By Cathy Margolin
on July 2, 2010
Eleurthero, a plant has been around for thousands of years. It's been used to boost the immune system and to fight off everyday colds and flu's. It's a powerful adaptogenic herb which, like ginseng, gives the body what it needs.
Wikipedia's definition of an herbal adaptogen is "a natural herb product that is proposed to increase the body's resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. In the past, they have been called rejuvenating herbs, qi tonics, rasayanas, or restoratives. All adaptogens contain antioxidants, but antioxidants are not necessarily adaptogens."
Ginseng is probably my favorite adaptogen but Eleuthero runs a close second. In fact, Eleuthero is a relative of red ginseng. Both of these Chinese herbal medicine plants have documented use since about 190 AD. The root holds the medicinal value and is…
By Cathy Margolin
on June 27, 2010
Many young women are looking for a natural alternative to birth control pills for the PMS and cramps they get each month. Chinese herbs are very effective at controlling and eliminating PMS (premenstrual syndrome). The birth control pill is an option many women choose because they are not familiar with Chinese herbal medicine.
The approach I take is very different than the way progesterone and estrogen therapy found in the "Pill". Chinese Medicine can treat PMS and cramps successfully without artificial hormones.
Chinese Medicine recognizes that the liver is an organ that not just cleans blood but also moves blood. When the liver is overly taxed by stress, lack of sleep, drugs or accumulation of chemicals (including hormones found in our food supply) the liver…
By Cathy Margolin
on June 14, 2010
Often people ask me how do you know herbs work? I often wish I had a one sentence answer. Sometimes I feel this answer is equal to explaining the human genome. Not every answer can be that simplified. Whether I'm being asked about the herbs in the Pac Herbs packets or about Chinese herbs or Western herb or South American herbs, the first clarification is what type of herbs are we discussing?
Because my background in Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbs of Asia, I will refer to only "Chinese herbs" here. Plants or Chinese herbs have naturally grown in the wilderness of Asia since earliest recorded history. Because many are not the same species of plants as those found in North America many of these herbs are new to Americans. Mother Nature gives…
By Cathy Margolin
on June 7, 2010
During my weekend farmers market stop I found a surprise hiding between the asparagus and the zucchini. A farmers table was filled with berries. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries but then in a small inconspicuous container were . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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mulberries. Not quite as appealing and certainly not as popular. Most folks kept asking "what are those"? They looked like a little basket of worms. Ah, but to a self proclaimed herbal medicine witch, a mulberry is much more than just a berry. It's a kidney tonic, prized for it's health benefits. To find these berries in Southern California is highly unusual. Mulberries need a bit colder climate and even then, mulberries are not easy to pick…
By Cathy Margolin
on May 28, 2010
Summertime is upon us and it’s heating up out there. Forget the lemonade and the passion fruit ice tea, here's two recipes with natural herbs for real thirst quenching. These are great for anyone who wants a cool, refreshing drink that’s packed with vitamins and heat relieving properties. These thirst quencher ice teas are healthier than sports drinks and vitamin waters and yet still taste good.
This tea is also greener!! Instead of buying and tossing those plastic (BPA ridden) bottles into landfills, you’re making a healthy fitness beverage. You may not know these Chinese herbs but you can easily find them in Asian markets or on the Internet. These teas have cooling properties to help keep you comfortable on those hot and humid summer days. If you’re exercising in the heat these teas are perfect to…
By Cathy Margolin
on April 25, 2010
The 7.1 earthquake that hit China April 14 now has a rippling effect on the most famous of
Chinese herbs,
cordyceps. Families are depending on this acclaimed herb not just for their health but now, more than ever before, for income. Cordyceps is one of most sought after
Chinese herbs which grows in the mountains near the region heavily hit by the quake.
The twig like fungus that grows from a caterpillar shell is found in the mountainous region near where the quake crumbled the regions small villages. Because of over harvesting today it’s found only at high altitudes. Families traditionally start to hunt in late May for this fungus which is known for its miraculous healing properties. More locals are hoping to recover some of their loses by digging and
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By Cathy Margolin
on April 13, 2010
A new
sugar substitute has hit the American market and it won't raise your blood sugar level. This small gourd is the size of your palm and it’s 300 times sweeter than sugar by weight, and the locals of this Asian fruit know it as Lo Han Guo or Longevity Fruit. It got it's name because the folks that grow and often eat Lo Han Guo have an unusually high number of people within their communities living over 100 years. Nobody really knows whether its the fruit they eat but the name stuck anyway.
What really makes this fruit so special is a chemical called mogrosides, in addition to glucose and fructose, which give it a very sweet, sugary flavor. It has now been developed into a non-caloric sweetener to compete with other herbal sweeteners such as stevia. We
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By Cathy Margolin
on March 21, 2010
Flowering plants are smart. They know how to grab our attention and the attention of passing insects. Flowers are intentionally flaunting sex. Makes perfect sense really, since it's the flowers job to manage the reproduction of the plant. Plants produce beautiful flower petals of varying colors and shapes to advertise the sexual organs ever so masterly hidden inside. Flowers release powerful aphrodisiac scents, an instinctive incentive for insects to come in and play. Nectar and pollen are the insects' rewards and the plant benefits from the insects who carry their pollen to other plants which insures rapid fertilization and reproduction. Flowers are smarter than you might think, but there's more to flowers than just sex.
As spring weather emerges and flowers begin to bloom, you might want to consider that many flowers do much more than just look pretty. We
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