Western herbs books
Books and videos on Western herbs in Chinese medicine
The Importance of Western Herbs in TCM
Western herbs according to TCM criteria
Western herbs are described according to local medicine according to taste, thermals and the experience of their effects on the human body. Thus they can be integrated into the diagnostic and therapeutic system of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Many of us are already familiar with these herbs and their use in the kitchen. Western medicinal herbs are easy to obtain and cheaper in price. Even if the experiences with Chinese herbs in connection with TCM exist many years longer, numerous complaints can also be treated with Western herbs. The lower price and the trust in local herbs are the reasons why western herbs are highly accepted by patients and TCM therapists.
Thus, Western herbs are often used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here you will find some books and videos about single western herbs (Materia Medica) as well as their TCM recipes with western herbs. Here you will find well-known authors who have written books on western herbs and recipes, such as Ross, Magel, Traversier or Ploberger. Western medicinal herbs are often used in TCM therapy – but the therapist must know the herbs and their effects. Similar to cooking, the herbs develop different effects through appropriate treatment. A young ginger has a different effect than an old ginger root.
Discover the variety of different herbs!
The book 180 Western Herbs in Chinese Medicine by Helmut Magel, Wolfgang Prinz and Sibylle van Luijk describes 180 western herbs arranged according to groups of medicines in Chinese medicine and is ideal for learning. Florian Ploberger’s book on western herbs also describes them according to TCM criteria. With her book Western Plants and their Effects in TCM, Rita Traversier presents the effects (mainly energetic) and therapeutic applications of Western medicinal plants based on TCM.
In addition to the books about various western medicinal herbs, there are also specialist books that provide information about recipes with western herbs. An example of this is von Ploberger, Rezepturen aus westlichen Kräutern, which describes various recipes for TCM syndromes such as renal yang deficiency or liver qi stagnation. There is also a book by him which describes the herbs as well as the recipes in a very memorable way: The great book of western herbs.
Books about basic recipes up to the different modifications
Also interesting is the book by Jeremy Ross, Die Rezepturen, in which about 300 basic recipes and 800 modifications, according to criteria of Chinese medicine, are listed. An online video and DVD by E. Denz and M. Häberle with the title Medicaments in western reproductive medicine also provide information about western drugs with TCM in ovarian failure and IVF.
How to learn how to use western herbs
The presentation in our video center was given by Ms. Denz at the TCM Congress Rotheburg in 2011. Another book by Traversier, TCM with Western Plants, shows the different disharmony patterns and their phytotherapeutic therapies in a very practical way. In his online video Western Herbs to Tonify Yin and Yang, Florian Ploberger discusses various Western herbs in TCM that serve to tonify Yin and Yang, a wonderful video to learn how to deal with Western herbs – ideal for TCM beginners.