China’s Obsession – Bigger Is Definitely Better

Posted by Cathy on May 28, 2012

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

		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.

		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]		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

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.

2005		2006

		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."

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		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."
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]

2009
2009		2010
		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.

A thousand-hand Kwan-yin statue was finished in 2009 at Weishan Mountain in Central Hunan province. The statue is 99 meters high.

Alcohol Abuse Reduced With This Chinese Herb

Posted by Cathy on May 19, 2012

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 May 12, 2012

(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;

Dandelion For Breast Cancer

Posted by Cathy on April 1, 2012

News from the University of New Mexico, the lowly dandelion has been shown effective at fighting breast cancer and prostate cancer. Used for centuries in Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine the dandelion plant has been used for many aliments.

"The study demonstrates a number of of previously unknown effects of Taraxacum officinale on human cancer cells and suggests that TO (dandelion) extracts or individual components present in the extracts may be of value as novel anti-cancer agents"¹

The medicinial benefits from dandelion in this study are attributed to one specific Taraxacum species extract so don't assume the dandelion you buy at your local farmers market or that growing in the lawn will have the same health benefits.

We know that plants and herbs all play a significant role in the discovery of new medicines particularly in the area of cancer research. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dandelion is used to clear heat, especially liver heat with red, swollen, painful eyes. Dandelion also goes by the name Pu gong ying and has been known to dissipate nodules and reduce abscesses in the breast and promote lactation when lack is due to heat. Pu gong ying has been used in treating breast cancer in TCM for many years and this study confirms why dandelion is a one of the most useful herbs for breast cancer patients.

References:

1. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 32: 1085-1090, 2008

Evaluation of aqueous extracts of Taraxacum officinale on growth and invasion of breast and prostate cancer cells SOPHIA C. SIGSTEDT1, CARLA J. HOOTEN1, MANIKA C. CALLEWAERT1, AARON R. JENKINS1,ANNTHERESE E. ROMERO1, MICHAEL J. PULLIN2, ALEXANDER KORNIENKO3,TIMOTHY K. LOWREY4, SEVERINE VAN SLAMBROUCK1* and WIM F.A. STEELANT1*

Laboratories of 1Biochemical and Biomedical Research, 2Aqueous Environmental Chemistry, and 3Synthetic Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM; 4UNM Herbarium, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA Received December 4, 2007; Accepted January 25, 2008

What You Need To Know About Energy Drinks

Posted by Cathy on February 22, 2012

The news about energy drinks is beginning to reach the main stream media. Regardless of the size of the market most of the energy drinks are “cans full of drugs”. Nearly every day somebody is overdosing on energy drinks. This post by Sari Harrar, explains the phenomenon.

_____________________________________________________________________

Teens and young adults spend an estimated $2.3 billion annually on energy drinks laced with caffeine and herbal stimulants. But these aggressively marketed and pricey beverages (called “drugs in a can” and “a pharmacological Molotov cocktail” by Oklahoma State University researchers in one recent report) do more than clean out their wallets.

Over 5,000 reported caffeine overdoses in recent years—46 percent in kids age 18 and younger—have been attributed to them, say University of Miami researchers in a 2011 study in the journal Pediatrics. With caffeine levels up to three to five times higher than a 12-ounce cola, these drinks may also contain rev-you-up herbal stimulants like guarana and yerba mate. Liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders, agitation, seizures, psychotic problems, muscle break-down, off-rhythm heartbeats, high blood pressure, heart failure, heart attack and even death have been reported in energy drink users in Europe, the U. of Miami researchers warned. And kids taking medications for attention deficit disorders or who have diabetes or heart problems may be at extra risk.

