China’s Obsession – Bigger Is Definitely Better

Posted by Cathy on

In China, BIGGER is definitely better.

Take a look for yourself.  These pictures tell it all.  

If you are going to build a statue in Asia, it's got to be big.  I mean really BIG.

Here in the U.S. we don't have much to compare with these. Mount Rushmore comes to mind but it is over 70 years old. 

These huge statues, all in China, have all been built in the last 20 years.

What's the reason BIGGER is better?  Not sure, what do you think?

AD 803

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
1994 
China's obsession over giant statues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China's obsession over giant statues
Located 30 kilometers south of Guangzhou city, South China's Guangdong province, the 40.8-meter Kwan-yin statue is the tallest gold-plated bronze statue in the world. It was completed in 1994.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China's obsession over giant statues
1996
Situated 160 kilometers north of Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, the 71-meter Leshan Grand Buddha was built in AD 803 during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). It is still the biggest stone-carved Buddha in the world and was included on the World Heritage List. It was the world's biggest Buddha for 1,200 years. Now, it only ranks seventh in China in terms of height. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China's obsession over giant statues

China's obsession over giant statues
The 88-meter Lingshan Grand Buddha built in 1996 is the main tourist attraction at Lingshan Buddhist Scenic Spot in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province. It is a bronze statue of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China's obsession over giant statues
Xijiaoshan Kwan-yin Statue is 61.9 meters high, situated on the top of a hill in Foshan city, South China's Guangdong province. It was completed in 1998 as the highest sitting Kwan-yin statue.

 

 
China's obsession over giant statues    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006

China's obsession over giant statues

  China's obsession over giant statues
Golden Statue of Puxian on Emei Mountain, in Sichuan province, was built in May 2006 and is 48 meters high. This 66-ton bronze likeness is endowed with 10 heads "to catch winds from 10 directions."

China's obsession over giant statues
The giant Kwan-yin statue is 108 meters high, located at Nanshan Temple in Sanya, South China's Hainan province. It was built in April 2005. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]  

 
   

2008 
 China's obsession over giant statues

  China's obsession over giant statues

 

2007
The 106-meter statue of Yandi (left) and Huangdi emperors was finished in April 2007 in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province. Chinese often refer to themselves as "sons and grandsons of the emperors Huangdi and Yandi."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China's obsession over giant statues
The Spring Temple Buddha built in 2008 is a statue depicting Vairocana Buddha in Zhaocun township of Lushan county, Central China's Henan province. At 128 meters, which includes a 20-meter lotus throne, it is the tallest statue in the world. If the statue's 25-meter pedestal is taken into account, the monument has a total height of 153 meters. The hill on which the statue stands was reshaped to form two more pedestals. The total height of the monument is now 208 meters. It is made of 108 kilograms of gold, 3,300 kilograms of alloy-copper and 15,000 tons of special steel. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China's obsession over giant statues

 
2009  China's obsession over giant statues
2010

 

  China's obsession over giant statues
The huge statue of Guan Gong, an ancient Chinese marshal from the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280), in Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, is made of copper and measures 61 meters. It was built in 2010, becoming the tallest statue of Duke Guan in the world.

China's obsession over giant statues
A thousand-hand Kwan-yin statue was finished in 2009 at Weishan Mountain in Central Hunan province. The statue is 99 meters high.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harvard Unlocks Secrets of Chinese Herbs

Posted by Cathy on

Harvard School of Dental Medicine has discovered the secret behind an herb used in Chinese herbal medicine.  The herb commonly known as Chang Shan, is a type of hydrangea with a bioactive ingredient that can treat autoimmune disorders.  This is not the first time a Chinese herb has been found to have chemical constituents with significant health benefits.  Most drugs today have their origins in phyto or plant chemicals.  

Chinese medicine has been using plants, insects, fish and shell fish for more than 2,000 years to treat mankind’s illnesses.  Learning the secrets behind the power of these herbs is still an emerging field and scientists are continually learning how various herbal compounds in plants block or stimulate pathways in the body, triggering other reactions.  

