The best herbal all natural sleep aid is made with Traditional Chinese Herbs. Try Chinese herbs they are a true natural sleep aid, you can’t the way you feel the day after.

Prevention Magazine’s “9 Natural Cures” leaves off Chinese Herbs?

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When I was a teen and found Prevention Magazine I was in heaven. It was the first magazine of it’s kind to talk about natural cures and I knew then, (circa 1976)  they were on to something. Now, some years later, the whole country knows what Prevention Magazine knew back then.  Natural cures do work, from Acupuncture, to chocolate for it’s flavonoids, and certainly the ancient practice of Tai Chi.  Here’s a quick video from the Today Show and the editor of Prevention Magazine about “9 Natural Cures you Trust”.

I have to say, I’m a little disappointed Chinese herbs did make Prevention’s  top “9” list.  There are certainly enough studies done on herbs especially Chinese herbs that are used by over a billion people on the planet to qualify them as “cures you can trust”.  Additionally, Chinese herbal medicine has been used for over 2000 continuous years, one would think that alone would give it enough credence to be included in the category of “Natural cures you can trust”. 

Herbs such as  Spiny Jujube for insomnia are a good example of an extremely trust worthy cure.  Spiny jujube is a Chinese herb used to help calm the mind and attain a good nights sleep. I understand that Prevention Magazine looked at cures which had studies backing the data but…  one study looked at the insomnia cases of over 16,000 people, and concluded Spiny Jujube combined with other herbs was the most successful herbal formula for insomnia.  In fact, everyone in China knows this herb and combined with other herbs it was our inspiration to create iSleep Herb Pac for those suffering with  insomnia.  

I feel certain that if Prevention Magazine had a  “Ten Natural Cures you can trust list.. instead of Nine.. Chinese herbs would be the tenth item on the list, don’t you?

Thanks for reading.

Some Farmers Markets Have the Chinese Herb Da Zao

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I love the Farmers Markets near me.  The Los Angeles area has a different Farmers Market everyday of the week.  Lately I've found red dates at the market, they're called da zao or fructus jujubae in Chinese Medicine.   They taste a little sweet fresh but when dried the sugar content seems much more concentrated.  A little like the difference between fresh grapes and dried raisins. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the red date is used to tonify  or strengthen the Qi (energy).  Tonic herbs such as ginseng and red date can be eaten daily to boost immunity strengthen the a persons constitution and improve overall health.  Red date can tonify the blood, which means it can help organs such as the liver and spleen do their jobs better.   To receive the maximum health benefits from red dates you would need to eat  3-12 pieces of fruit a day or use it in pill or powder from that has the active constituents extracted and then packed into powders that offer a high dosage.  Although, in Chinese Medicine it is not recommended as a single herb remedy.

Da Zao has some sedative effects on the central nervous system.  We included it in our iSleep Herb Pac for this very reason.  It also helps give iSleep a pleasantly sweet taste.  It has been an herb used in cooking because of it's sweet flavor.  It is used in many receipies because it's  known to promote digestive functions.  Chinese herb formulas often add da zao and ginger  together  to increase the absorption of herbs when taken in an herb formula. Don't over look this little fruit if you see it in the farmers markets.   I usually buy it dried at the Asian markets near me, but its nice to eat it fresh every now and then.

Sleeping Through The Night, Naturally

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Best natural herbal sleep aid is Ziziphi or Suan Zao Ren Having a good night of sleep can make all the difference in having a good day ahead.  The video below gives some good ideas about Western herbs for sleep and some foods that may help calm you down in the evening. But unfortunately, the dietitian in this segment of Fox News has obviously not heard of Chinese herbs that are commonly used as sleep aids. Drinking  Ziziphi or Suan Zao Ren tea, otherwise known as  spiny jujube seed, can give you as much if not more relaxation as chamomile tea or valerian tea.  Americans are not as familiar with Chinese herbs because they are not yet as pervasive on the store shelves, but they are coming. (Ours are already here)  As the world gets smaller, Americans are learnimg more about convention herbal medicines from far away places such as China. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ziziphi seed is widely used with other herbs for the treatment of insomnia.  I was in a health food store the other day talking to people about  iSleep Herb Pac and it was inspiring to hear talk so many people who want to end their addiction to prescription sleep aids.   Natural alternatives to sleepless nights do exist.   Herbs used in Asia for generations like spiny jujube/ziziphi are the new natural drug of choice.

