Aug 22
Chinese herb, emodin, has been shown to effectively reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes.
A new study has found that emodin, a natural product that can be extracted from various Chinese herbs including Rheum palmatum and Polygonum cuspidatum, shows promise as an agent that could reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes.
The study showed that giving emodin to mice with diet-induced obesity lowered blood glucose and serum insulin, improved insulin resistance and lead to more healthy levels of lipid in the blood. It also decreased body weight and reduced central fat mass.
Aug 10
Chinese herbs infused in coffee is all the rage in Trinidad and Tobago
For some people, starting the day without the caffeine rush of a cup of coffee could be considered the unpardonable sin, never mind the crash that almost always follows. Researchers have found that coffee is the most consumed liquid in the world, after water, and the most traded commodity, after oil. But there are many who believe that coffee, as it is normally manufactured, is far from being a healthy beverage—among them, independent distributor of The World’s Healthier Coffee, Dexter Williams.
Tagged with: Coffee
Jul 15
Want a healthy, vibrant looking skin? Look no further, these Chinese herbs can help you achieve splendid skin!
Since ancient times, the Chinese have formulated many secret recipes for beautifying the skin and nourishing the hair.
It is said that beauty obsessed some of the imperial concubines who regularly took recipes to remain young and beautiful even when they were in their 50s.
Here is a prescription for nourishing qi and blood and for abolishing freckles: “Take 5 grams of white peony root, 5 grams of large-head Atractylodes, 5 grams of China root, and 2.5 grams of licorice. Heat in water and drink it when it is warm.” This is suitable to use for rough skin, chloasma (brown spots), and pigmentation.
Tagged with: Skin
Jun 29
University of Bristol will be the site of Europe’s first Chinese herb garden. The garden will feature diverse herbs that the continent has ever seen.
The Chinese Herb Garden has been made possible due to a special collaboration between the University of Bristol’s Botanic Garden and the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine, which regulates Chinese practitioners in the UK.
The herb garden, based in the University’s Botanic Garden, will have the most diverse collection of sacred lotus plants (Nelumbo nucifera) in the UK. Each plant is a pedigree that has been certified by The Centre for Chinese Lotus Research in Wuhan, China, the foremost lotus-breeding centre in the world
Jun 28
Wolfberry or “gou qi” in Chinese, is a common Chinese herb that is believed to enhance one’s immunity and improves one’s eye sight.
There is a cheap alternative to precious Chinese herbs ginseng and lingzhi mushroom, and it is widely available in supermarkets around the Sultanate.
Wolfberry, or known as “gou qi” in Chinese, is a bright orange-red berry that is rich in germanium, an element known for its ability to improve the immune system of the human body.
According to Dr Andy Sun, herbs that are richest in germanium are ginseng and lingzhi mushroom, but both of these herbs are too expensive for the general public.
Cheaper ginsengs go for about a few hundred dollars in the market, and the very good ones can easily cost more than $10,000. For lingzhi, which in Chinese means “herb of spiritual potency”, a few hundred grammes can cost from slightly less than a hundred to a few hundred, depending on the species.
May 27
Some herbs have shown to be effective in treating ADHD, this article highlights some of these herbs.
Just like with most issues that a person can have, ADHD can be controlled using certain herbs and other natural ways. There really is no need to medicate a child out of his mind just because he seems to have more energy than the next child. And a child that is below or going through the adolescent years of his life is not supposed to have the concentration of a full grown adult. In fact are we not taught that a child’s brain is still developing up to even in the early twenties?
Tagged with: ADHD
May 18
An interesting article, including some recipes, for how to heal yourself with herbs.
The “perception of plants as purely ornamental objects is a strange, cultural anomaly that has existed in only one civilization in history — our own. In every other culture, the plants that surround us are a living supermarket, pharmacy” and more, the star of a BBC show in the United Kingdom says in the book’s preface.
In modern society, the use of plants from the garden to help cure ills dropped off decades ago but is seeing resurgence, says Louise Hyde, owner of Well-Sweep Herb farm, which has been in Port Murray, Mansfield Township, for 43 years.
“Medicinal herbs are big,” Hyde says. That’s why, for the past 15 years, she’s been bringing in Warren County herbalist and ethnobotanist David Winston to present programs on the topic. He’ll be back on the farm leading a medicinal herb walk May 21.
While we may have heard of mint tea to soothe the stomach or chamomile to calm the nerves, there are natural remedies to address everything from athlete’s foot, to bad breath, to irritable bowel syndrome.
Tagged with: alternative therapy • Herbs
May 07
Many men and women suffer from hair loss, there are many remedies on the market and herbs stem the loss of hair and enable hair to grow.
Many herbs have been shown to prevent hair loss and enable hair to grow. Thinning hair, or alopecia, is a condition that is caused by aging and also genetics. Nutritional deficiencies can also cause hair loss. Herbs have been used for thousands of years to help regrow hair. Taken internally or applied to the scalp, herbs are a gentle and natural way to prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth.
Polygonum Multiflorum is Used to Recolor and Regrow Hair
Polygonum is known in Chinese medicine as He Shou Wu. For centuries this herb has been used to treat hair loss. Recently, the American Botanical Council reported that this herb may be useful to restore color to graying hair, as well as stimulating hair growth.
Tagged with: Hair Loss
May 05
Shou Wu can help reverse gray hair and give it a more youthful appearance. To order, click here.
For some, gray hair can be a sign of character or give a distinguished appearance. For others, gray hair can be an unwanted, daily reminder of advanced age. Conventional, mainstream approaches to restoring hair’s natural color are often just dyes or other synthetic methods of covering up the gray. Chinese medicine offers an alternative that doesn’t cover up signs of aging but actually gets to the “root” of the issue and can “turn back the clock.”
He Shou Wu (pronounced huh show woo) is a tuberous plant that’s medicinal quality is found in its root. It is native to China and also found in Japan and Taiwan. This herb, sometimes referred to as Fo-Ti or by its Latin name Polygonum multiflorum, is revered in Chinese medicine for its anti-aging and longevity-promoting effects. He Shou Wu means “black haired Mr. He” and is named after an elderly Chinese man who reportedly took the herb to restore his youth and vitality and saw the return of his black hair. This capacity to restore a person’s natural hair color is one of its most famous attributes.
Tagged with: Shou Wu
May 03
Herbal smoothies are the latest health fad in trendy southern California; Chinese herb insused smoothies are meant to increase one’s energy and strength.
Smoothies are a wonderful way to enjoy fruits of all kinds — not just the bananas and berries we’re used to throwing in a blender but also more unusual choices, like nutrient-dense kiwis. I like a smoothie that has more to it than fresh fruit, though, so lately I’ve been experimenting with adding oatmeal, nuts or nut butters and seeds. I think you’ll like the results.
I’ve also been looking at old-fashioned Southern California recipes for “date shakes,” and I’ve come up with a few date-sweetened drinks that have seen me through many a morning workout at the pool.
Of course, smoothies aren’t just for fruit. When I began work on this week’s recipes, I had a dim memory of a thick shake I used to make many years ago with carrots. I found the recipe in an old New York Times natural foods cookbook and tweaked it a bit. Now I remember why I liked it so much: it’s nice to have a smoothie you can chew on.
