Granules are Chinese herbs in powder form. They are analogous to instant coffee except for herbal formulas and single herbs.

Capsules do not allow for customization. While non-customized formulas are not without value in all situations, we aim to offer the best of Chinese Medicine for modern people. Customization allows for the most benefit and fastest results. Capsules also make it difficult to take a therapeutic dosage; you would need to take 15 or more capsules per day which would be uncomfortable for most people. Tinctures are also often prepackaged and don’t allow for customization, though that’s not always the case. Granules are more often than not more potent than tinctures. During the process of creating granules, volatile actives are captured into the resulting powder, whereas they are often lost when making a tincture. Additionally, there are some herbs and medicinal substances that are incorporated into the formula as the herb itself ground into a powder (rather than a tea made from the herbs and dried). It’s not possible to include these ingredients in a tincture; in that sense they offer less versatility. Finally, the availability of single herbs and formulas is both limited and more expensive than granule formulas. 

They taste herbal, earthy and sometimes bitter. The taste varies depending on the custom formula. They generally don’t taste great, but they are well tolerated. Many patients are surprised at how quickly they get used to taking their herbs and even come to crave the taste of them. 

While some medicinals are animal based, most are plant based. Patients that are vegan or vegetarian may still be good candidates for herbal therapy. We always screen our patients for food allergies and restrictions and take this into consideration when recommending and prescribing herbal therapy.

No. We aim to offer the best of Chinese Medicine for modern people and that includes custom herbal formulas. The cost of herbal care is as much for the consultation and custom herbal formula as it is for the herbs themselves. *Please be cautious buying Chinese herbal supplements online. It is a known issue that some Chinese herbal formulas may be laced with pharmaceuticals if not from a reputable source.

No, we practice herbal medicine according to Chinese Medicine principles which does not require labwork. If you have had labwork done we may ask that you share it with us as it may help inform the overall picture of your health, but it’s a primary diagnostic tool in Chinese Medicine

We gather information from the patient intake and the consultation including details of your health history, current complaint, and secondary complaints. We also diagnostic tools specific to Chinese Medicine including looking at the top and bottom of your tongue, and feeling your pulse (if in-person). These all provide information that allows us to apply the Chinese medicine framework to determine which underlying “pattern” or patterns are present. From there we can select an appropriate custom formula that addresses both underlying patterns and immediate symptoms.

The initial consultation takes 10-20min. If you are beginning herbal therapy immediately following the consultation, that is an additional 15-20 min. If you are receiving acupuncture as well, your herbs will be filled while you receive your acupuncture treatment. For herbal care follow up appointments please allow 30 minutes. For acupuncture and herbal care follow up please allow 50 minutes.

Yes we do! Please email info@gothamholistic.com to book a consultation.

We do, however the cost of courier service will be paid by the patient. Alternatively we can ship them to you; this is usually under $10 to an address within the 5 boroughs and typically arrives the next business day. Alternatively, if you would like to pick up herbs after clinic hours that can also be arranged.

That really depends on what you took before. If what you took before was a prepackaged herbal product, even if it was recommended by a licensed acupuncturist, it’s likely the formula wasn’t exactly right for you and/or wasn’t a high enough dosage (see “Therapeutic Dosage” above). If you worked with another Chinese herbalist that gave you a custom granule formula, we’ll dig into the details of this during your complimentary consultation to find out if our services are worthwhile for you.

Yes, most likely. Taking pharmaceutical medications alongside Chinese herbs is generally considered very safe. Most commonly taken drugs are not an issue at all. There are a few medications that would contraindicate some Chinese herbs. We screen carefully for any potential interactions during our intake and consultation process.

If you are already working with a functional medicine practitioner, naturopath, or integrative medicine doctor, or other provider that has you taking many supplements, Chinese Herbal therapy may not be appropriate for you. Multivitamins and minerals are completely fine; the issue presents when patients are already taking a lot of other herbal supplements. While it’s completely fine and safe to continue some pharmaceutical medications alongside Chinese herbal therapy, it’s not ideal to take a lot of other herbs besides the one that would be given in your custom formula. This makes it difficult for us to judge how the Chinese herbal therapy is affecting you and what therapy is causing which symptoms or changes.