Denmark, Sweden, Australia and Germany have partial or complete bans on their sale to kids. Last fall, Canada began requiring new warnings and stricter caffeine limits. What’s happening in the U.S.? Here’s what parents should know:

The U.S. has no standard definition of an ‘energy drink.’ The Food and Drug Administration only sets caffeine levels on cola drinks, allowing energy-drink makers to pack their beverages with more. (The American Beverage Association has voluntary guidelines for caffeine limits and warning labels, but not all drink makers comply.) Many contain even higher levels than may be listed on the label, because herbs like yerba mate also pack considerable amounts of caffeine.
They’re marketed aggressively to preteens and teens. Flavors like strawberry lemonade and apple cherry and slogans like “party like a rock star!” and ‘ultimate energy rush’ are just the beginning. Energy-drink websites lure kids with come-ons about bands, athletes and celebrities. Coupons and free samples get them started.
Energy drinks don’t help performance. They made timing, coordination, alertness and concentration worse in one Oklahoma State University study of student pilots. In fact, after triggering a burst of stress hormones and feel-good brain chemicals, your energy levels plummet.
One can isn’t one serving. Many contain 2 or even 4 servings per can—but who (especially a thirsty teen) stops at a quarter-can? Drinking the whole thing means they’ve just downed two to four times more caffeine than they’d get from a single serving.

What can you do? Talk with your kid about the downsides of these drinks. And help them save money (energy drinks can cost $2 to $4 a can) by offering bottled water, herbal iced tea (make it at home with fruity herbal tea bags, water, and a little sugar) or seltzer with juice or a squeeze of lemon.

Let us know what you’re doing—and how you feel about energy drinks marketed to kids by leaving your comments here.

Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer – The Real Risk

Posted by Cathy on February 10, 2012

The largest study on on HRT has been completed. One million British women participated and the results are no surprise. Well, no surprise to many of us. As a result of this study the British drug regulator has ordered doctors to now talk to their patients. Yes, talk, something many doctors don't have time to do.

British doc's have been ordered to appraise their patients of the risks of prolonged hormone therapy (HT), and they must do this annually. This order came about because the study concluded women are twice as likely to develop breast cancer when taking combined HRT (Hormone-replacement therapy)¹.

Millions of British women take HRT to alleviate menopause-associated hot flushes, sweating and mood swings. Around half take a combination of the hormones oestrogen and progestogen.

Over the past decade, some 20,000 extra cases of breast cancer in British women aged between 50 and 64 are attributable to HRT, the new study finds – three-quarters of those are linked to combination therapy. This risk is only associated with HRT taken for ten years or more – cancer incidence falls appreciably the less time a woman spends undergoing the therapy.

Breast cancer due to HRT has also been found to occurs earlier than previously thought. After only two to three years of therapy. The risk after just one year is negligible, and five years after stopping HRT the risk returns to baseline.

The study also reveals that the risks associated with tablets, patches and implants are the same. "Now we can actually give women an evidence-based answer," says Julietta Patnick, director of cancer screening with the UK National Health Service.

If you are one of the millions of women trying to balance your quality-of-life benefits with the choice of using hormone therapy consider there are other alternatives which have been used in other cultures for centuries. Chinese herbs for menopause like Menopause Relief Herb Pack is one of those alternatives. There is no risk of uterine cancer and NO increased risk of breast cancer. Even bio-identical hormone therapy has risks. We just don't know about them yet because it is so new. Do you really want to chance it?

There is an easier and safer solution. You can have quality of life during the

menopausal years. You can sleep through the night and have a day

without flashes.

You owe it to yourself to do some research and try a natural safe alternative.

References:

Beral, V. and the Million Women Study collaborators. Breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy in the Million Women Study. Lancet, 362, 419 – 427, (2003).

Hodis, H. N. et al. Hormone therapy and the progression of coronary-artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women. New England Journal of Medicine, 349, 535 – 545, (2003).

The Chinese Herb Licorice Root For Cavities & Gum Disease

Posted by Cathy on January 11, 2012

One of the most commonly used Chinese herbs is licorice root and Web MD recently mentioned how licorice root can help prevent and treat tooth decay and gum disease.

According to a new study in the Journal of Natural Products, licorice root may help keep teeth healthy. But you won’t find the beneficial ingredients in licorice candy. Licorice candy is mostly sugar and in the U.S. often flavored with anise oil.

