Since time immemorial, humans across the globe have used different plant substances to alter their physical and/or mental state of being. The ancient Chinese applied this pharmacological potential to the many plant & animal species within their vast empire, and through thousands of years of trial and error and constant research, they came up with a scientific method of categorizing herbs based on taste, temperature, and acupuncture channel properties. The Shen Nong Ben Cao was the earliest Chinese text outlining the vast array of herbs and substances that were used medicinally by the ancient Chinese.

The concept of food medicine is no stranger to the Western world, as any American is familiar with chicken soup for a cold, senna for constipation, aloe for burns, and so on and so forth. However, the Chinese herbological science is many thousands of years older and broader in scope. Chinese herbal medicines come in a variety of different forms - pills, powders, pastes, teas, and extracts, just to name the most commonly used.

These herbal preparations have markedly fewer side effects (few to none) compared to any of the western drugs that are used to treat similar conditions, and the raw herb formulas take the entire constitution of an individual into consideration, unlike any other form of allopathic drug. Some of these herb preparations are taken internally, while others are for external application only. The ever popular "Dit Da Jow" is an herbal recipe that is steeped in wine or some other alcohol base. Some types of this "Jow" are taken internally to build up the body's internal Qi energy from the inside, while others are rubbed on externally, either to prepare the body for strain or to treat injuries that have already occurred.

The application of Chinese herbal medicine is extremely broad, and the modern patient can choose from an array of convenient preparations - from powders to patent medicines that are ready and easy to take. However, there are a great number of companies who are all too willing to capitalize on consumer ignorance in their product marketing, improperly or ineffectively using Chinese herbal medicines as part of their performance enhancing supplements, sports drinks, or other foodstuffs. This half-cocked Western attitude has brought about dangerous results for many unwitting recipients, most notably the kidney failure and cancer of certain clientele of a Belgian weight loss clinic that combined highly potent western prescription pharmaceutical drugs with Chinese herbs that were traditionally contraindicated for such use. As long as the mainstream medical community continues to unjustly point the finger of blame solely on certain Chinese herbs, the consumers and community no longer enjoy the benefits of a full herbal pharmacopeia, presided over by a properly trained master herbalist.

In the meantime, there are still a large number of herbs and patent medicines that are allowed for consumption as dietary supplements by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), following a stringent approval process. Patients of Chinese herbal medicine continue to report benefits from consumption of such preparations, with notably fewer side effects than the western medicines that are used to treat similar conditions. Sifu Cheng uses only the highest quality herbs in his preparations and offers herbal pills that have undergone the strictest of testing procedures in accordance with American law.

Sifu Cheng can also provide you with either an herbal prescription, especially tailored to your condition and your constitution. The raw herb formulas are made with the highest quality traditional Chinese herbs, each batch chosen by Sifu Cheng himself. These raw herbs can be brewed at your home to make medicinal teas that offer you a natural path to healing. Some of Sifu's special herb formulas can also be applied externally to treat injuries or skin conditions.