In this case, the hydrangea plant contains halofuginone (HF) a compound which blocks the development of a harmful class of immune cells called TH17 cells. These cells have many implications in autoimmune disorders.

“HF prevents the autoimmune response without dampening immunity altogether,” said Malcolm Whitman, a professor of developmental biology at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and senior author on the new study. “This compound could inspire novel therapeutic approaches to a variety of autoimmune disorders.”

Traditional Chinese Medicine is proving more amazing everyday.

This study involved an interdisciplinary team of researchers at Harvard-affiliated and Massachuetts General Hospital and published in Nature Chemical Biology, Febuary 2012.

Prior research had shown that HF reduced scarring in tissue, scleroderma (a tightening of the skin), multiple sclerosis, scar formation, and even cancer progression. “We thought HF must work on a signaling pathway that had many downstream effects,” said Keller.

Recognized only since 2006, Th17 cells are “bad actors,” implicated in many autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and psoriasis. The researchers found that minute doses of HF reduced multiple sclerosis in a mouse model. As such, it was one of a new arsenal of drugs that selectively inhibits autoimmune pathology without suppressing the immune system globally.

Click here to browse our line of natural and traditional Chinese Herbs.

This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University.

Reference:  http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/02/secrets-of-ancient-chinese-remedy-revealed/

 

Fascinating Facts On Chinese Herbs

Posted by Cathy on

Chinese herbs for sleep and menopauseWhat do I find most fascinating about Chinese medicine and Chinese herbs?  Maybe its because Chinese herbs are the oldest medicine on earth.  Practiced for nearly 5000 years. 

One of the oldest Chinese herbal text is the Shen Nong Ben Cao translated it is, “The Divine Farmers Materia Medica”.   This foundation book in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the book from which all others are derived.  

I love history.  The ability to read a 2000 year old book on the pharmacologocial activities of more than 365 plant, mineral, fish, shell fish, animal and insects is simply, AMAZING to me.   (This ancient herbal medicine text was written circa 30 AD.)  The use of plants and other pharmacologocial agents found in nature was explained with three key statements from the Shen Nong Ben Cao:

 

The highest level physician helps the patient fulfill their destiny.   “The upper class of medicines…..govern the nourishment of destiny and correspond to heaven…., If one wishes to prolong the years of life without aging, one should” use these. Sheng Nong Ben Cao 

Upper Class or superior drugs:

Superior drugs at the time of the Sheng Nong Ben Cao were those found to be nontoxic, and could be safely taken in large amounts for extended periods.  Today we know them as tonics. (Approximately 120)  Well-known superior drugs include:  ginseng, licorice, di huang (root of Rehmannia), huangqi (root of Astragalus), wu wei zi (fruit of Schisandra), gan cao, (licorice) sesame seed, magnolia flower, ling zhi (Ganoderma), fu ling or poria, Chinese date (fruit of Ziziphus jujuba.), Job’s tears [seed of Coix.) and duzhong (bark of Eucommia).  All of these superior herbs can be found in one or more of Pacific Herbs products.

“The mid-level physician treats constitution and helps the patient nourish their original nature.” Sheng Nong Ben Cao    

“The middle class of medicines govern the nourishment of one’s nature and correspond to man. …If one wishes to prevent illness and to supplement depletions and emaciations, one should” use these.

Middle Class Drugs:  (120 drugs) Middle class drugs are those that could be toxic or nontoxic, depending on usage. This included:  ginger, mahuang or ephedra herb (Ephedra), danggui (Angelica sinensis), jixuecao or gotu kola, kuandonghua or coltsfoot flower (flower of Tussilaqo), yinyanghuo (herb of Epimedium spp.), haizao (Sargassum), hehuan (bark of Albizzia julibriss), gaoben, and zhuling or polyporus [sclerotium of Polyporus umbellatus.

The lowest level physician treats symptoms only.

