Tackling Sleep Disorders in The Work Place

Posted by Cathy on February 3, 2011

Need something to keep you from dragging through your day? Want something to inspire you so the boss will notice what a great asset you really are? We all have those days where we are just dragging our butts to the office and sleep walking through our work day.

Here are a few tips I use to keep me going when the all I really want to do is go back to bed.

#1. Coffee works for a while, but I prefer natures superfuel, a straight up ginseng drink. It perks up my mental focus and gives me the energy to make it through the evening commute. Ginseng is one of the most studied Chinese herbs, it’s used world wide for treating stress, helps improve mental clarity and alertness.

#2. Fresh Air! Get your butt outside at lunch time and walk. It’s sounds easy when the weathers nice but no one’s going out there in the middle of winter. So hit the stairwell’s or the company gym treadmill if you have one. No-body is meant to stay sitting all day.

#3. Power Nap on your break! Take 15 minutes with an ipod and a eye mask and get away from it all. If you don’t have an ipod there’s plenty of great meditations on line or find some soothing music on Pandora. If all that fails, ear plugs are easy and cheap.

#4. Early to bed, early to rise, may not fit everyone’s lifestyle, but it does make for good advice if you’re trying to impress the boss and stay awake on the job. Try it a couple of times, you never know, it might just grow on you.

#5. Stay hydrated. Don’t reach for a soft drink or another cup of coffee which will dehydrate you even more. Your best bet is green tea. Green tea contains natural catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (say that one 5x fast) (EGCG) a powerful anti-oxidant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized.

Thanks for reading!! Drop us a comment with your suggestions.

Chinese Herbs and Self Breast Massage for Breast Health

Posted by Cathy on December 30, 2010

Breast tissue is made up of fat cells which include mammary glands, ducts, lobes and adjacent lymph ducts and nodes. Keeping this tissue just as healthy as any other body part and be done easily with self massage and herbs to move the flow of qi, or energy in this tissue.

Many well known herbs such a ginseng and astragulus are beneficial at moving qi, but did you know there are also some very good herbs which can specifically help with benign breast pain? Many breast lumps are small and movable and may be more pronounced during menstruation as a result of fluctuations in hormones. Traditional Chinese medicine treats these as stagnant qi, or stagnant energy that has been blocked. There is a terrific protocol for self breast massage at EssentiallyPink.com. Do this massage at least once a week or as needed when you have minor pain in the surrounding lymph nodes in the armpit and breast area. This is a free and easy way to promote self breast health. Just as brushing and flossing becomes routine so should self breast massage.

In addition to massaging the breast tissue, combination of Chinese herbs has been used successfully throughout Asia for hundreds of years for breast problems. Herbal formulas can help relieve the stagnation and stress that may accumulate in the chest. Herbs such as tangerine peel, bupleurum, white peony and vaccaria seeds create a synergy of actions that help move the stagnate Qi in the chest. Vaccaria seeds are especially good at helping invigorate the blood and reduce pain and swellings in the breasts. These seeds alone are also very good at promoting lactation, but only for women who are already lactating. Creating breast health should be a priority in every women’s life. It’s time for a shift from a fear based breast cancer model to one of self love and breast health. Being proactive is up to you.

Stress Relief Herbs, Grab the Adaptogens

Posted by Cathy on December 5, 2010 with 1 Comment

Science can split an atom, create nuclear fusion and clone Dolly the sheep, but it can't copy the chemical compounds in adaptogenic herb teas.

How is that possible? Stress relief herbs contain such a complex number of chemicals that modern pharmacology has yet to be able to reproduce what nature can make.

Whole plant/herb remedies are very different than single compounds which is what Western medicine primarily uses. Discovering how the chemical compounds in these now very expensive herbs, also known as adaptogens, work inside our bodies is yet to be unraveled. Adaptogenic herbs adapt to what our body needs. They can calm us if we need calm and the same herb stimulates us, if we need a stimulant. They help the body to adapt to physiological and psychological stress.

Need some of this around holiday time? Yes, it is really possible that plants can do this.

Where did the term adaptogenic come from? It started with a Soviet doctor who first coined the term in 1947. Nikolai Lazarev, was examining psychotropic drugs, specifically stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine which were used in the military. Lazarev saw the powerful short-term gain along with the long term side-effects from these drugs. He recognized these drugs lead to addiction and was looking for a better solution. He needed something that worked both in the short term and long term. In other words, he needed adaptogenic herbal compounds. He found the answer in plants such as American ginseng, Asian ginseng, Schisandra, Astragalus, Cordyceps, Eleuthero, Licorice, GoJi berries, Dang Shen and Reishi mushroom and coined this term.

