Goji Berries Price Increases, How Much Are the Benefits Worth?

Posted by Cathy on with 1 Comment

best herb Goji berries

  • With the price of Goji berries going through the roof, I'm ready to plant my own bushes and grow them myself.  I guess the secret is out on the benefits of this tiny, tart berry.  It has only taken 30 years since modern day researchers discovered this marvelous little Chinese herb that has been used for centuries. 

Here is a list of benefits based on modern research and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

  • Improve brain function

  • Reduces fatigue

  • Has liver protector qualities

  • Enhances vision

  • Energy booster and Immunity booster

  • Increase libido

  • Reduces symptoms of diabetes

  • Reduces menopause night sweats

  • Over 60 studies show goji support healthy heart function

  • Goji have been combined with cancer drugs to reverse cancer growth

 

 

One of the largest scientific studies on lycium fruit, (latin name) reported  that eating 50 grams (slightly less than 2 ounces) of Goji Berry caused an increase in the white blood cell count. There was also an increase of 75 % in antibody immunoglobin A (IgA).

We added a large dose of goji berry to our Menopause Relief Herb Pac. It helped improved the taste while helping with night sweats.  Although it may have some benefit as a natural sleep aid, it has more proven benefit of helping to reduce menopausal night sweats.

Goji berry also reduces DNA damage and protect DNA in animal studies. This is great news for anyone who concerned about aging. Goji berry also protects your liver.

The berries contain a compound called cerebrosides ks and is better at protecting the liver than milk thistle.

Goji berry’s polysaccharides protect testicular cells against damage from free radicals.

Goji berry also protect against Alzheimer’s disease by protecting the neurons in the brain against beta amyloid protein. This deadly protein is associated with Alzheimer’s. This is welcome news since Alzheimer’s is expected to reach epidemic levels in aging baby boomers.

Another study showed the Goji polysaccharides increase the production of interleukin-2. This protein protects against cancer and bacteria.

Goji berry may reduce insulin resistance. Diabetic animals  fed Goji berries for three weeks show reduced weight and improved triglyceride, cholesterol and insulin levels.

In conclusion, Goji berry is immune-enhancing, cytoprotective and anti-tumor, a  true win-win-win combination.

We now have two excellent Goji berriers products, capsules and granule powder.  Our granules can be easily added to a shake or sprinkled on food or dissolved in warm water to drink as a tea. I like to place a little on my tongue and savor the flavor.    Our granules/powder are highly concentrated and one bottle will last at least a month. Capsules are easy to take and convenient. You can find them both in our store, here.    

References:

  1. Tian M and Wang M, Studies on extraction, isolation, and composition of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, Journal of Traditional Chinese Herb Drugs, 2006 31(19): 1603–1607
  2. Yong Peng, et.al., Quantification of zeaxanthin dipalmitate and total carotenoids in Lycium fruits, 2006 Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 60(4): 161–164
  3. Trieschmann M, et.al., Changes in macular pigment optical density and serum concentrations of its constituent carotenoids following supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin, Experimental Eye Research 2007; 84(4): 718–728
  4. Rosenthal JM, et.al., Dose-ranging study of lutein supplementation in persons aged 60 years or older, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2006; 47(12): 5227–5233
  5. Wang Qiang, et.al., Determination of polysaccharide contents in Fructus Lycii, Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs 1991; 22(2): 67–68
  6. Yu MS, et.al., Characterization of the effects of anti-aging medicine Fructus lycii on beta-amyloid peptide neurotoxicity, International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2007; 20(2): 261–268
  7. Qian JY, Liu D, and Huang AG, The efficiency of flavonoids in polar extracts of Lycium chinense Mill fruits as free radical scavenger, Food Chemistry 2004; 87(2): 283–288
  8. Cheng CY, et.al., Fasting plasma zeaxanthin response to Fructus barbarum in a food-based human supplementation trial, British Journal of Nutrition 2005; 93(1): 123–130
  9. Chang RC and So KF, Use of Anti-aging Herbal Medicine, Lycium barbarum, Against Aging-  associated Diseases, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 2007

Hot Flash on Menopause Supplements, Not All Are Created Equal

Posted by Cathy on with 1 Comment

herbal remedies for menopause

When it’s cold outside but you're burning up on the inside, it might be menopause.  That wonderful time around "mid-life" when women's bodies often need a thermostat adjustment.  With all the bad news about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) you may prefer a more natural, herbal product for those hot flashes and night sweats.  

