SOHMA Integrative Medicine

We offer the best of Eastern & Western medicine without using drugs or surgery

Herbs

Top 5 Signs You Need To Consult a Herbalist

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Herbal remedies are some of the oldest forms of medicine. In recent years, herbal supplements have increased in popularity as an alternative and complementary supplement. Herbal remedies are often associated with wellness and natural healing. Many people who use herbal remedies highlight that herbal medicine shows fewer adverse side effects and is seen as a natural alternative to modern medicine.

Unfortunately, unlike modern medicine, herbal supplements aren’t regulated as strictly. Therefore, it is best practice to receive herbal supplements and treatment programs from a reputable source. Today, we’ll go over five signs for which you should consult an herbalist.

Reliable Herbal Supplement Provider

Many people would like to give herbal remedies and supplements a try. However, unlike modern medicine, herbal supplements aren’t regulated as strictly. Unfortunately, many companies are willing to mislabel their products for profit. This can include providing supplements with a weaker active ingredient, misleading quality, and more. At SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach, CA, we carry the highest quality supplements held to exceptional quality standards.

When seeking high-quality herbal supplements, it’s best to consider factors like ingredient sourcing, transparency, and testing in order to provide you with a safe and effective product. This can be time-consuming. For this reason, it’s a great idea to consult with a trustworthy herbalist.

Supplement Effectiveness

Some herbal supplements may deliver different results. This can be for various reasons, including the quality of the supplements, a change in lifestyle, or an introduction to other medications. If the effectiveness of your supplements has changed, your condition should be looked at again. There are many adverse interactions between modern medications and herbal remedies. Ginkgo biloba, for example, is commonly used to help with circulatory and respiratory conditions. However, when combined with aspirin, a commonly sold over-the-counter NSAID can cause severe bleeding.

Consulting with an herbalist can not only help assess the efficacy of your supplements. They can also help you explore alternative approaches based on your changing needs.

Slow or Lackluster Results

While modern medicine frequently manages symptoms, herbal remedies attempt to find the root cause of the issue. This means herbal treatment generally takes longer to see results when compared to pharmaceuticals. It’s not uncommon for people to follow two or three weeks of treatment before seeing noticeable results. The longer herbal medicine is taken, the stronger the effect can be within the body.

However, if time has passed and there are little to no positive results, you should consult with an herbalist to ensure you’re on the right path or if they should change their approach to your condition.

Chronic Stress

A number of everyday situations can cause stress. Unfortunately, many people disregard the potential risks of being stressed. Known as the silent killer, stress can result in several mental and physical conditions if left unchecked. These can include:

  •  Insomnia
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Weight Gain
  • Hair Loss
  • Irritability

Herbalists can provide you with natural solutions to help you manage chronic stress. They can offer a personalized herbal formula and lifestyle recommendations to promote mental health and wellbeing.

Immune System Support

Your immune system is your body’s first line of defense from viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Keeping your immune system healthy and strong can help your body fight off pathogens and remain healthy. Many herbs can help with boosting your immune system. Some of these you can find at your local grocery store, such as cinnamon, ginseng, and garlic.

However, if you prefer, you can consult a herbalist who can recommend herbal supplements to support and strengthen the immune system. After all, garlic can boost your immune system but leave unpleasant breath behind. A herbalist can offer preventive measures against many illnesses without affecting your social life. 

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

What To Ask A Herbalist Before Starting Treatment

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Herbs have been used to treat various conditions for over thousands of years. Herbs were our first forms of medicine, and in recent years, the popularity of herbal medicine and supplements has grown again. This may be because of the ease of access to herbal supplements and their affordability. However, unlike the pharmaceutical industry, herbal medicine isn’t regulated as strictly. This can lead to people getting taken advantage of products with poor quality control. At SOHMA Integrated Medicine in Long Beach, CA, we only carry herbal supplements of the highest quality and reliability. 

Herbalists can help you make informed decisions about what herbal remedies or supplements can help you with your ailments. Communication is incredibly important between yourself and your herbalist. In this article, we’ll review five questions you can ask a herbalist before starting treatment.

Have You Treated Conditions Like Mine?

Your herbalist has likely treated many conditions similar to yours, although not yours exactly. Herbal treatments consider many factors, and it’s not unlikely for two people to have different treatment protocols from the same herbalist for the same condition. 

Herbal medicine’s goal is to restore your body from the inside so that it can heal itself naturally. A treatment can change based on many different aspects. For example, a young, healthy woman will likely require a different treatment program when compared to an older male with a heart condition. A good herbalist should still be able to provide the best protocol to relieve your symptoms and manage your condition.

How Do You Determine Which Herbs Will Benefit an Individual?

Much like the treatments themselves, how a herbalist determines which herbs to use differs based on the patient. As previously stated, herbal treatment protocol can vary from patient to patient. That being said, the main factors to determine what herbs to use include:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Physical Fitness
  • Medical History
  • Prescribed Medicine
  • Current Symptoms
  • Lifestyle

Be sure to communicate any information about your medical history to your herbalist. This way, they can make a more informed decision about your health.

