s, TCM treats not just the illness but the person with the illness.
The herbs are categorised as warming or cooling, and then further categorised according to the effect they have on the human body. Generally speaking, sweet herbs nourish depleted qi, sour herbs act as astringents, bitter herbs dry dampness, acrid herbs resolve stagnation and salty herbs soften and purge. In this way, heat within the body can be cooled, cold can be warmed, dampness is dried and agitation, calmed, among other things.1
Qualified TCM physicians prescribe herbs singly or in blends to suit the precise requirements of individual patients. Some herbs are consumed raw or brewed into teas. Others are conveniently available as powdered concentrates to be mixed with water, or in the form of tablets and capsules.
It is not unusual for a TCM practitioner to advice a patient to add ginger to his food to fight the flu, or honey to his tea to help insomnia.
In TCM, food is its own medicine.
Like herbs, food items are categorized according to whether they are warming or cooling, and then again according to their tastes and effects. Generally, bitter foods drain heat and dry dampness; sour foods act as astringents and are cooling; spicy foods have a warming effect, and are useful in moving qi; salty food are cooling and help retain fluids in the body; and sweet foods are either neutral or warm, and are nourishing.
Since each person is uniquely different, whether a particular food will help nourish him or further deplete his energy depends on the condition and needs of that person.
Ultimately, with a suitable practitioner who understands your condition, TCM offers therapies that are safe and reliable. While relatively new in the west, they have been successfully used for thousands of years in China and across Asia, and are backed by a growing body of scientific research.
1Schoenbart, B., & Shefi, E. (2007, August 12). Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine Categories. Retrieved from How Stuff Works Website: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/chinese/traditional-chinese-herbal-medicine1.htm
2Zilavy, P. (2011). Traditional Chinese Medicine Dietary Therapy. Retrieved from Lotus Root Acupuncture Website: http://www.lotusrootacupuncture.com/nutritition.html