Chinese Herbal Medicine
Discover the healing potential of Chinese herbs to support your fertility, hormonal health and well-being.
Chinese herbs offer a gentle yet powerful boost, addressing the root of health issues from the inside out.
Herbs are a core treatment in Chinese Medicine, and a powerful way to address women’s health and fertility, while enhancing overall health. Experience the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine, prescribed by an experienced, registered practitioner, either in person in Armadale, Melbourne or worldwide via telehealth.
Benefits of Chinese herbs
Chinese herbs are a natural way to enhance health and well-being. These herbs are used to supplement and boost your system, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and restore balance.
For example, adaptogens like Ginseng (ren shen) and Astragalus (huang qi) help the body manage stress, boost immune function and increase energy levels.
Chinese herbs are most effective when tailored to your unique needs. During your consultation we carry out a comprehensive health assessment to create a personalised herbal treatment plan, addressing both your main health concern and overall well-being. As treatment progresses, we adjust your herbal prescription as needed.
A typical herbal formula includes 4-15 herbs, carefully combined for synergy and balance. These prescriptions, rooted in over 2000 years of research and clinical application, aim to bring long-lasting improvements in your health.
Chinese medicine targets the underlying cause, so you may feel calmer and more energized as your condition improves.
What's in my Chinese herbs?
Quality and Safety
Chinese herbs are natural botanical medicinals, mainly plant materials such as bark, leaves, seeds and roots, as well as minerals.
We prioritise safety and quality in our herbal medicines, so our raw herbs are Eurofins certified, meaning they are independently batch-tested to ensure they are free from heavy metals, chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Our prepared pills and capsules are TGA licensed, ensuring their premium quality.
Flexible Options
We offer herbs in convenient forms to fit your lifestyle, from potent raw herbal formulas you can boil at home, to powdered herbal formulas you can drink like a cup of tea. There are also easy-to-take capsules and pills, and tinctures (ready-made liquid extracts).
This flexibility allows us to find the most effective and convenient solution tailored to your unique needs.
Raw Chinese herbs
Raw Chinese herbs are a powerful and natural way to address your specific health concerns. With no fillers, you receive only the highest quality, certified herbs, just as nature intended. Once you’ve made progress, we can switch to powders or pills to consolidate.
When you brew your custom-designed herbal formula, you’re actively taking steps to improve your health. While the herbs have a distinct taste, my patients are pleasantly surprised at how much better they feel.
My herbal training and experience
Years of mentorship with the renowned Chinese herbalist Steven Clavey provided me with a deep and comprehensive understanding of women’s health conditions. From endometriosis and fertility challenges to PMS and perimenopause, I learned how to select the right herbal formula for every situation, troubleshoot when needed, and flexibly adjust prescriptions for lasting results.
I continue to expand my knowledge by drawing from thousands of years of Chinese medicine clinical experience and studying with experts worldwide in gynaecology and fertility, dermatology, longevity and mental health.
With 20 years of experience, I now enjoy “paying it forward” by lecturing and mentoring students and practitioners in the art and science of Chinese herbal medicine, sharing my passion and expertise to help others achieve optimal health for their patients.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Instructions for cooking your Chinese herbs
1. Empty the contents of one packet into your cooking pot. Add 4 cups of warm water (or enough to cover the herbs), and soak for 20 minutes. Bring the herbs to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid ajar, or until 1 ½ cups liquid remains. It is easy to forget the simmering herbs, so use a timer. Strain the liquid into a container and set aside.
2. Add 3 ½ cups of boiling water to the herbs in the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes or until 1 ½ cups liquid remains. Strain the liquid into the container – there should now be approximately 3 cups of herbal liquid, mixed together to ensure even strength.
3. Keep the liquid in the fridge, but make sure to drink it warm or at room temperature, at the dosage advised during your appointment. Your herbs will stay fresh for approximately 5 days – if you haven’t finished them in this time then the remainder can be frozen.
Place the recommended dose (usually 1-2 tsp) of powdered herbs in a cup, pour in 1/2 cup boiling water and leave to infuse for at least 5 minutes – just like making a cup of tea.
Let the sediment settle to the bottom or use a strainer to remove, and drink your herbs (warm or at room temperature).
At Four Gates Chinese Medicine we only use top quality herbal medicines. Our raw herbs are Eurofins certified, which means they are batch-tested by an independent German lab and are free from heavy metals, chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Our prepared pills and capsules are TGA licensed, ensuring their quality and safety.
No endangered species are allowed to be used, and as a registered allied healthcare professional we are held to strict guidelines in this regard.
When you see an experienced, registered Chinese herbalist you can be confident they are highly trained and aware of herb-drug interactions and any potential contraindications to treatment.
Yes, if they are prescribed by an experienced herbalist – there are many herbs we avoid using in pregnancy, this is a time when we only use herbs that were traditionally said to “calm the fetus” and support physiology in pregnancy. Chinese herbs are always prescribed in combination, and these herbal formulas have synergistic effects that make them more moderate and easier to digest, compared with herbs used singly.
If you are pregnant, or trying to conceive, your practitioner will take this into account when prescribing herbs for you. The herbs that we use are the highest quality and under strict controls to ensure their safety and efficacy.
Chinese herbs vary in price, and we use the highest quality. A weekly dose of customised raw or granule herbal formula will generally range from $18 – $36. You may be prescribed herbal pills, capsules, tinctures, or supplements in addition, depending on your needs, and this will be discussed in your consultation.
I will work with you to find the best solution for you.
Because Chinese medicine is a holistic healthcare system, and herbs are prescribed to fit your individual presentation, almost any condition can be addressed. There are times when Western medicine is needed, and we are experienced in working alongside other specialists for an integrative approach.
Conditions we see include:
- Infertility
- Period pain
- Endometriosis
- Perimenopause
- Hormone imbalance
- Digestive health
- Skin conditions
- Energy and immunity
Wondering if we can help you with something? Send us a message: info@fourgates.com.au