Ultimately, what he found were herbal remedies that can boost the body's resistance to stress, whether the stress is from physical exertion, infection or emotional and environmental stressors. (The relatives coming over may fall into that last category.)

Adaptogens stimulate the immune system positively creating a healthy environment. These plants such as Ginseng, Cordyceps, GoJi berries and Reishi all have two things in common, they have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and they are rich in polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates that act as energy stores and boost the immune system. These natural stress relief remedies increase vital energy and are also known as Chinese herbal qi tonics.

These herbal remedies are all much more than the sum of their individual parts. Which is exactly why modern science has not been able to copy them. They continue to become more popular as the Western world discovers the benefits of these incredible, edible, Chinese herbs.

You can find herbs for stress relief on our product page. Thanks for reading.

Goji Berries Price Increases, How Much Are the Benefits Worth?

Posted by Cathy on November 30, 2010 with 1 Comment

With the price of Goji berries going through the roof, I'm ready to plant my own bushes and grow them myself. I guess the secret is out on the benefits of this tiny, tart berry. It has only taken 30 years since modern day researchers discovered this marvelous little Chinese herb that has been used for centuries.

Here is a list of benefits based on modern research and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Improve brain function
Reduces fatigue
Has liver protector qualities
Enhances vision
Energy booster and Immunity booster
Increase libido
Reduces symptoms of diabetes
Reduces menopause night sweats
Over 60 studies show goji support healthy heart function
Goji have been combined with cancer drugs to reverse cancer growth

One of the largest scientific studies on lycium fruit, (latin name) reported that eating 50 grams (slightly less than 2 ounces) of Goji Berry caused an increase in the white blood cell count. There was also an increase of 75 % in antibody immunoglobin A (IgA).

We added a large dose of goji berry to our Menopause Relief Herb Pac. It helped improved the taste while helping with night sweats. Although it may have some benefit as a natural sleep aid, it has more proven benefit of helping to reduce menopausal night sweats.

Goji berry also reduces DNA damage and protect DNA in animal studies. This is great news for anyone who concerned about aging. Goji berry also protects your liver.

The berries contain a compound called cerebrosides ks and is better at protecting the liver than milk thistle.

Goji berry’s polysaccharides protect testicular cells against damage from free radicals.

Goji berry also protect against Alzheimer’s disease by protecting the neurons in the brain against beta amyloid protein. This deadly protein is associated with Alzheimer’s. This is welcome news since Alzheimer’s is expected to reach epidemic levels in aging baby boomers.

Another study showed the Goji polysaccharides increase the production of interleukin-2. This protein protects against cancer and bacteria.

Goji berry may reduce insulin resistance. Diabetic animals fed Goji berries for three weeks show reduced weight and improved triglyceride, cholesterol and insulin levels.

In conclusion, Goji berry is immune-enhancing, cytoprotective and anti-tumor, a true win-win-win combination.

We now have two excellent Goji berriers products, capsules and granule powder. Our granules can be easily added to a shake or sprinkled on food or dissolved in warm water to drink as a tea. I like to place a little on my tongue and savor the flavor. Our granules/powde r are highly concentrated and one bottle will last at least a month. Capsules are easy to take and convenient. You can find them both in our store, here.

References:

Tian M and Wang M, Studies on extraction, isolation, and composition of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, Journal of Traditional Chinese Herb Drugs, 2006 31(19): 1603–1607
Yong Peng, et.al., Quantification of zeaxanthin dipalmitate and total carotenoids in Lycium fruits, 2006 Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 60(4): 161–164
Trieschmann M, et.al., Changes in macular pigment optical density and serum concentrations of its constituent carotenoids following supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin, Experimental Eye Research 2007; 84(4): 718–728
Rosenthal JM, et.al., Dose-ranging study of lutein supplementation in persons aged 60 years or older, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2006; 47(12): 5227–5233
Wang Qiang, et.al., Determination of polysaccharide contents in Fructus Lycii, Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs 1991; 22(2): 67–68
Yu MS, et.al., Characterization of the effects of anti-aging medicine Fructus lycii on beta-amyloid peptide neurotoxicity, International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2007; 20(2): 261–268
Qian JY, Liu D, and Huang AG, The efficiency of flavonoids in polar extracts of Lycium chinense Mill fruits as free radical scavenger, Food Chemistry 2004; 87(2): 283–288
Cheng CY, et.al., Fasting plasma zeaxanthin response to Fructus barbarum in a food-based human supplementation trial, British Journal of Nutrition 2005; 93(1): 123–130
Chang RC and So KF, Use of Anti-aging Herbal Medicine, Lycium barbarum, Against Aging- associated Diseases, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 2007

Hot Flash on Menopause Supplements, Not All Are Created Equal

Posted by Cathy on November 28, 2010 with 1 Comment

When it’s cold outside but you're burning up on the inside, it might be menopause. That wonderful time around "mid-life" when women's bodies often need a thermostat adjustment. With all the bad news about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) you may prefer a more natural, herbal product for those hot flashes and night sweats.