Are There Negative Interactions with My Other Medications?

It’s not a certainty that your medications will have adverse interactions with herbal supplements. However, this can happen. While some interactions only mildly increase the chances of minor side effects, others may be more serious.

Milk thistle, which may be used to lower blood sugar in diabetes, may negatively interact with medications like warfarin, which is used to prevent blood clots. It’s been reported that milk thistle may affect how the body metabolizes warfarin and ultimately may even decrease the concentration of the warfarin in your body.

Do You Buy Herbs at a Store to be Used in Treatments? 

Many examples of herbs used in the kitchen for meals also have medicinal effects. Chamomile tea, for example, is often drunk by those with sore throats or difficulty sleeping. An herbalist may even recommend chamomile supplements for those struggling to get a good night’s rest. Other examples of common herbs used by herbalists include:

  • Garlic
  • Turmeric
  • Lavender
  • Peppermint
  • Ginger

These herbs can not only add flavor to a dish. They can help you manage a variety of symptoms as well.

Can I Do This On My Own at Home?

Although many herbs can be purchased at a grocery store to help with your ailments, we recommend against self-treatment. While you could search for what herbs are best suited to help you and your condition, navigating herbal supplements can be tricky. As we’ve mentioned, laxed regulations are surrounding herbal supplements. Many products can be mislabeled with the wrong ingredients or dosages. There is also no saying in what conditions the herbs were grown or processed. For this reason, we recommend you only purchase from reputable sources.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step to better health.

5 Benefits of Herbal Medicine

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When people suffered from ailments, they turned to herbal medicine in ancient times. In recent years, the popularity of herbal medicine and supplements has increased. This can be due to various factors, including ease of access, affordability, and a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Herbal medicine is a great asset when it comes to overall wellness. However, you should ensure you buy herbal medicine and supplements from a trustworthy and reliable herbal pharmacy. Many people take advantage of the relaxed regulations around herbal medicine and attempt to sell supplements with incorrect labels, improper dosage instructions, or worse. You can rest assured that the herbal supplements we carry at SOHMA are held to the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Please join us today as we go over the 5 benefits of herbal medicine.

Personalized Care

Herbal medicine isn’t one-size-fits-all. For example, you may take ibuprofen to help manage muscle pain, headaches, fevers, or swelling. Whether you need it or not, it will try to resolve every issue it can, even if there isn’t one. While there are some herbs with many benefits, it’s unlikely that a single herbal supplement will do more than what it is intended to do. Herbal treatments are tailored to the individual’s needs. Before treatment, your age, weight, height, and physical fitness may be major contributing factors when designing your herbal medicine protocol. This means your herbal treatment may differ from someone else’s even though both would manage the same issues. 

Affordability

As previously stated, affordability is a significant factor in herbal medicine’s popularity. Using modern medicine as a treatment may be effective but incredibly expensive. Leaving some people unable to maintain the required doses for longer treatments.  Sometimes, treatment can cost thousands of dollars, whereas with herbal medicine and supplements, you’d only be paying a fraction of the cost.

Fewer Side Effects

Side effects are common in both traditional herbal medicine and modern pharmaceuticals. That being said, herbal treatments often have fewer or less severe adverse effects when compared to synthetic medication. Some serious side effects remain, such as allergic reactions to herbal supplements or adverse reactions when combined with prescribed medication. For this reason, it’s best practice to let your herbalist know of any medication you are currently taking. We can provide a personalized treatment plan to mitigate the risk of combining medication and herbs. Another side effect many people fear is the risk of addiction or abuse. Herbal medicine steers clear of herbs that can be habit-forming as they’re typically used to manage a single symptom, and herbal medicine’s goal is to find the root cause of your issues.

Holistic Approach to Wellness

Herbal medicine aims to help you heal, not just manage your symptoms. Depending on each case, the treatment can involve dealing with physical, mental, and emotional issues. Herbs can be used regularly to manage acute or chronic ailments. This includes consumables in teas and supplements or topical in the form of ointments and salves. Some herbs can be taken for long periods of time in the form of tonics. Herbs can also be combined with other treatment options, such as massages or aromatherapy, to help reduce stress or anxiety and improve your mental health.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step to better health.

Who Needs Herbal Medicine?

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People have been using herbal medicine for longer than recorded history, and in recent years, it has regained much of its popularity. One of the reasons is that herbal medication is often more affordable and easier to obtain when compared to modern pharmaceuticals. 

While modern medicine is meant to suppress the symptoms of whatever they are attempting to treat, herbal medicine attempts to find the root cause of your condition. They are creating a  personalized treatment plan that is unique to each individual.

Although natural and generally safe, you should always ask your primary care provider and herbal pharmacist before starting a treatment plan.

Join us as we go over who needs herbal medicine and how it benefits your wellness.

