WHAT IS HERBALISM?

Healers in many different health traditions use herbs.

Traditional Chinese medicine is at least 2,500 years old. It views the human body as a system of energy flows. When these flows are balanced, the body is healthy. Practitioners take their patients' pulses and examine their tongues to diagnose energy imbalances. In Chinese medicine, pulses can be taken at three positions on each wrist, and at three depths at each position.

Illness is not defined by symptoms or the name of a disease like "HIV infection." Instead, a practitioner of Chinese medicine will talk about energy imbalances. The language can sound very strange, like "yin deficiency" or "liver heat rising." The Chinese words yin and yang refer to opposing energies that should be in balance, and Qi (pronounced "chee") can be roughly translated as energy or life force.

In traditional Chinese medicine, there are many ways to improve the balance of the body's energy flows. The most common techniques used in the western world are exercise techniques such as Qigong or Tai Chi, acupuncture, and herbalism.

Many practitioners of Chinese medicine specialize in either acupuncture or herbalism. Very few use both methods.

WHY DO PEOPLE WITH HIV USE CHINESE HERBALISM?
Chinese herbs do not cure HIV infection. Many people, however, believe that the herbs have helped them improve their overall energy, or deal with the side effects of antiviral medications. Some people have used herbs to reduce the upset stomach or diarrhea caused by their medications.

In general, an herbalist makes up a personalized mixture for each patient, based on that person's particular energy flows and imbalances. However, some practitioners of Chinese medicine have noticed a consistent "toxic heat" pattern of energy imbalances in people with advanced HIV disease. Due to Chinese medicine's emphasis on long life and immune enhancement, they feel that some herbal preparations will probably help anybody with HIV.

HOW ARE CHINESE HERBS USED?
Based on your energy imbalances, your herbalist will prescribe a combination of herbs for you to use. The Chinese meaning of herbs can include various parts of plants as well as minerals and animal parts. The herbs can come in several forms:

• "Loose" or "raw" herbs: you get a bag of various dried pieces of roots, bark, leaves, seeds, powders, and other items. These are usually boiled and you drink the "tea." This is considered the most potent form for herbs, but it can be difficult to prepare them.
• Powdered herbs: Dried herbs are ground into a powder. The powder might be mixed into water to drink, or taken in a capsule.
• Tinctures: Dried herbs are prepared in a mixture of water and alcohol. You drink a dose of the tincture.
• Patent medicines: Some of the most common combinations of herbs are available in prepared form as pills, capsules, creams, or other forms. There is usually very little or no labeling on these medicines except in Chinese.