Traditional & Herbal Medicine
Centuries of Observation. Individualized Care.
Traditional healing systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Herbalism, and Ayurveda developed through centuries of careful observation. Today, these traditions continue to offer useful ways of understanding health, function, and the individual beyond a diagnosis alone.
Traditional Medicine Meets Modern Information
Traditional medicine and modern medicine often gather information in different ways.
Modern healthcare may rely on laboratory testing, imaging, pathology reports, and other objective measures. Traditional medicine often focuses on patterns of function, symptom presentation, constitution, resilience, and how an individual adapts and responds over time.
At SBCM, these approaches are not viewed as competing perspectives. They are different sources of information that may help illuminate different parts of the picture.
By bringing together clinical observation, traditional assessment, laboratory data, and medical history, we can develop a more complete understanding of the situation and make more informed decisions about care.
Custom Herbal Medicine at SBCM
As a compounding apothecary, SBCM creates custom herbal formulations tailored to the individual. Each formula is developed with careful consideration of the person's health history, current concerns, and the broader context in which those concerns exist.
Depending on the situation, formulations may include herbal teas, medicinal infusions, decoctions, tinctures, powders, capsules, custom aromatics, and other botanical preparations selected to fit the individual's needs and goals of care.
Drawing from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Herbalism, and contemporary botanical research, formulations are selected based on the individual and the situation being addressed.
A Broader View of Health
Traditional healing systems have long recognized that symptoms rarely exist in isolation. Health is often influenced by the interactions between the individual, their environment, and the condition itself.
At SBCM, this perspective is reflected in our Three Domains of Curiosity framework. By exploring these relationships together, we can organize complex information into a more meaningful and navigable picture.
The diagnosis matters, but so do the many relationships surrounding it.
A Collaborative Approach to Care
Many individuals seeking traditional medicine or herbal medicine are already working with physicians, specialists, therapists, or other healthcare providers.
At SBCM, traditional assessment methods, herbal medicine, laboratory testing, imaging, pathology reports, and specialist evaluations are viewed as different sources of information that may contribute to a better understanding of the situation.
Rather than choosing between traditional and modern approaches, we seek to understand what each perspective may contribute and how they may work together in support of the individual.
Working with
Oscar Sierra, L.Ac., RH
Oscar Sierra is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Registered Herbalist whose work draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Herbalism, functional medicine, nutrition, and modern clinical assessment.
Rather than focusing on a diagnosis alone, he works to understand the individual experiencing it. Through careful observation and the integration of information from multiple sources, he helps patients make sense of complex health situations and identify thoughtful paths forward.
As both a clinician and herbalist, Oscar develops custom herbal formulations through SBCM's compounding apothecary and embraces a collaborative approach to care. His approach reflects a deep respect for both traditional healing systems and modern clinical understanding.