There are many studies which have examined the effective components of this herb. They have all come to similar conclusions, the sedative and hypnotic effects of jujube seeds come from three important compounds, flavonoids, saponins, and polysaccharides all found inside. The combination and concentration of these chemicals and  is truly remarkable in each little seed.  Together these active chemicals prolong sleep time, provide more REM sleep and decrease sleep latency, or the time it takes to fall asleep.  Some studies point more to the saponins, also found in many foods (ie, alfalfa, fenugreek, oats and potatoes) which help you feel that sedative effect.  Asian cultures have known these effects for generations, they never needed a study to know that suan zao ren helps you sleep.  They know from experience, past down from generation to generation. They also know Chinese herbs are more effective when combined together with other herbs. But we're still learning.

Pub Med study on Semen Ziziphi spinosae/ Suan Zao Ren

New Chinese Herb Garden at Bristol University

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It's been 10 years in the making! This  Saturday, July 3,  2010 is the official opening of the Chinese herb garden in at Bristol University in the UK and I wish I could be there.  Apparently, it's  designed to be a teaching garden with over 200 species of  herbs growing.   According to the  gardens curator Nick Wray, "the aim of the garden is to be as healing in design, as it is in content".

The garden will also be used to further research on plants used in Chinese medicine and research plants which are currently under threat in the wild in China. 

Chinese medicine practitioner Tony Harrison donated his well established collection of Chinese herbs to the university in 2000, after it became too large for his own plot in Cotham, Bristol. Part of the gardens purpose is a dedication to teaching traditional Chinese herbal medicine.   "The collection is vital for research, which requires the living plant," said Tony Harrison.  "We will also be introducing students of herbal medicine to plants they have previously only seen as dried specimens." 

Wow,  it's fantastic to hear how Chinese medicine is spreading and everyday more Westerners are being introduced to the benefits of this incredibly ancient medicine.  According to Nick the curator, 80% of the worlds population still depend on plants for their health care.  Amazing, you would never know that by the amount of pills Americans take… but we are the minority. 

If you want to see a short video shot in the garden click here. One more thing to add to my bucket list. 

Dietary Supplements and Chinese Herbs are Still Safe, Access Untouched

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Did you hear the Dis-Honorable Henry Waxman (D, CA) Congressman,   tried in earnest to attach wording to the current finance bill in congress that would have given the  Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expanded powers to restrict access to dietary supplements including herbal supplements and Chinese herbs.   

As Fox News reported it was "The Congressional Equivalent of Isner v. Mahut".

The deliberations were nearly as long as the just completed  Isner v. Mahut Wimbledon tennis match. The match now holds the world record for the longest tennis match in the history.

Waxman also had the powerful support of Congressman Barney Frank (D,MA.) Barney Frank closed the conference committee at 5:39 am Friday morning, June 25th after all day and all night deliberations.  Millions of Americans depend on supplements and this was a great win for Alternative Medicine and Chinese herbs. The bill will now be submitted to the House and Senate without language that would have limited access to supplements.  For now anyway, dietary supplements are still available and herbs will still be on the store shelves. 

Europe however, is battling for it's herbs and supplements to remain free, we shall see what the outcome will be across the pond in the very near future.

FDA Tells Prescription Sleep Aid Manufacturer to Remove TV AD

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Natural Sleep AidsI don’t usually blog about prescription drugs,  I’d much rather talk about herbs, especially Chinese herbs.  But in this case, I consider this more of a “Public Service Announcement”.  Most of my readers have strong feelings against taking any pharmaceutical drugs and have an inherent mistrust of drug companies.  Here’s another reason why a growing segment of the public feels they can’t trust the drug companies or their TV commercials.