Your in luck, there are lots to choose from!

I personally always like to check in with Consumerlab.com before I purchase any herbs or natural supplement for menopause or any affliction for that matter. Consumer labs independently test products and lists the reports on their website. It’s astonishing to see how many products don’t pass the tests, often because the ingredients on the label don’t match the ingredients in the bottle. When I checked out the herbal menopause section on Consumerlabs.com I found most of the 20 or so products failed to meet minimum standards. Sorry, I can't post that information here, they have a strict copyright policy. (You can sign up for an account to see them all for yourselves.)

It's a buyers beware world in supplements today. One of the worst offenders was a black cohosh product which tested positive for high amounts of lead. Others failed because the soy levels were much lower than the label stated or because they did not list the botanicals inside on the label. Yet, you will find all these products for hot flashes and night sweats in the health food stores. So buyer beware of what your getting. Do your research and know where your herbs are coming from, who’s packing them and what’s really in them. You really don't want to be paying for heavy metals in your herbal supplements. Also note black cohosh warning for liver damage and should not be used long term.

At Pac Herbs we purchase only premium quality herbs that have been tested for heavy metals and bacteria such as e-coli, and pesticide residues. We are completely transparent about where are products are manufactured and how they are tested. Our herbs are batch tested for potency and finished products must again pass for active herbal chemical constituents. We use only the highest grade pharmaceutical factory in the world to process our herbal Menopause Relief (no black cohosh) and all our other products. Take a virtual tour of our factory here and if you have any questions let us know. We guarantee everything we sell.

Licorice Root Chemicals Found To Help Brain and Alzheimer’s

Posted by Cathy on November 15, 2010 with 1 Comment

Just another amazing plant compound that has been around a couple thousand years. Now 21st century science is catching up. Licorice root, a Chinese herb, is being studied at the University of South Carolina. The researchers found an extract in this root can prevent brain cell death in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

We’re not talking about licorice in the form of candy, you’ll have to use the root of the licorice plant. The specific plant the researchers are studying comes from the high mountains of China, where it grows like weeds, as do many Chinese herbs.

Apparently, it is the LQ or liquiritigenin in the licorice that mimics the hormone estrogen. The researchers are growing brain cells and studying the effects of the LQ on them. Looking at microscopic views of the brain cells, healthy cells have lots of green dots.

“Those green spots are where the cells actually connect,” Dr. Booze says. “And what happens in diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s is that the neurons lose their connectivity. So we study the green dots of connectivity and use the phytoestrogens to increase the green dots.”

Her research is the first ever done on LQ and the first to test some of these phytoestrogens in the brain.

“My long-term goal, my dream would be a prevention, but we’re not there yet. Obviously we’re still looking at the effects in our dishes,” she says.

Introducing Menopause Relief Herb Pac – A Natural Alternative to HRT

Posted by Cathy on November 10, 2010

If you are a woman looking for a natural answer to uncomfortable menopause symptoms you need to know about Menopause Relief Herb Pac. A natural herbal remedy for menopause symptom relief that has worked for generations and is now easy and convenient as a tea.

Pac Herbs “Menopause Relief” is a slightly modified version of one of the most popular herbal formulas used around the world. Originally published in 1114 A.D. called Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, and also known as Eight Flavor Rehmannia Formula. It is one of the most renowned classic Chinese herbal formulas used for purging fire (hot flashes/ night sweats) while simultaneously nourishing a woman’s yin energy.

Our highly concentrated granules are produced in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine standards. Simply mix a teaspoon in water and drink as a delicious tasting tea. There are no known side-effects or adverse reactions associated with this product, nor are there any drug interactions after millions of doses and hundreds of research studies. Menopause Relief Herb Pac can safely be taken over a long period of time, from several months to over a year.

This combination of herbs has been helpful for women who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats. It may also be beneficial for a diminished libido, urinary infections and chronic sore throats. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is used for those with insufficient liver and kidney yin plus heat signs.

A deficiency of yin commonly leads to (an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone) heat such as hot flashes, night sweats and restlessness, warmth in the palms and soles and sore throats. Our formula nourishes both the yin and the yang energies.