Your in luck, there are lots to choose from!

I personally always like to check in with Consumerlab.com before I purchase any herbs or natural supplement for menopause or any affliction for that matter.   Consumer labs independently test products and lists the reports on their website.  It’s astonishing to see how many products don’t pass the tests, often because the ingredients on the label don’t match the ingredients in the bottle.  When I checked out the herbal menopause section on Consumerlabs.com I found most of the 20 or so products failed to meet minimum standards.   Sorry, I can't post that information here,  they have a strict copyright policy.  (You can sign up for an account to see them all for yourselves.)   

It's a buyers beware world in supplements today. One of the worst offenders was a  black cohosh product which  tested positive for high amounts of lead.  Others failed because the soy levels were much lower than the label stated or  because they did not list the botanicals inside on the label.  Yet, you will find all these products for hot flashes and night sweats in the health food stores.  So buyer beware of what your getting.  Do your research and know where your herbs are coming from, who’s packing them and what’s really in them. You really don't want to be paying for  heavy metals in your herbal supplements.  Also note black cohosh warning for liver damage and should not be used long term.

At Pac Herbs we purchase only premium quality herbs that have been tested for heavy metals and bacteria such as e-coli, and pesticide residues.  We are completely transparent about where are products are manufactured and how they are tested.  Our herbs are batch tested for potency and finished products must again pass  for active herbal chemical constituents.  We use only the highest grade pharmaceutical factory in the world to process our herbal Menopause Relief  (no black cohosh) and all our other products.   Take a virtual tour of our factory here and if you have any questions let us know.  We guarantee everything we sell.

Sleep Aids Valerian and Hops Check Dosage

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Natural Sleep aids with Chinese herbsIf you are looking for a natural sleep aid to help you stay horizontal through-out the night, we've got news for you.  The traditional herbs used in the West for help sleeping are valerian and hops. Maybe you've heard of them.   In one of the most thoroughly conducted research studies on these herbs, it was discovered  these herbs only work when extracted together.  

These top researchers in Switzerland conducted a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to demonstrate the fixed combination of chemical constituents from the plants.  What the researchers found is that only when these two herbs are used in a fixed combination at 500 milligrams valerian extract siccum to 120 milligrams hops extract siccum,  did they reduce sleep latency.  The valerian extract alone was no better than a placebo.  Always check product dosages for the best results.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long history of using herbs together.  When using Chinese herbs as an over-the-counter sleep aid, either mixed at a Chinese pharmacy or in prepackaged packets like our iSleep Herb Pac, it is most common to have herbs combined together to create a synergistic action that is much more effective than any one herb working alone.  Chinese herbs are always used in combination formulas for the very same reason this study demonstrates.  They simply work better, together.  Studies can prove this, but it is really history of over a thousand years of using herbs cooked together which has provided this knowledge.  

 

For more info on this study:

Koetter U, Schrader E, Kaufeler R. et al. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, prospective clinical study to demonstrate clinical efficacy of a fixed valerian hops extract combination (Ze 91019) in patients suffering from non-organic sleep disorder. Phytother Res. 2007 May 8.

Does the PMS Monster Wreck Your Life?

Posted by Cathy on with 3 Comments

Best Natural PMS relief - a 100% herbal alternative that works Although it may seem like men do not understand the pains of a woman’s monthly cycle, they suffer from it just as much as women do. But let’s face it — men can’t imagine the burden of a monthly period just like women could never fathom the pain of being kicked in the groin. And why would we want to?

For males throughout history, a woman menstrual cycle has been a foreign and repulsive topic. Aside from the physical symptoms that deem a woman dirty and unattractive, the real monster takes the shape of emotional instability and irritability. The primary victims are women, but we understand that it takes a toll on men as well. The monster creeps in quietly, without warning, and waits.

We may find ourselves feeling ultra sensitive, vulnerable, and demanding extra care. The PMS monster has one goal—to wreak havoc on everyone! Its steep spiral sends us into scary places where we may begin ruminating on past experiences and jumping to conclusions. The PMS monster enlists emotion, which stakes its claim over the territory and takes no prisoners. It cuts off all resources of reason and rationality and forces us to focus on our pain. Hormones can be powerful forces when out of balance.