June 17, 2010:  According to Carrie Newcomer, a Regulatory Review Officer at the FDA, Division of Drug Marketing, Lunesta, a prescription sleep medication made by Sepracor, has made an “unsubstantiated superiority claims” in a TV commercial.  According to the FDA’s  letter to Sepracor.  “Promotional materials are misleading if they represent or suggest that a drug is safer or more effective than another drug, when this has not been demonstrated by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience.”


The FDA’s has reviewed a 60 second commercial and has sent a warning letter to Sepracor to immediately cease the dissemination of violative promotional materials for Lunesta.   This drug has “warnings which include abnormal thinking and behavior (e.g., aggressiveness, bizarre behavior, agitation, hallucinations, depersonalization), complex behaviors (e.g., “sleep-driving,” preparing and eating food, making phone calls, and/or having sex, with amnesia for the event), worsening of depression in primarily depressed patients including suicidal thoughts and actions.”

 “Patients should be cautioned against engaging in hazardous occupations requiring complete mental alertness or motor coordination. Lunesta should not be taken with alcohol and can lead to abuse and dependence. The most common adverse reactions associated with this sleep aid includes unpleasant taste in mouth, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness.”

 

All Natual Option for Sleep on Dr. Oz

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Americans are loving the TV personality, Doctor Oz. Why?  He's become a source of easily understandable medical information.  I appreciate that Dr. Oz brings  up the subject of Alternative Medicine and alternative practitioners.  I mean come on,  Acupuncturists have been legal medical practitioners in California for some 30 years now. Nearly all states now have Licensed Acupuncturists (state license) or Certified Acupuncturists by a National Certification Commission. 

Recently the Dr. Oz show did a segment on alternative health for sleep problems.  Doctor Oz brought on his show, Dr. David Katz to represent traditional medicine, Dr. Hyla Cass- an Integrative Medicine Specialist, and Dr. Maoshing Ni (or Dr. Mao) – a doctor of Chinese Medicine.  Dr. Mao is author of Secrets of Self-Healing: Harness Nature’s Power to Heal Common Ailments, Boost Your Vitality,and Achieve Optimum Wellness and Second Spring: Dr. Mao’s Hundreds of Natural Secrets for Women to Revitalize and Regenerate at Any Age. Dr. Hyla Cass is author of Eight Weeks to Vibrant Health: A Take Charge Plan for Women to Correct Imbalances, Reclaim Energy and Restore Well-Being.  

In Dr. Mao's words a good night sleep can be had for those who learn how to bridge the  mind and body gap.  Dr. Mao has a breathing device that helps you reach a meditative state so that you can fall asleep.  

Dr. David Katz talked about stress management and how that helps with sleep problems.  Insomnia can be caused by anxiety disorders.  Most MD's today will often send patients who cannot sleep to a formal sleep study so that things like sleep apnea and other disturbances in their sleep patterns can be detected.

Dr. Hyla Cass said that L-Tryptophan enhances serotonin, which helps you to sleep.  Also, GABA which is a  brain neurotransmitter that allows us to relax.

What Dr. Oz  hasn't yet brought to his show is an expert to discuss Chinese herbal medicine.  He skirted the issue a bit with Chris Kilham, The Medicine Hunter who made an herbal energy shake on the show. But I do believe that was as close as he came to discussing Chinese herbs or other herbs for health benefits. Dr. Mao is certainly more than qualified to discuss Chinese herbs, yet he didn't mention them for sleep aids even though he sells Chinese herb sleep aids in his clinic.  These three experts Dr. Mao, Dr. Katz and Dr. Hayla all promoted falling asleep naturally without drugs.  Quiet your mind, allow your body to relax and your release the stressed out state of anxiety.   I'm surprised Dr Oz doesn't mention Chinese herbs can help you do all three of these suggestions.  In fact, it's exactly what the herbs in iSleep Herb Pac help you accomplish.