The herb licorice root is in nearly every herbal formulations in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The main reason for its popularity is its sweet flavor and its remarkable ability to guide other herbs to all 12 channels in the body. This might sound a little odd, but if you’ve ever dug up a small licorice plant you can see the roots tend to go in all directions. It is an interesting quality about this herb, because many herb roots don’t travel outwardly, they simple grow down. But the licorice plant has roots that are born to run.

I was once digging up a small 5 foot tall licorice that has meandered into the wrong garden space. As we followed the roots to clean up the space, they went 10-15 feet in several different directions. This Chinese herb seems to act the same way in the body and this is often why a very small amount, usually 3%- 6% of Traditional Chinese herb formulas often contain licorice. (Also known as Gan Cao.) Gan Cao helps other herbs in a formula travel to all 12 channels in the body. This is a very rare quality, there are only a few herbs with the ability to travel to all areas of the body.

I consider it an added bonus that licorice prevents tooth decay. A very small amount of licorice (3%) is found in our iSleep Herb Pack. It has traditionally been part of the 800 year old formula that iSleep is based upon. No reason to change something that 800 years of use has already proved successful.

The Active Ingredients

The two predominant compounds in licorice, licoricidin and licorisoflavan A, were found to be the most effective in inhibiting the growth of cavity-causing bacteria. These and other compounds found in licorice root were also shown to prevent the growth of bacteria associated with periodontitis, an inflammatory disease that can destroy the bones, gums, and tissue that maintain teeth.

Warnings about the effects of licorice for those with high blood pressure need some explanation. Studies on licorice root extract have shown a dose of 60 grams or more per 100g formula had side effects. However, this dose is at least 10X higher than the safe and recommended dosage used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Licorice has been used safely and effectively for thousand of years. There is no documented historical use of licorice ever being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine at a dose of 60 grams in a 100g formula. Like anything, if you abuse an herb, just like caffeine, or any drug, there can be serious side effects. It is always important to know the safe and correct dose of any medication.

P.S. Licorice root raw slices have a lovely little flavor if you need something healthy to chew on during the day. All Chinese markets sell them because they are often thrown into soups or used for a cup of tea. A lovely Asian tradition that we now know also protects our teeth.

Our Need For Speed Is Going Herbal

Posted by Cathy on December 26, 2011

Do you have enough energy to stay ahead of the game?

You can if you know the rules of the game.

Building, storing and keeping energy are the keys. But today’s fast paced, multitasking world creates many different stressors on our bodies. Often physical and emotional stress can drain us. With so much on our plates, how do we take enough time to give our body the fuel it needs to cope in our ultra-fast, get it done yesterday environment?

Eat well, build muscle and fat to store energy and then our bodies have enough to survive and thrive. These rules have always applied, but getting the right, high octane fuel is not so easy in our modern world. This is where coffee comes in handy. It is the perfect natural stimulant, right? It’s cheap, works fast and gives us that energy boost we desire. Yet, coffee does not contain anything that PRODUCES energy, it simply causes your body to release adrenaline into the blood. Adrenaline is a hormone that produces the “fight or flight” response. It is also known as the hormone epinephrine. Constant stress or surges of adrenaline caused by an overuse of caffeine can “burn out” or deplete your adrenal glands.

In other words, coffee forces the body to create and release energy

it doesn’t really have at the time.

The real problem is that you don’t know you are depleting your adrenals until you have exhausted this reserve. When you are running on empty, you can feel run down and feel compelled to add stimulating substances like sugar and more caffeine to get through the day.

Incredibly, our “need for speed” can be energized and replenished with natural herbal stimulants. Nature has provided us with herbs called adaptogenes. There are only a handful of herbal adaptogens which include American Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng, Rhodiola, and Cordyceps. These tonic herbs energize the body within minutes when high quality herbs are used. These herbs let you stay ahead of the game.

Tonic herbs build energy reserves by giving your body an

incredible array of

nutrients to create real and lasting energy.

The extraordinary naturally occurring chemical compounds in ginseng include ginsenocides, polysaccharides, saponins and several steroid compounds have been studied at major institutions around the world. These herbal compounds help the body recover from stress and fatigue while their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties regulate blood sugar. Some nutrients in ginseng act similar to anabolic steroids which are found in the body and are a safe alternative for athletes instead of synthetic steroids. Another component in ginseng is germanium which has a powerful hydrogenating effect on the body, especially on the liver.