“The lower (class of) medicines….govern the treatment of illness and correspond to earth. If one wishes to remove cold, heat and (other) evil influences (from the body), to break accumulations, and to cure illnesses, one should base (one’s efforts) on (drugs listed in) the lower (class of this) manual.” Sheng Nong Ben Cao 

Inferior drugs are toxic, and are used for treating diseases and should not be used for extended periods  .Inferior drugs (approx 125  include fu zi and wu tou, which are roots of aconite (Aconitum carmichaeli), rhubarb root (root and rhizome), bai tou weng (root of Pulsatilla chinensis), lian qiao or forsythia fruit (Forsythia), qing hao, croton seed (fruit of Croton), guan zhong (rhizome of Dryopteris), and lang dang zi (Hyoscyamus niger).

 

Many of the drugs in the Shen Nong Ben Cao are still being used today for the same medicinal reasons as the time the information was first written down.  Two thousand years, their rationale can be scientifically justified.  For example, the use of haizao (Sargassum) for the treatment of swelling of the neck (goiter) can be explained by its high content of iodine.  There are endless examples. More than enough for another blog.

Some things never change.  Even after a few thousand years.

Alcohol Abuse Reduced With This Chinese Herb

Posted by Cathy on

herbs for alcohol

Are you struggling with alcohol abuse? Would you believe an herb (that grows as fast as weeds) could help you cut down your drinking habit?  Could this herbal alternative for alcoholics become a reality?

A Chinese herb that has been available for hundreds of years now has a new published study from  McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School found this Chinese herb helps alcohol drinkers reduce their intake. The study was recently published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

"It didn't stop the drinking," says researcher David M. Penetar, PhD, assistant professor of psychology, "they still drank, but they drank less."

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)  has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has references dating back to 600 A.D.   For the past 1400 years it has an excellent safety record.

Many tout the extract from kudzu, known as puerarin, as  a hangover remedy. Best of all, this all natural herbal alternative has no side-effects and if very inexpensive.  A weeks supply can cost as little as $6.00

When those in the study treated with puerarin they drank about a beer less than when they were treated with placebo.  On average, the men and women drank 3.5 beers after placebo and 2.4 after puerarin.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism funded the study. Even though this study was a small sample size, the study was designed well and the research outcomes validate what many have known for generations.   Chinese herbs can provide "Wellness For Centuries."

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) More Popular For Treating Children Than Western Medicine in Taiwan

Posted by Cathy on

(TCM) is one of the most commonly used Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM). However, there is a lack in the number of studies about the use of TCM for children. In Taiwan, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) medical visit services are fully reimbursed by National Health Insurance. Chinese herbs are also covered by their national health insurance system. A study in Taiwan used a nationwide cohort database to investigate demographics, diseases patterns, and parents’ characteristics of pediatric TCM users.

Children aged <12 years were extracted from the National Health Insurance Research Database for analysis. These pediatric TCM users’ demographics, medical conditions, and reasons for medical services were compared with users of Western medicine by Poisson regression. Children who did not use any medical services were excluded.

Of 107,337 children who were enrolled and followed up in 2005, 19,669 children (18.3%) used TCM. Compared with Western medicine-only users, school-age children (aged 6-12 years), preschool age children (3-5 years), and toddlers (1-2 years) were more likely to use TCM than infants (<1 year; rate ratio = 4.47, 3.66 and 2.59, respectively; P < .001 for all). Parental factors were associated with more TCM use, including female gender, age >35 years, past experience with TCM, and higher income levels. Allergic reactions and respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and musculoskeletal problems were also associated with higher TCM use.

The use of TCM was correlated with both patient and parental factors, among which children’s age and parental TCM use were the most prominent.

Source: PubMed  Pediatrics. 2012 May 14

Characteristics of Pediatric Traditional Chinese Medicine Users in Taiwan: A Nationwide Cohort Study.  Chen HY, Lin YH, Wu JC, Chen YC, Thien PF, Chen TJ, Yang SH, Chen JL, Lo SS.   Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan;

 

Energy Drinks Are Not Sexy!