I challenge Dr. Oz to go the next step and include some presentation on Alternative Medicine's on his show, not just Alternative Medicine Practitioners such as Acupuncturist.  Surely he realizes that Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture also relies on the healing powers of Chinese herbal medicine? 

How Herbs Work or Explaining The Human Genome

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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 us an abundance of plants both for food and medicine on every continent.  History tells us man has always used local plants for medicine and we still do.  Even pharmaceutical drugs are based on chemicals found in nature.

Regardless, where a plants origin is, it's the historical use of herbs for healing that make the difference between knowing which herbs work and which do not.  When we view hundreds of years of a specific plant or herb usage for a certain condition then we have a collective experience that is replicated over time.  How do we know an herb works? Generations of mankind using the same plants or the same combinations of plants for the same illness with successful results proves this.

This is the short answer, the long answer gets more technical about the various chemical markers, constituents in each plant specie and processing and packaging that all impact the final product. This is why I mention, which is easier to answer, questions on the human genome or questions describing how and why herbs work. If your not satisfied with this short answer here.  Check out a few other posts here and here which go into a bit more depth.  Whatever answers you are looking for, it's clear that even modern medical analysis will never have all the answers on herbal medicine that history holds.

Sleep More For Natural Weight Loss

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Natural Sleep aids help with Weight LossScientists have known for years that sleeping more can actually help you lose weight.  There are many studies to support this conclusion.  One such study published in  2005 which included 8000 adults over several years found that less sleep corresponded to greater risks of weight gain.  Is the answer to the American obesity problem in the bedroom?  It's true that eating and sleeping cannot really occur at the same time.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition studied a small group of men and women and measured their food intake over 48 hours periods.  One period of time included 8 hours of sleep and another in which the participants slept only 4 hours.   After the night of less sleep the men consumed more than 500 extra calories or approximately 22% more.   

The University of Chicago did a similar study last year and and similar findings in both men and women.  The less sleep the more calories eaten, particularly carbohydrates.   Makes sense to me, when I haven't gotten a good nights sleep I tend to make up for my lack of energy with food.   Some studies blame the gain on hormones.  They argue decreased sleep creates a spike in ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite and an increase in leptin, which signals satiety.  But there seems to be no consensus yet.  Regardless, sleep aids such as Chinese herbs can help you stay asleep and give you the rest you need,  without side-effects or additional calories.  Prescription sleep aids in comparison with placebo pills only provided 11.4 minutes of additional rest but then, that is a subject for another bog. 

What do you think?  Does a night of better sleep equal less food intake the next day?

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18719052  Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 Dec;159 Suppl 1:S59-66. Epub 2008 Aug 21. Sleep and the epidemic of obesity in children and adults.

Wall Street Journal Reports on How Acupuncture May Work

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According to this report (connect here) in the Wall Street Journal today, "Despite acupuncture's 4,000-year history, little is known about the biological pathways that enable carefully placed needles to relieve pain in many patients."    A study just published in Nature Neuroscience says the compound adenosine may be the reason acupuncture  is an effective pain reliever. Adenosine has been known as an effective anti-inflammatory for years.  We've also known adonosine plays an important part in energy transfers process or ATP. (adenosine triphospate). 

But how it's function as a pain reliever has been more shrouded. This recent study showed that performing acupuncture in mice triggers a release of adenosine  in the tissues.  Levels of adenosine, a neurotransmitter, rose 24-fold in the tissue fluid surrounding  an acupuncture needle.  Certainly more studies are necessary but this is the first in many possible insights explaining how this very ancient practice has some very real biological effects. 

Anyone who has ever received an acupuncture treatment understands the calming, pain relieving effects a few extremely small needles, placed carefully in precise locations can make.   It's hard to believe until you experience it for yourself.  But after just 10 minutes the effects are so noticeable it hardly matters to any Acupuncturist enthusiast what the patho-physiological effects of the chemical transmitters are called that make the difference between pain and no pain. "As long as it works, that's all I need to know" said David, a client of mine for the past few years.  David and millions of happy people can't possible be wrong.

