Some medical conditions are best treated by herbal medicine, alone, or in conjunction with acupuncture. Unlike acupuncture, which in the US is only done weekly or bi-weekly due to time and financial constraint, herbs are taken in to the body several times a day and bathe every cell with their internal healing properties.
       Herbs work synergistically in the body by augmenting, dispersing, calming, warming, etc. depending on the desired effect and are safe when prescribed by a knowledgeable practitioner.
       There are several different options available offered by herbalist, Susan DeAraujo, at the Be Well Holistic Center. For complicated cases requiring a completely customized prescription, 12-16 herbs are written into a 98-gram weekly formula that is faxed to an herbal pharmacy in Quincy, where it is overseen by Dr. Tao Xie, filled, and mailed out directly to the patient's home. The herbs come ground and powered. Patients mix them with water and drink them down 2 times per day. For straightforward cases, or for those patients who need/want the convenience of tablets, the Be Well Center has a complete herbal patent pharmacy. One or more herbal patents may be prescribed and the tablets are usually swallowed down with water 2-3 times per day.
       Chinese medicinal herbs are harvested from plants (roots, bark, flowers, seeds, fruit), shells, minerals, animal (rare) and other sources. Botanists check for accuracy in genus and specie. Susan DeAraujo has chosen an herbal company with the high test quality of herbal identification and manufacturing to assure her herbal clients of their safety.
       The Be Well Center also has a variety of topical/external herbal and homeopathy treatments for conditions such as acne and other skin conditions, plasters/ointments for arthritic pain conditions and vitamins/supplements for specific and general health maintenance.