Preventive Care

Herbal medicine is a fantastic choice for those searching for preventative care. Ensuring our strong and healthy immune system has become a major priority in recent years. You can take herbal supplements in capsules for your immunity as long as you purchase from a reputable herbal pharmacy. Unfortunately, due to relaxed regulations on herbal supplements, some companies take advantage of patients by selling products that are less potent than described or potentially contaminated.

If you don’t have access to a reputable source, a healthy diet incorporating many medicinal herbs and spices is a great way to help improve your immune system’s health. Turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and spearmint are commonly found in supermarkets and can add flavor to your dishes and support your immune system.

Digestive Disorders

Digestive issues are often seen as embarrassing and awkward. However, sometimes we’ll eat something that doesn’t agree with our stomachs, or we can’t eat a balanced meal due to stress. This can often lead to symptoms such as:

  • Nausea
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease 
  • Upset Stomach
  • Diarrhea
  • Heartburn
  • Constipation

Luckily, there are many natural herbs to help manage these issues. Ginger is known to help with nausea and bloating. The flower of the dandelion plant can be used to improve an upset stomach, while the herb’s root can be used as a mild diuretic to improve digestion. The oils in a peppermint plant can help with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Green tea contains high levels of polyphenols, catechins, and antioxidants. These can help to soothe stomach aches and aid in digesting.

Alternative to pharmaceuticals

Headaches and Migraines

Nearly everyone has had to deal with a headache, and while NSAIDs like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen are common over-the-counter medicines that can help reduce pain, relying on them too often can lead to dependency. 

Herbs like feverfew and butterbur are excellent choices to help with headaches and migraines. Feverfew and butterbur are effective herbs against migraines due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender and peppermint oils have calming properties, which can help to reduce tension when applied to the skin. A warm cup of chamomile tea also has soothing qualities to help alleviate some of the stress causing your headaches.

Holistic Approaches to Wellness

Herbal medicine approaches health holistically, addressing not only the physical symptoms but also the underlying problems and attempting to find the root cause, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Herbal medicine attempts to heal the body naturally. People looking for a more holistic perspective on health and wellness may find herbal medicine appealing. 

Discussing any herbal treatment with your primary care provider and your herbalist if you are taking medication is essential. Mixing medications and herbs can have adverse reactions.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step to better health.

How To Find A Reputable IV Therapy Center Near Me

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While it may surprise that the same IV drip used in a hospital setting can be used therapeutically, its popularity has recently increased. Many athletes and celebrities endorse IV therapy as part of their wellness program. With a wide variety of benefits and uses, IV therapy has been shown to help manage the effects of hangovers, dehydration, and fatigue to boost energy when feeling exhausted. However, IV therapy isn’t limited to just that. It’s also been shown to help in aiding with:

  • Boosting the Immune System
  • Improving Blood Circulation
  • Enhancing Mood
  • Helping Manage Migraines

Many people who try IV therapy often mention a noticeable improvement in their mood and that they feel more relaxed after therapy. We offer Myer’s Cocktail IV therapy at SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach, CA. It’s a perfectly crafted blend of Vitamin C, B complex, Magnesium, and Calcium. 

With these many benefits, it’s no wonder why IV therapy has become popular. However, you should be sure you are visiting a trustworthy IV therapy center to ensure you’re getting the service and quality you deserve. 

Join me as we go over your considerations when looking for a reputable IV therapy center.

Customer Reviews

The first place you should check is the customer reviews. While not the absolute best metric, customer reviews hold significant weight on how the center is perceived online. There are many things to remember when finding online reviews, though. For example, recent reviews hold more weight than older reviews. The number of reviews can also make an enormous difference in each review’s value. Perfect scores are excellent, though if there are only 5 reviews, then there may be something else going on. Even if a center has a perfect score, it can remove bad reviews or a low customer base if there are only a few reviews. Whereas if a center has hundreds and only a few negative reviews, the negative reviews can be seen as outliers.

Customer feedback is often the most commonly used metric for new clients. Many people prefer to work with a business that doesn’t hide their negative reviews, as this keeps them honest and shows they’re working on getting better.

Quality their Practice

There is only so much information you can learn from the internet. If you are unsure about a certain location, visit the practice and discover how it is in person. IV therapy has few potential side effects, and the risk is reduced if the practice is strict about hygiene and safety standards. Simply entering a practice can reveal the kind of quality and care they have for their hygiene. 

Hygiene is important with IV therapy because you don’t want to risk any pathogens entering the body through the IV. This is one of the few ways IV therapy can result in infections and a negative experience.

Ask Questions

Before you choose your IV therapy center, consider asking questions. A reputable IV therapy center will gladly answer your questions. They should provide detailed responses to ease your curiosity. Example questions you can ask include:

  • What is IV therapy?
  • What is in the IV?
  • How long have you been doing IV therapy?
  • What should I expect?
  • How long does it take?

Gather as much information as you can in order to make the correct decision for yourself. 

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.