(My client volunteered her hand for the picture above.)

 

Study Shows Chinese Herbs Help Sleeplessness

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iSleepherbpac.comAsian countries commonly treat sleeplessness with Chinese herbs more affordably and without the side-effects associated with prescriptions. A study done in Taiwan showed patients complaining of  insomnia were successfully treated with Chinese herbs.  

 

This study included 16,134 participants who received a total of 29,801 Chinese Herbal Medicine prescriptions. This large-scale study which used data assembled by the National Health Insurance of Taiwan, evaluated the frequency and patterns of Chinese herbs in treating insomnia. 

What’s unusual about this study is not just the sheer numbers of participants but the amount of data collected. Read the full study here.

The reason the study has such a large group of participants is simply that Taiwan has instituted a unique computerized data entry system as part of its health care system.  Patients can choose to visit either a Western hospital or a Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital. All data from patient visits are recorded in a national computer database. Because data is readily available in electronic form, large scale analysis is easy. Data in this study covers the course of one year.  The numbers reflect the patients who, according to diagnostic codes for insomnia, were treated with Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in 2002.

Included in this data are the following:

  • How many patients complained of insomnia, demographics on age, sex, etc?
  • How many patients were prescribed various Chinese herb formula combinations in packets? (herbal packets are the preferred delivery method of Chinese herbs in Taiwan hospitals and clinics.)
  • How many patients were prescribed single Chinese herbs in packets?
  • Which Chinese herb formula was the most prescribed?
  • Which individual herbs were often added to the prescribed Chinese herbal medicine formula?

Conclusion:

The data concluded the most common individual Chinese herbs prescribed for insomniawere Polygonum multiflorum used 23.8% of the time, followed by Ziziphus spinosa (18.3%) and Poria cocos (13.3%). Suan Zao Ren Tan was the most commonly prescribed formula.  These are the same Chinese herbal ingredients found in iSleep Herb Pack.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ PUBLISHED IN:   EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE CAM Advance Access published online on April 1, 2009 eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nep018 © 2009 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Prescriptions of Chinese Herbal Medicines for Insomnia in Taiwan during 2002 Fang-Pey Chen1,2, Maw-Shiou Jong1,2, Yu-Chun Chen2,3, Yen-Ying Kung1,2, Tzeng-Ji Chen2,3, Fun-Jou Chen4 and Shinn-Jang Hwang2,3 1Center for Traditional Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 2National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, 3Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and 4Graduate Institute of Integration Chinese and Western Medicine, Chinese Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been commonly used for treating insomnia in Asian countries for centuries. The aim of this study was to conduct a large-scale pharmaco-epidemiologic study and evaluate the frequency and patterns of CHM use in treating insomnia.

We obtained the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient claims from the National Health Insurance in Taiwan for the year 2002. Patients with insomnia were identified from the diagnostic code of the International Classification of Disease among claimed visiting files.

Corresponding prescription files were analyzed, and an association rule was applied to evaluate the co-prescription of CHM. Results showed that there were 16 134 subjects who visited TCM clinics for insomnia in Taiwan during 2002 and received a total of 29 801 CHM prescriptions. Subjects between 40 and 49 years of age comprised the largest number of those treated (25.3%). In addition, female subjects used CHMs for insomnia more frequently than male subjects (female: male = 1.94:1). There was an average of 4.8 items prescribed in the form of either an individual Chinese herb or formula in a single CHM prescription for insomnia. Shou-wu-Teng (Polygonum multiflorum) was the most commonly prescribed single Chinese herb, while Suan-Zao-ren-tang was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula.

According to the association rule, the most commonly prescribed CHM drug combination was Suan-zao-ren-tang plus Long-dan-xie-gan-tang, while the most commonly prescribed triple-drug combination was Suan-Zao-ren-tang, Albizia julibrissin, and P. multiflorum.