Posted by Cathy on

Health Energy Booster Herb Pack with ginseng Even though energy drinks are readily available in every convenient store and a staple among students for the instant “pick-up”, the facts are now coming out about the damage they cause to your teeth.  Is a temporarily buzz worth all the cavities and what about the other side-effects?

Dental erosion doesn’t have anything to do with hygiene, it doesn’t have anything to do whether you brush your teeth or not. It’s just pure acid in the drink.

Sugar is Not Sexy Either

The other main ingredient in energy drinks is sugar. Energy drinks contain A LOT of sugar! For example a can of Monster energy drink contains 52g of sugar. A teaspoon of sugar weighs about 4g so the Monster drink contains an equivalent of 13 teaspoons of sugar.

This sugar acts to give a quick surge of energy. However an invasion of sugar into the bloodstream activates the release of insulin. Insulin is used by the body to regulate the level of blood sugar at a constant level. Insulin also stimulates the storage of fats and the increase in triglyceride levels. High triglyceride levels usually go in conjunction with low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Both of these are risk factors in cardiovascular disease.

Eating or drinking sugars per se does not cause diabetes but there has been research that has shown the link between the consumption of sweet drinks and increased levels of diabetes. High sugar levels also depress the immune system. Vitamin C and glucose have similar chemical structures so the process that allows sugar into the cells is the same as that which allows vitamin C into the cells. The result is that the more sugar there is the less Vitamin C there is. White blood cells require Vitamin C, with less, your immune system suffers.

There is also a link between consumption of sugar and teeth decay. Sugars assist plaque to form and develop on teeth. Plaque causes tooth decay. Tooth decay is not only painful it is also costly in terms of dental cover. Energy drinks are a particularly bad form of sugar intake in relation to teeth as they are usually consumed outside mealtimes.

Caffeine – An Adrenaline Rush Your Body Cannot Sustain

Energy drinks usually contain a large amount of caffeine. Some energy drinks have been found to include between three and five times as much caffeine as a can of cola. Caffeine is addictive; as the body gets more tolerant to the effects then increased levels of caffeine will be required to obtain the same level of stimulation. There have been many studies dealing with caffeine and human health over the years which have shown a number of adverse effects on the body:

  • Caffeine is a stimulant and so can cause heart palpitations, insomnia and anxiety attacks.
  • It is a diuretic and so causes your kidneys to remove extra fluid from your body. If this occurs whilst you are exercising then there is a danger of becoming severely dehydrated very quickly. Energy drinks should never be consumed in conjunction with exercise.
  • Caffeine has been shown to have an  adverse effect of the calcium balance in bone health so leading to a greater risk of fractures.
  • Mood or behavioural problems can occur from caffeine intake/
  • There have been links between caffeine intake and cancer.

Advertising for energy drinks is often targeted at children and young adults. You only have to consider advertising and sponsorship of extreme sports, snowboarding and skating. Although these drinks are often directed at adolescents they are the ones that are at greater risk from consuming caffeine. Doctors from the University of Miami paediatrics department warned “Frequently containing high and unregulated amounts of caffeine, these drinks have been reported in association with serious adverse effects, especially in children, adolescents and young adults with seizures, diabetes, cardiac abnormalities, or mood or behavioural disorders and those who take certain medications”. One report found that one can of energy drink given to children aged between five and twelve would result in seven out of the ten of them having consumed dangerous levels of caffeine.

There has also been a trend of mixing the energy drinks with alcohol because it makes the person feel alert and energetic even when they are drunk. This however is a lethal combination as both the caffeine and the alcohol act to dehydrate the body. The cocktail of energy drinks, alcohol, dancing and heat has led to numerous hospitalisations.

The bottom line is that large quantities of caffeine and refined sugars and bad for our bodies. The temporary boost given on the consumption of these drinks is masking the short and long term damage being caused. There are natural alternatives that will provide an energy lift that do not contain the caffeine and sugar. Pacific Herbs has the only all herbal, 500 year old Energy Booster in a packet. Twelve natural herbs like ginseng, goji berries and others which have been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Get a boost for your mind and body without the unwanted side effects.