Michael Tierra, in his book The Way of Herbs (1980), explained some of the basic therapeutic principles applied by herbalists and the nature of several herbs, intending that the reader would seek out a suitable remedy (for oneself or a patient). He believed that one did not have to stick to traditional formulas or to herbs from a particular tradition as long as there was a basic understanding of the theory of herbal action and treatment. Hence, he has recommended selections from Western, Ayurvedic, and Chinese herbs that can be taken separately or combined together and used for general health improvement or treatment of minor illness.
T.Y Pang, in his book Chinese Herbal (1982) described his aims in presenting information about Chinese herbs and formulas this way: ...nobody knows more about you than yourself, so it is your responsibility to maintain yourself in good health...most of the natural herbs are not only effective and harmless but also beneficial; they can help us to regain our health, to improve our health, to prolong our life span, and even to rejuvenate us if we use them correctly. Hence, a knowledge of natural herbs is very desirable. Thus, he clearly was proposing to provide the information for the purpose of self-prescribing.
In the current author's book Your Nature, Your Health (1986; out of print), it was proposed that one could select a long-term course of Chinese therapy by studying the basic constitutional aspects of one's health and the effects of commonly used herbs. Simple diagnostics and a basic understanding of Chinese therapeutic principles were proposed to be enough for this task, at least for the purpose of pursuing optimum health. The theme of the book was similar to that mentioned above by Dr. Pang, except that considerable effort was placed on making a distinction between treatments designed for short-term impact on symptoms or diseases and constitutional remedies for general improvement in health. A companion guide, called Chinese Herbal Therapies for Optimum Health (1986; out of print) gave additional information on the process of self-selection and administration.
The efficacy of Chinese herb formulas applied by licensed and trained practitioners often leads one to wonder whether or not the population at large, with little access to such practitioners, could in some way obtain the benefits, especially of the more popular remedies. In a recent book by Harriet Beinfield, Between Heaven and Earth (1991), an effort has been made to simplify the concepts of Chinese medical thinking so that the interested lay person could gain an understanding of it and perhaps try some herbal remedies or even acupuncture (self-treatment has been made possible by the introduction of non-needle stimulation devices). With mail order capabilities or multilevel marketing (as has been used successfully by Sunrider), it is indeed possible to deliver the materials to persons who feel capable of selecting their own remedies.
However, many of those involved with promoting the use of Chinese herbs have in recent years changed their approach away from self-prescribing. Michael Tierra, in a follow-up work, Planetary Herbology (1988), says that he is 'building upon the earlier work' but devoting the new and larger book to the serious herbal practitioner and other therapists. The organizations that have been headed in the U.S. by Dr. Hong-yen Hsu, Brion Herbs Corporation and Oriental Healing Arts Institute (OHAI), have also put their focus more on the health professional. Thus, Brion Herbs adopted a policy of providing herb materials only to licensed practitioners and OHAI's most recent books target licensed health professionals: a work on Compound Q, a drug administered only by medical doctors, and texts that emphasize the items on the California Acupuncturist licensing examination, for example.
The Golden Mirror of Chinese Medicine (1990), a derivative of the earlier work by the current author, presents a similar premise to that in Your Nature Your Health, except to suggest that further development of Chinese medicine in the West be promulgated primarily by licensed health care providers. Despite all the earlier calls for a self-motivated independent study of Chinese herbs and self administration, the developing view is that the best way to get Chinese herbs is to have them prescribed by a practitioner. There are three basic reasons for this:
1) The nearly complete lack of herbal medicine in our culture leads the average person to a state of utter confusion when it comes to understanding what to expect from herbs, how they work, when to start and stop herbal therapies, or which product to select, especially when two products have similar Western indications. Professional assistance is quite helpful.
2) There are very few outlets for Chinese herb formulas other than practitioners' offices. Larger cities often have one or more Chinese herb shops, but these are usually run by individuals who speak only Chinese, at least in relation to herb and formula terminology. Health food stores and individuals participating in massive marketing strategies (e.g. multilevel networks) are at least as likely to provide misinformation as they are to provide what an individual actually needs.
3) The health problems that many people wish to address are rather complex. There are, for example, conditions which have been left untreated for years, or treated without success by Western drugs or various alternative therapies. The problems are compounded by erratic and unusual diets, modern environmental conditions, and mental conditioning (one way or another) about the outcome of an herbal treatment.
It should be pointed out that in China several herbs and formulas are famous, and may be self-selected for the treatment or prevention of common health complaints. Knowledge is handed down orally and through popular written works. Ready availability of the products, mainly as patent medicines, assures continued discussion of their uses. This situation is one which still eludes us in the West. The herb formulas written about by Richard Hyatt and Hong-yen Hsu, initially suggested for self-treatment, are being used primarily in Japan and Taiwan where the formulas are available only through prescription by Western-trained medical doctors, another situation that is not matched here.
There are degrees of knowledge about Chinese herbs and a corresponding range of applications. Some Chinese doctors, arriving here fresh from work in mainland Chinese hospitals, hold the opinion that only those who have thoroughly studied all relevant aspects of Chinese herbal medicine are in a position to prescribe herbs. While this may be the case for those working with severe illness or injury and the related responsibility found in a Chinese hospital setting, experience has already revealed that individuals in the West, working in private clinics, who have a smaller knowledge of Chinese medicine, can improve their clinical results by utilizing Chinese herbs.
As the use of Chinese herbs in clinical settings increases, practitioners will find that there are some problems that are basically not worth an office visit. This is a situation comparable to an individual suffering from a simple tension headache who can now self-treat using an analgesic found at drug stores and groceries, rather than make an appointment to see the doctor. Along such lines, it is likely that some Chinese herb formulas will be made available for self-prescription. General tonics, analgesics for minor pains, digestive aids, treatments for stress, and short-term therapies for minor acute ailments are likely to be included.