Breeders who find that one of their horses is prone to seizures may feel like it’s the beginning of a long, expensive road to recovery. It’s surprising, then, to know that of all veterinary medicines, Chinese herbal medication can provide a natural treatment for non-tumor-related cases. Similarly, researchers are finding that Chinese herbal remedies can be used to treat human illnesses, such as osteoarthritis, endometriosis, infertility, depression and fibromyalgia.

If you want to take full advantage of Chinese herbal remedies, then you should consider a holistic approach, as it is intended, and visit a specialist. For instance, if you have diabetes, then the qualified practitioner may recommend that you take turmeric on a daily basis to control blood sugar. Garlic capsules and ginseng are some of the alternative medicines used to keep blood sugar in check. Additionally, the doctor may target acupuncture points around the spleen, bladder, kidneys and pancreas to relieve stress and lower blood sugar. Yoga and meditation are a relaxing and enjoyable therapy to add to your daily regimen too.

“I think acceptance by the mainstream medicine is getting better and better,”said Che Chun Tao, professor and director of the School of Chinese Medicine at Chinese University. “I can tell you, before 1997 there were no doctors in hospitals who were willing to touch any herbal materials in clinical trials, but now there’s quite a number of clinical trials going on and there’s better acceptance from medical doctors. I believe a combination of traditional Chinese medicine together with western medicine is needed for treating serious diseases and it’s important to offer a choice for patients and the general public,” he said. Currently, clinical trials for Chinese herbal extracts are being tested all around the world to cure some of the world’s most serious diseases.

“It’s always worth looking at the unusual,” says Rebecca Wood, the chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust. “We shouldn’t assume we’ve got all the answers here. Just because something is traditional doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have active compounds in it.” She notes that 18 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s each year – a number that is expected to double by 2025, putting an enormous burden on the health system. Chinese herbal medicine is currently being studied to cure malaria (using wormwood), cancer (toad venom), chronic heart failure (hawthorn), diabetes (angelica) and strokes (red sage).