In addition, there are more than eight different ginsenocides in various types of high quality ginseng which act as adrenal tonics. Korea has a University dedicated to studying different types of ginseng and Japan, Germany, Taiwan and China all have approved ginseng in their national health insurance coverage. Think about it, coffee is not paid for in the government insurance programs but ginseng is!

Ginseng is a safe herb that can be consumed every day without

any of the damaging effects of excessive caffeine.

A combination of blood tonic herbs and adaptogenic herbs is best and this perfect combination is found in Energy Booster Herb Pack. This combination of herbs in Energy Booster Herb Pack has been used for over 500 years to promote energy and vitality. Energy Booster Herb Pack has two types of ginseng, Asian ginseng and American ginseng. In addition, it contains goji berries and 10 other herbs all which work together to boost your energy naturally.

Build your body’s energy reserves, naturally. Artificially draining your adrenals day and day out is no way to stay ahead of the game. Find out why other countries include ginseng in their national health insurance to insure the health and well being of their population. There is no reason to go about your day being physically and mentally drained. The perfect answer to supplement your daily energy needs is now easy and convenient. Energy Booster Herb Pack tastes great in water or just dissolve the concentrated herbal extract in your mouth. You’ll feel the boost almost immediately and discover the energy you have been missing to stay ahead of the game.

Largest Herbal Medicine Garden In The World

Posted by Cathy on December 11, 2011 with 1 Comment

The Guiness Book of World Records has a new entry. The largest medicinal garden in the world has now been entered into the Guiness Book. Where else would the largest garden of herbal medicine be located? China, of course. China uses more herbal medicine to keep its 1.3 billion people healthy, than anywhere else in the world.

China is also home to the oldest recorded medical system in the world, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM has been practiced and perfected for over 3000 years. The new botanical herb medicinal garden is a perfect way to celebrate the medicine the Chinese have given the world. TCM is practiced in just about every country in the world and the herbs used in TCM have a long and rich history of providing the world with some of the most effective natural medicine known to man.

Ginseng is one of the 6000 herbs growing in the garden. One hundred of the medicinal plants are endangered varieties and over 30 of the herbs are new varieties.

The garden also has 100,000 medicinal plant images. Its objective is to cultivate, collect and save medicinal plants along with conducting research. The garden is also expected to be an advanced international medicinal plants conservation base and a center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) culture and science.

The garden is in a rural area of China that grows many of the herbs in the garden. The new garden is certain to bring more interest to Guangxi Zhuang, an area known for growing a large variety of Chinese herbal medicine.

Chinese Herb Helps Prevent Osteoporosis

Posted by Cathy on December 4, 2011

The Herb Salvia Miltiorrhiza Used in an Extract Helps Osteoporosis.

New evidence now exists about the Chinese herb, Salvia Miltiorrhiza. This herb has been used for thousands of years and has been praised for its benefits for cardiovascular disease. The latest study on Salvia Miltiorrhiza indicates that this Chinese herb can also be beneficial to those suffering with osteoporosis, a thinning of the bones or loss of bone density over time.

The recent osteoporosis study results showed Salvia Miltiorrhiza (also known as Dan Shen) “significantly reduced the decrease in bone density.” The researchers believe the preventative effect of this Chinese herb was “due to its anti-oxidative stress via modulation of osteoclast maturation and number.” The researchers went on to say it “appears Salvia Miltiorrhiza could be a promising new osteoporosis therapeutic natural product.”
As women age and go through menopause they often begin to worry about their bone density. Chinese herbs are a safe and natural answer for this concern.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, Dan Shen is well known for promoting blood circulation and soothing nerves. It improves micro-circulation, is an excellent anti-oxidant, reduces blood fat and helps the liver and kidneys to regulate.

