Chinese Herbs-looked like a bark, what was it?!
Question:
Chinese Herbs-looked like a bark, what was it?
A few years ago I went to an accupuncurist who gave me a herb that is used for cleansing & weight loss. It looked like bark with light ( sort of pine colored) wood on the inside. It was used to make a tea. The tea was yellow and didn't taste very good but it was wonderful stuff. Works great.The Dr. is no longer in my area. Does anyone have any idea what is might have been?
Answers: ginsing it actually is the root of the ginsing tree. the healing effects can only be extracted from the root. Ginseng is NOT a tree. It's an herbaceous plant that grows to about a foot and a half tall, MAXIMUM, on the forest floor of mountainous, shaded, old hardwood growth forests usually. Without seeing exactly what you've described, NO ONE can for certain tell you what you were given/prescribed, and it would be highly irresponsible to do so, as there are many, many barks and roots used in TCM. Would recommend you go see Dan Dan on Harvard Avenue in Allston, MA. She's one of the very best practioners of TCM/healers I've ever worked with. You could also check out the Herbal Apothecary/Healing Store in Brattleboro, VT, on the same street as Common Ground and SEVCA. They're excellent as well. If you can tell me what city/state you live in, I can probably find some resources for you. Almost all Chinatowns have an herbal apothecary/practitioner who can take pulses and do diagnosis right in the the store front, and will do so for a reasonable fee. Again, email me back for more resources and info. I'm familiar w/ what and who's available on the East Coast, and some of the West Coast, especially around Boston, NYC and San Francisco/Sacramento/Placer/Ne... Counties in CA. It's actually very possible that it WAS Pine Bark.
Pine Bark is a very good antioxidant flavonoid, which in turn can help with different aspects of cleansing, which will also help with weight loss in turn.
But it's completely true that without knowing exactly what it looked like, it would be difficult to find it. You could try talking to an herbalist and asking if they have a book or a pictorial database of herbs.... that could help you recognize the bark you took. Good luck!