Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Herbal medicine is the art and science of using plants and minerals to promote health and address a client’s health concerns. It has been the world’s primary form of medicine, with a written history more than 5000 years old. While the use of herbs in America has been overshadowed by dependence on modern medications over the last 100 years, 75% of the world’s population still relies primarily upon traditional healing practices, most of which is herbal medicine.

Most pharmaceutical drugs are single chemical compounds that are highly refined and purified and are often synthesized. In 1987 about 85% of modern drugs were originally derived from plants. Currently, only about 15% of drugs are derived from plants. In contrast, herbal medicines are prepared from whole plants—usually leaf, flower, stem and root, and contain hundreds to thousands of interrelated compounds. Science is beginning to demonstrate that the safety and effectiveness of herbs is often related to the synergy of their many constituents.

The primary focus of an herbalist is to treat people as individuals irrespective of the disease or condition they have been diagnosed with. We look at the whole person and use interventions such as herbs, diet, and lifestyle to bring balance. The primary focus of conventional physicians is to suppress symptoms or eliminate the disease. Not only does this ignore the unique makeup of the individual, but many patients under conventional care suffer from side effects that are as challenging as the condition being treated.

Herbs are very safe. I know specific properties of hundreds of herbs and am trained in potential complications. Side effects and complications are very, very rare and are made even more rare by the fact that I use herbs within a formula. Formulas are blends of several different herbs combined together to best address a health concern. The formula is designed for herbs within it to work together and often include specific herbs that harmonize the the rest of the formula and some that can offset any potential side effects of strong herbs present.

The other component that makes herbs incredibly safe is that I use whole plant material in my formulas – roots, leaves, stems and/or flowers. Whole plants and plant parts contain hundreds or thousands of chemical constituents working in harmony together, where standardized extracts (which you can find in health stores, etc) are often only one chemical from the plant that chemists have deemed the “active” constituent. This approach is much closer to pharmaceuticals, and have a higher chance of causing interactions than whole plant material as it is a large dose of one single chemical.

Similarly, most pharmaceutical drugs are single chemical entities that are highly refined and purified and often synthesized. In 1987 about 85% of modern drugs were originally derived from plants. Currently, only about 15% of drugs are derived from plants. In contrast, herbal medicines are prepared from living or dried plants and contain hundreds to thousands of interrelated compounds. Science is beginning to demonstrate that the safety and effectiveness of herbs is often related to the synergy of its many constituents.

Our first visit will last for one hour. During that time we will discuss your health concerns and goals. I will ask questions relating to your health history and symptoms. Towards the end of the visit, I will feel your pulses and look at your tongue. This helps me organize your health concerns into patterns from a Chinese medical perspective and then forms the basis by which I choose your herbal formula or formulas.

In the days following I will develop a formula plan for you and make formulas as needed. Time will be arranged for you to pick up your formulas, or they can be mailed.

Follow up appointments are 30-60 minutes and one will be scheduled for 5-7 days after you have been on your formula(s)

Herbalism is not a licensed profession in the United States.

The American Herbalists Guild is our governing body, and the Registered Herbalist designation through the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), also called the RH, AHG, is the way to measure and enforce a standard of training and skill of clinical herbalists.
In addition to a minimum of 2 years of comprehensive herbal education, an herbalist is required to have 400 hours of clinical practice and knowledge of 200 medicinal plants.

The Registered Herbalist designation ensures clients that their practitioner has a very high level of training and knowledge in the herbal field.

You can find requirements for this designation here:
http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/sites/default/files/criteria_and_instructions_for_ahg_application.pdf

There are several ways to take herbal formulas, but most often
herbal medicine is taken by tincture or capsules.

Tinctures are alcohol or glycerine based herbal extractions and are
made similarly to the vanilla extract in your pantry. A single
herb, or several herbs together, are soaked in 40% or higher
alcohol, usually for a month. The active compounds of the herb(s)
are pulled out into the alcohol. Tinctures are taken by mouth and
are a quick and effective way to take formulas.

Capsules
that you get from me will be filled with a formula of mixed
granules. The process to create the capsules begins by making
a very strong tea (using water to extract the properties instead of
alcohol in a tincture preparation) which is then dehydrated,
powdered, and finally put into vegetarian capsules.

AutumnTide Herbals uses both classical Chinese formulas from
Evergreen or KPC (two trusted herb companies), or Barbara blends a
custom made granule formula on-site. Sometimes classical formulas
are a great fit for clients, and other times a custom formula is a
better fit.