How are Chinese herbs different from western herbs?
A large difference is that in traditional western herbology commonly uses single or just a few herbs to treat a patient, whereas Chinese herbology primarily uses formulas. Formulas are combinations of many herbs that can address a wide range of complex complaints that are viewed in light of a larger constitutional energetic balance of an individual. Formulas are combinations of as many as 25 herbs designed to work synergistically to maximize the effects of the primary herbs in order to achieve an energetic harmony within an individual while also treating the more pressing acute symptoms.