I've been treated before by a Chinese medicine practitioner using acupuncture and herbs. It was very effective and she managed to stop my cold/flu in its tracks, which really impressed me (I didn't think such a thing was possible). With acupuncture I could get immediate results for help in breathing (a needle somewhere near the earlobe) and to clear sinuses, etc. I went regularly for a few months and took great comfort in being under her care as she was from China and had 40 years experience. (Yet she looked to be under 40 years old )! I guess she kept herself in balance.

I don't know about the specific herbs though (hope someone else can help there), I just know that from my experience, they look at your tongue and take your pulse and somehow realize whether you have too much damp, heat, etc., and then prescribe herbs to help counter the imbalance. I love that they look at you as a whole, and rather than necessarily trying to treat a specific disease, they try to get the body back into balance (and as such it is heals itself).

What an interesting photo. It looks like dried caterpillars on a stem.