small number of sunny days and the temperature. For example, some herbs such as “ginseng” are grown mainly on mountain slopes, where the flowing mountain water rich in vitamins and minerals properly fertilizes the roots. On this topic a lot could be written and told, but we will try to prepare an appropriate article that will fully answer your question.

The task of doctors is to treat patients according to their knowledge gained at the Medical Academy and their own experience. In my opinion, patients report to doctors only when the disease is already advanced. Then both diagnostics and treatment are much more expensive and take much longer. Often such conditions cannot be reversed, and the patient is finally left for symptomatic treatment. That is why I believe that periodic diagnostics and preventive visits are the key to staying healthy for years.

Western herbal medicine primarily treats diseases or symptoms such as headache, runny nose, backache, etc. Chinese herbal medicine is developing a prescription to deal with the symptom, but also with the ailments that led to the problem. More permanent relief is sought in the case of the cause of the symptoms. It should be added here that in Poland, as we have already mentioned, we have about 200 well-known herbs, and in China there are over 5,000 of them. So please see this massacre gulf of knowledge and experience over the years.

Most conditions treated with acupuncture can also be aided with Chinese herbs, and often the two therapies are combined for the best effect. However, Chinese herbs are especially good for promoting the body’s ability to heal and regenerate. This is how colds and flu and other acute conditions can be so treated. Skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, or acne respond well to herbal remedies. Gynecological disorders and infertility respond particularly well to these methods, autoimmune diseases and aging-related degenerative diseases can also be helped with the help of Chinese herbs. There are many fields where these methods are effective or highly recommended. The best way to contact your Chinese medicine therapists is to talk about your problems and show the test results. On this basis, it will be possible to plan the best treatment regimen tailored to your expectations and not affecting the current treatment with conventional methods.

While it may be necessary to cook the herbs at times, it can be avoided in most cases. Herbs, on the other hand, may have a different taste when boiled. Chinese herbs come in pill or ground powder form, less commonly in liquid form. They can be taken with water, alcohol or, for example, milk or another substance that guarantees the best absorption. TCM herbal medicine is also based on ready-made preparations produced by traditional companies from the “traditional medicine” industry. Mongolian or Tibetan herbs are usually in the form of balls or ground form – they have a stronger taste but definitely better effect.

Yes, as long as they are prescribed by a qualified herbal specialist. Herbs can be very effective in treating various disorders during pregnancy. In our clinic, before contacting us, we require the consent of the doctor in charge of the pregnancy and our doctor as to the individual stages of herbal therapy. Up to the 4th month, herbal medicine can be used by women on their own after consulting a traditional medicine doctor.

The herbs you use do not come from our office. Please feel free to ask any questions concerning and related only to our office. We do not provide consultancy services in the case of preparations purchased in other stores or offices. If you are interested in using the services of our clinic, please make an appointment visit. Any online consultancy based on the principle presented here is pointless and leads to nowhere.

Yes, they are homogeneous herbs and multi-ingredient mixtures obtained only from organic crops. All allergic reactions are excluded in this case, unless the person is sensitive to any of the ingredients contained in the preparations. Mongolia is a country five times larger than Poland with vast tracts of land that is very good for agricultural crops. Agriculture does not use advanced food chemistry in production because it simply does not know it. That is why we believe that Mongolian herbalism is so effective and recommended for people also in Europe.

No. Sometimes only acupuncture treatments are enough. A specialist in eastern medicine and acupuncture will best advise you on what methods to choose, how to combine them with conventional treatment and, most importantly, adjust the treatment to the individual needs of the patient.

Yes. Very often, during the first visit, the doctor will ask you to uncover certain parts of the body. These can be: head – especially around the ears, neck, chest, taking into account the abdomen (here, the doctor may touch the area around the navel, spleen, liver or kidneys). Everything is aimed at eliminating contraindications to the use of these preparations.

No. Growing exactly the same qualities is very difficult and we could say financially unprofitable and therefore pointless. The driving force behind the herbal medicine economy in China is demand, and in Poland even Polish herbs are uphill, not to mention others. Certainly, there will be enthusiasts who will make such attempts, but from our point of view, without the support of the government and changing the policy to pro-health, and above all, without giving the patient the freedom of consumer choice and methods of treating himself and his families, there will be no good change. Chinese herbs are produced according to ancient recipes, often passed on from father to son. Although Western capital will learn the quantitative composition of the given preparations, it will not be able to adequately reproduce them. We have a lot of such inventions in pharmacies and they are completely worthless.

They are not all bad, but many are bad. We believe that the best way to select the best preparations for ourselves is the opinion of people who have already used them, our own experience and the clinical professionalism of doctors who recommend them. It will be very difficult for seriously ill people to choose because the condition will make it difficult for them to make proper judgment, while healthy people will often underestimate the healing properties of really good products. You have to observe your own body and the body’s reactions and make an opinion on this basis. The fact that these herbs have been used for thousands of years may prove their effectiveness and legitimacy of use.

Yes, we have herbs for these ailments. The important thing is what is the cause of the diseased liver. You need to diagnose it well because the problem may be elsewhere. If you have applied research and tests, we invite you to our office with them. You mention the use of milk thistle… it is a commonly used herb in traditional European medicine, but there are many much better Eastern herbs, much better and more effective. Milk thistle has its advantages and it has its disadvantages. However, using it therapeutically requires some knowledge. It has been assumed that people use 3-10 grams of this herb, swallowed daily – therapeutic therapy. This is to heal the liver and gallbladder. However, it is not always advisable, and many things are not written on product leaflets, and this is important information. That is why herbs should always be prescribed by specialists, and never taken alone. Like drugs, they have side effects and, like drugs, require knowledge to use. In our FAQ tab, we cannot provide therapeutic information, but only encourage you to visit our office. This will be the best action you can do right now. If you want to use milk thistle on your own, we advise you not to use the seeds at the beginning, but the whole ground plants (of course, properly dried and prepared). By observing your health condition and changes in the body, you can determine by palpation whether the therapy is effective and whether the symptoms are resolving. If you find that the problem remains, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible for appropriate tests. As for the liver, it is an organ that has a very high ability to regenerate itself, but the pancreas does not, and it very often damages itself first. Please do not underestimate the problem and go to a specialist. You will definitely save more money, time and stress, and not self-medicate without knowing it, relying on Dr. Google’s opinion. Finally, it is worth adding that milk thistle seeds are quite caloric, and the best absorbable version is in a skimmed form containing both the seeds of the stem and special parts of the roots.

Yes. You can decide the entire treatment process. In traditional medicine, common diseases are very often associated with the dosing of specific herbal mixtures. The doctor has a duty to tell you about all treatment options, and you agree to them or give up. You can also only take advantage of a herbal consultation, but if the therapist also recommended acupuncture, it will be a lack of treatment according to TCM.