For reprints and all correspondence: Prof. Shinn-Jang Hwang, Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, ROC. Tel: +886-2-287-57460; Fax: +886-2-287-37901; E-mail: sjhwang@vghtpe.gov.tw

______________________________________________________________________________________

National Institute of Health – PubMed study abstract on Suan Zao Ren Tang

J Biomed Sci. 2007 Mar;14(2):285-97. Epub 2006 Dec 7.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor mediates suanzaorentang, a traditional Chinese herb remedy, induced sleep alteration.

Yi PL, Tsai CH, Chen YC, Chang FC.

Department of Medical Technology, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan.

Abstract

The sedative-hypnotic medications, including benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines, are the most common treatments for insomnia. However, concerns regarding patterns of inappropriate use, dependence and adverse effects have led to caution in prescribing those sedative-hypnotic medications. On the other hand, a traditional Chinese herb remedy, suanzaorentang, has been efficiently and widely used in clinic for insomnia relief without severe side effects in Asia. Although suanzaorentang has been reported to improve sleep disruption in insomniac patients, its mechanism is still unclear. The present study was designed to elucidate the effects of oral administration of suanzaorentang on physiological sleep-wake architectures and its underlying mechanism in rats. We found that oral administration of suanzaorentang at the beginning of the dark onset dose-dependently increased non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) during the dark period, but had no significant effect on rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). Our results also indicated that intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor type A antagonist, bicuculline, significantly blocked suanzaorentang-induced enhancement in NREMS during the dark period, but GABA(B) receptor antagonist, 2-hydroxysaclofen had no effect. These results implicated that this traditional Chinese herb remedy, suanzaorentang increases spontaneous sleep activity and its effects may be mediated through the GABA(A) receptors, but not GABA(B) receptors.

Licorice for Weight-Loss? I Am Skeptical

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Chinese herb for weight loss, pms and insomnia

Who really needs another article about weight loss plans and products? We’re inundated with advertising on weight loss supplements and the last thing we need is more of the same.  Alas,  I’m asked all the time, “Don’t you have herbs for weight loss?”  People who know me, know I would never suggest Chinese herbs for quick fix weight loss. I’m resigned to the good old fashion diet, eat more veggies, cut the carb’s and do some exercise. There is simply no magic bullet. Chinese herbs are great for a kick start and can help with “draining damp” and “moving qi” or in layman's language "a little clean-out" but even then lifestyle changes are still necessary.    


Then this study comes along and suggests that the oil in a common herb/food we know as licorice, can reduce total body fat and visceral fat.  Wait, I'm a skeptic.  What do you mean? All this time licorice has been masking as Chinese medicine when really it’s a weight loss herb?…. 

 

Licorice contains hydrophobic flavonoids and researchers have been studying these flavonoids for years. Many herbs contain flavonoids and they are a major ingredient in Chinese medicine.   A recent clinical trial with 56 men and 28 postmenopausal women participating used licorice in concentrated extract capsules.  Having changed no other aspect of their lives, all lost weight.

In this trial, some participants were given a placebo capsule and others took capsules of 300 mg of the licorice extract, once daily for eight weeks. The researchers  found that the non- placebo group had decreases from baseline body weight and body mass index after the 4 and 8 weeks mark of treatment.  Other studies on the Chinese herb licorice have seen similar results with LDL cholesterol reduction.

The  researchers of  this study concluded, “that the observed reduction in body weight and fat could be caused by increasing energy expenditure through the enhancement of beta-oxidation and inhibition of lipogenesis.” Further studies are always necessary.  But the researchers also remarked “ that supplementation (with licorice) may prevent or ameliorate obesity and metabolic syndrome when combined with lifestyle modifications including diet and exercise."

Although this may not be a definitive way to lose weight Chinese herbs prove again to be superb health supplements. Whether you are trying to reduce cholesterol or lose weight, Chinese herbs have benefits you may never have thought about.  

I always provide links to the original studies so take a detour here if you want to see the whole study.