Chinese Herbal Medicine
The clinical use of Chinese herbal medicine is very different from the Western idea of trying single herbs — such as “dandelion to detoxify the liver” or “wild chrysanthemum for colds.” It is also unlike the approach of so-called “herbalists” who know only a few plant remedies. The experimental stage of Chinese materia medica was completed more than three thousand years ago. Its integrated system of theory and clinical application was established by Zhang Zhongjing, the renowned physician and scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. His profound insight and highly effective clinical results remain vibrant and relevant today.
Chinese herbal prescriptions are carefully tailored by qualified TCM physicians for each individual patient. Rarely is a single herb used on its own; most formulas are thoughtfully designed combinations. In creating a prescription, the TCM physician:
Identifies the root cause of the illness.
Selects each herb with precision and care.
Balances the formula with meticulous attention.
Monitors the patient’s progress and adjusts as needed.
This approach aims to achieve the best possible outcomes — relieving or eliminating symptoms, preserving the function of vital organs, enhancing the body’s resistance and recovery, and slowing disease progression.
When prescribed by a physician with rigorous training and extensive clinical experience, Chinese herbal medicine offers treatment that is both safe and effective.
I have been using Chinese herbal medicine in my clinical practice for more than forty years to treat a wide range of illnesses and to promote health maintenance. I also taught herbal medicine for many years. I tailor each formula to the patient’s needs and select the most convenient form for use — such as pleasant-tasting herbal teas, small pills, topical applications, or herbal plasters.
Many patients are surprised — even amazed — by the results. Some have affectionately called it their “magic tea.”
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is one of the oldest healing techniques in Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a history of more than ten thousand years — predating the development of acupuncture needles. Still widely practiced in China and other parts of Asia, it is used in both clinical settings and at home. The Chinese term for acupuncture, 针灸 (zhēn jiǔ), literally means “needles and moxa,” underscoring the central role of this therapy.
This therapy uses moxa, a healing herb made from dried mugwort leaves. When lit, moxa produces a deep, penetrating warmth that covers specific acupuncture points, meridians, or larger body areas to dispel internal cold.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cold accumulation — from iced drinks, raw foods, barefoot walking, or exposure to cold environments — can cause stagnation of energy and blood flow, contributing to pain, menstrual irregularities, and fertility challenges.
The warming sensation of moxibustion is soothing and deeply relaxing. Many patients describe it as their “favorite part of the treatment,” and even children enjoy it. In my clinic, I often combine moxibustion with acupuncture to enhance and accelerate healing. I also use it as a stand-alone therapy for pediatric conditions such as bed-wetting, asthma, and digestive issues, with consistently remarkable results.
cupping
Dr. Mary Tan uses cupping to treat her patients. Cupping is an ancient healing method practiced in China and many cultures around the world for thousands of years. This therapy uses cups made of glass, bamboo, or natural stone to create gentle warmth inside the cup, producing a comfortable suction on specific areas of the body. The suction lifts the skin, often leaving purplish marks, and works to open the circulation of qi and blood in the meridians, drawing out stagnation.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, illnesses can be categorized into patterns such as cold, heat, excess, deficiency, exterior, and interior. Cupping is most effective for exterior and excess conditions, such as food poisoning, acute asthma attacks, or muscle pain after strenuous exercise.
When applied appropriately, cupping can bring rapid relief. For example, severe nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting from food poisoning — or wheezing and excessive phlegm from asthma — can often be eased within minutes. This is why cupping has long been regarded in China as one of the most effective emergency treatments.
However, improper use — such as overly strong suction from forced rubber squeezing, or applying cupping to patients with deficiency or deep internal organ weakness — can be harmful. One way to assess proper application is by observing the marks left after treatment: dark purplish marks usually indicate correct use, while light pink or colorless marks may suggest inappropriate application.
Safe and effective cupping relies on accurate TCM diagnosis. Without proper training and understanding of TCM principles, cupping can be misapplied, leading to negative effects on health.
Food Therapy
“Food is medicine” has been understood and practiced in China for more than five thousand years. In daily life, people choose different parts and colors of foods to prevent, treat illness and support longevity. For example, dark-green vegetables help maintain healthy vision over a lifetime and may reduce premature graying of hair.
For decades, Dr. Mary Tan has observed and analyzed common, harmful eating patterns: irregular meal schedules, fluctuating portion sizes, unbalanced food groups, misguided fasting, and overindulgence in specific foods. These habits often become root causes of disease and shortened lifespan.
Dr. Tan uses a personalized approach, tailored to each patient’s needs, as an essential part of therapeutic healing. She emphasizes:
Regular daily schedule for breakfast, lunch, and dinner — do not skip meals.
Consistent portions at each meal — avoid large fluctuations.
Balanced food groups — about 30% grains, 40% vegetables, 10% fruit, 20% protein — do not eliminate any whole group.
Fasting at night, not in the morning.
Before COVID-19, Dr. Tan led popular therapeutic cooking classes, combining the theory of “food as medicine” with practical recipes and weekly meal plans — a program she plans to revive in her upcoming online teaching series.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
The clinical use of Chinese herbal medicine is very different from the Western idea of trying single herbs — such as “dandelion to detoxify the liver” or “wild chrysanthemum for colds.” It is also unlike the approach of so-called “herbalists” who know only a few plant remedies. The experimental stage of Chinese materia medica was completed more than three thousand years ago. Its integrated system of theory and clinical application was established by Zhang Zhongjing, the renowned physician and scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. His profound insight and highly effective clinical results remain vibrant and relevant today.
Chinese herbal prescriptions are carefully tailored by qualified TCM physicians for each individual patient. Rarely is a single herb used on its own; most formulas are thoughtfully designed combinations. In creating a prescription, the TCM physician:
Identifies the root cause of the illness.
Selects each herb with precision and care.
Balances the formula with meticulous attention.
Monitors the patient’s progress and adjusts as needed.
This approach aims to achieve the best possible outcomes — relieving or eliminating symptoms, preserving the function of vital organs, enhancing the body’s resistance and recovery, and slowing disease progression.
When prescribed by a physician with rigorous training and extensive clinical experience, Chinese herbal medicine offers treatment that is both safe and effective.
I have been using Chinese herbal medicine in my clinical practice for more than forty years to treat a wide range of illnesses and to promote health maintenance. I also taught herbal medicine for many years. I tailor each formula to the patient’s needs and select the most convenient form for use — such as pleasant-tasting herbal teas, small pills, topical applications, or herbal plasters.
Many patients are surprised — even amazed — by the results. Some have affectionately called it their “magic tea.”
Classical Chinese Jade Facial Care & Natural Skincare Products – An ancient Chinese method to preserve the youth and vitality of the face, enhanced with a complete range of handcrafted, all-natural skincare products made personally by Dr. Tan. Each item — including cleansing soap, gentle scrub, jade massage cream, rejuvenating mask, and nourishing moisturizer — is made from 100% natural, mostly organic ingredients, many sourced from Dr. Tan’s own garden of medicinal and aromatic flowers.
Beyond beauty care, Dr. Tan has developed specialized products for a variety of skin concerns, including itching, burning, acne, allergies, flea bites, mosquito repellent spray, and toenail fungal infections.