Ambien Side Effects Same With Intermezzo Sleep Aid

Posted by Cathy on November 25, 2011

FDA just approved a sublingual Ambien for “insomnia in the middle of the night followed by difficulty returning to sleep”

It has taken a few years, but the FDA has now approved Intermezzo, a low dose drug with the same active ingredient as Ambien. Zolpidem tartrate will now be in a sub-lingual tablet form rather than the sleeping pill, Ambien.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, said Shakespeare and in this case Intermezzo is still Ambien and the side-effects are the same.

For people who have difficulty staying asleep and can’t fall back to sleep we recommend an herbal sleep aid that has been used for centuries, safely.

If you are looking for completely safe and natural herbal sleep aids that can be taken in the middle of the night and works without side-effects you owe it to yourself to try Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. The herbs in our iSleep Herb Pack have been used safely and effectively for hundreds of years and clinically tested on thousands of patients worldwide.

Sleeping pills have serious side effects and this issue has been raised by the FDA regarding Intermezzo. In fact, the FDA told manufacturer of the drug, Trancept previously that it was concerned about patients being too impaired to drive the day after use. Their answer was a revision of the warning label, “patients should have at least 4 hours of bedtime remaining”. The common side effects listed for this sleeping pill including headache, nausea and fatigue. As with Ambien and other prescription sleeping aids, Intermezzo can cause a person to get out of bed while not fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. Reported activities while under the influence of sleep medicines have included driving a car, making and eating food, having sex, talking on the phone, and sleep walking, without knowing at the time or remembering later. Chances of such adverse activity is increased if a person has consumed alcohol or taken other medicines that make them feel sleepy.

Herbal sleep aids have no side-effects. If you’ve tried Chamomile and Valerian and they haven’t worked for you, try out iSleep Herb Pack. It does not contain valerian or chamomile rather a combination of herbs that has worked for billions Chinese for over 800 years.

Do Chinese Herbs Grown in a Hostile Environment Make Better Medicine?

Posted by Cathy on November 16, 2011

Today’s blog I’m looking for some feedback, because, people on all continents, for thousands of years have used the power of herbal remedies. After all these years of use, and thanks to modern chemistry, we know which plants produce what compounds that makes it effective as an herbal sleep aid, an herb for energy, an antimicrobial or for whatever therapeutic results is intended. Today we farm these herbs all around the world, including in California as my last post described the growing of Da Zao, the Chinese herb well known for digestion.

But, is there a difference between an herb (Chinese herb or Western herb) which is farm raised compared to one which grows naturally in the wild? Wild crafted herbs were historically the only ones used for healing benefits. Agriculture is a fairly recent event in the 60,000 years since Neanderthal man. Plants growing today in nature obviously live in a more hostile environment than those living on a farm. Farm raised herbs are protected by the farmer because the farmers depend on the crop for their livelihood. Greenhouses are constructed, watering systems, fertilizers etc. etc.

On the contrary, herbs growing in the wild are exposed to their world 24/7. It is exactly this exposure of temperature extremes, water deprivation or flooding, wind, rain and even predators trampling them or eating them that give an herb its strength. A weak plant will not survive harsh elements of nature and dies without reproducing. A strong plant will produce the chemical compounds it needs to survive and often, these are exactly the compounds we know have the healing benefits. Does farm grown valerian produce the same active chemical constituents as valerian that was once harvested only in wild fields? Ginseng, for example is one of the highest priced herbs when found in the wild and is officially recognized as wild grown with a government certificate declaring the exact location of origin. Farm raised ginseng, on the other hand, fetches nominal prices in comparison.

Darwin’s theory, “survival of the fittest” makes sense in the plant kingdom just as it does in the animal kingdom.

Where do YOUR herbs come from? Are they wild grown or wild crafted herbs or are they grown in a comfortable farm where they are fed, watered and looked after. Are wild crafted herbs better? What do you think? Is your herbal sleep aid more efficacious when it is produced from herbs grown in their native environments or is farm raised just as good or better?

Tag: Herbal Medicine

The Active Ingredients

The Herb Salvia Miltiorrhiza Used in an Extract Helps Osteoporosis.

FDA just approved a sublingual Ambien for “insomnia in the middle of the night followed by difficulty returning to sleep”

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