Men, are just as effected by the monster. The most loving, carrying man now can’t do anything right. Men may wonder why the women in their lives are crying at the sight of something joyful, or are raging in response to a simple question. The truth is that we are possessed by the PMS monster, hormones gone wild. Once it takes over, no man is safe, not even the most caring, patient male will be free from the unpredictable behavior set off by the wretched monster that possesses his beloved. She may rant and rave for a day or a night, men never seem to get use to this unpredictable behavior that defies all logic.

Men may even succumb to the saying: "Never trust anything that bleeds for days straight and lives to tell about it."

However, there is hope! Along with the burden mother nature has placed on us, she has also provided us with natural solutions that can combat the reign of terror set off by Pre-menstrual Syndrome and the companion symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, depression, headache, edema and abdominal pain. Mother Nature’s herbal agents, dang gui peony root, bupleurum and cyperus root are just a few of the warriors that can be recruited to restore the natural balance to women, men, and relationships. Women will experience less pain, mood lifts and energy, and men will experience less confusion and frustration.

Mother Nature’s wonder drugs (a.k.a. herbs) have been used in Chinese Medicine for generations and can help restore a woman’s natural balance.   These herbs have the power to calm and sooth the PMS monster.  We packaged it in convenient stay fresh PACkets to keep the herbs fresh and therefore more potent than anything you can find in capsules.  The blend of specific herbs gives PMS Relief Herb Pac a real punch when it comes to knocking out the PMS monster.  What do you have to loose, the PMS monster?  We guarantee it!

Licorice Root Chemicals Found To Help Brain and Alzheimer’s

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Just another amazing plant compound that has been around a couple thousand years.  Now 21st century science is catching up.  Licorice root, a Chinese herb, is being studied at the University of South Carolina.  The researchers found an extract in this root can prevent brain cell death in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

We’re not talking about licorice in the form of candy, you’ll have to use the root of the licorice plant.  The specific plant the researchers are studying comes from the high mountains of China, where it grows like weeds, as do many Chinese herbs.

Apparently, it is the LQ or liquiritigenin in the licorice that mimics the hormone estrogen.  The researchers are growing brain cells and studying the effects of the LQ on them. Looking at microscopic views of the brain cells, healthy cells have lots of green dots.

“Those green spots are where the cells actually connect,” Dr. Booze says. “And what happens in diseases  like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s  is that the neurons lose their connectivity. So we study the green dots of connectivity and use the phytoestrogens to increase the green dots.”

Her research is the first ever done on LQ and the first to test some of these phytoestrogens in the brain.

“My long-term goal, my dream would be a prevention, but we’re not there yet. Obviously we’re still looking at the effects in our dishes,” she says.

Introducing Menopause Relief Herb Pac – A Natural Alternative to HRT

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If you are a woman looking for a natural answer to uncomfortable menopause symptoms you need to know about Menopause Relief Herb Pac.  A natural herbal remedy for menopause symptom relief  that has worked for generations and is now easy and convenient as a tea.

Pac Herbs “Menopause Relief” is a slightly modified version of one of the most popular herbal formulas used around the world.   Originally published in 1114 A.D. called Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, and also known as Eight Flavor Rehmannia Formula.  It is one of the most renowned classic Chinese herbal formulas used for purging fire (hot flashes/ night sweats) while simultaneously nourishing a woman’s yin energy.

Our highly concentrated granules are produced in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine standards. Simply mix a teaspoon in water and drink as a delicious tasting tea.   There are no known side-effects or adverse reactions associated with this product, nor are there any drug interactions after millions of doses and hundreds of research studies.  Menopause Relief Herb Pac can safely be taken over a long period of time, from several months to over a year.

This combination of herbs has been helpful for women who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats. It may also be beneficial for a diminished libido, urinary infections and chronic sore throats. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is used for those with insufficient liver and kidney yin plus heat signs. 

A  deficiency of yin commonly leads to (an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone) heat such as hot flashes, night sweats and restlessness, warmth in the palms and soles and sore throats. Our formula nourishes both the yin and the yang energies.

Our commitment to sourcing and using the highest quality botanical Chinese herbal extract is our first promise. The processing of raw herbs into concentrated granule extract is done in a modern, state-of-the-art pharmaceutical facility, under the strictest GMP and ISO standards.  Because we use only granules preserved in sealed packets, we do not have capsules or pills which need fillers such as magnesium sterate, artificial colors, binders, salt, sugar, corn, yeast, gluten, gelatin or preservatives, to insure machines don’t clog while filling capsules or making tablets and pills.   Our packets contain only pure herbal extract, nothing else.