Our commitment to sourcing and using the highest quality botanical Chinese herbal extract is our first promise. The processing of raw herbs into concentrated granule extract is done in a modern, state-of-the-art pharmaceutical facility, under the strictest GMP and ISO standards. Because we use only granules preserved in sealed packets, we do not have capsules or pills which need fillers such as magnesium sterate, artificial colors, binders, salt, sugar, corn, yeast, gluten, gelatin or preservatives, to insure machines don’t clog while filling capsules or making tablets and pills. Our packets contain only pure herbal extract, nothing else.

Mayo Clinic’s New Book and Thoughts on Disease “PREVENTION”

Posted by Cathy on October 17, 2010

The top 20 health issues are all discussed in the Mayo Clinic’s new book on Alternative Medicine. The author, Dr. Bauer, details dozens of natural therapies that have worked safely. Dr. Bauer asserts that “an opportunity has risen that may hold the promise of a new paradigm for better health.”

Firstly: “The best way to manage an illness is to prevent it from happening in the first place” This is one reason there has been explosive growth in the field of alternative medicine. People are looking for more “natural” or “holistic” ways to maintain good health!!

Secondly: By combining the best of complementary and conventional health care practices to meet your individual needs, you’ll be practicing integrative medicine.

Sounds simple enough to me!!

Start with reducing stress and get a good nights sleep. Stanford University recognizes the importance of these two factors. They are currently recruiting women for a sleep study, to learn how lack of sleep and too much stress may be linked to breast cancer and breast cancer survival.

You may be surprised that Mayo Clinic now urges you and your doctor to consider yoga, garlic, acupuncture, dietary supplements and other natural therapies. The record is clear. Many of these alternative therapies can help you achieve reduced arthritis pain, healthier coronary arteries, improved diabetes management, better memory function and more.

So find some local fitness classes, get a group of friends together and walk, go to your local health food store and stock up on quality herbal supplements, there is no excuse.

Alternative Medicine is “Preventative Health Care” and the new mantra is:

“What’s alternative today will be conventional tomorrow.”

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – New York Times Says Prevention Starts with Diet

Posted by Cathy on October 4, 2010 with 3 Comments

Breast Cancer awareness month is here and unless you are living in a bubble, you see pink everywhere. From foods to football, products show their support with pink ribbons plastered on them. I saw a pink oatmeal container at the market and now Monday night football. The entire half time show of the Dolphins-Patriots game honored breast cancer survivors with a huge pink ribbon spread across the football field. I say “great”, but let’s also concentrate on prevention and not just hope for “a cure”.

This article, written by a guest blogger, originated in the NY Times Science section, and shows that living a healthy life style can actually decrease your cancer risk. Chinese Herbs have been used for decades to help with diet, digestion and weight loss. If you struggle with maintaining a normal body weight, consider adding digestive enzymes and Chinese herbs to your daily routine for proper digestion and restful sleep. Sleep rejuvenates your body and provides the vital energy that you may otherwise try to compensate for with extra food. (See this article on how restorative sleep can improve weight loss)

by Kath Bartlett MS. L.Ac. – Ashville, NC
Obesity dramatically increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 50-100%, the risk increasing “the older the woman gets and the longer she remains obese.” (1) The reason being is that the abdominal fat cells convert steroid (fat soluble) hormones to estrogen. In the breasts, the additional estrogen created binds to the breast cells, promoting “cell division and potentially tumor growth.” (2) Cancer cells are abnormal cell growth: the additional cell division cause the tumor growth. Adipose tissue (fat) contains an enzyme, aromatase, that converts steroid hormones into estrogen. After menopause, the ovaries and pituitary gland are no longer signaling for estrogen production through the monthly menstrual cycle. To compensate, the amount of aromatase in the adipose tissue increases to step up estrogen production. Obese women have higher levels of estrogen production taking place in the body fat of the hips and stomach, which increases during menopause, which raises the risk of tumors developing in the breast.

“Glucose [blood sugar] is the preferred substrate for cancer cells. . . [In a study] mice injected with aggressive mammary [breast] tumors were placed on 3 diets. After 70 days 95% of the mice on the low-sugar diet were alive. Of the mice on the moderate-sugar diet 67% were alive. And only 33% on a high-sugar diet were alive. Also ‘moderate’ alcohol consumption is associated with elevation in the risk for breast cancer from 50-100%.” (3)

Phytoestrogens have a chemical structure similar to estrogen. They bind to the receptor sites on the breasts, preventing the body’s estrogen from binding and causing tumor cell growth. The phytoestrogens that bind to the breast cell estrogen receptor sites have a weaker influence on breast cell production, so that it is less likely that tumors will form. Common food sources of phytoestrogens include: soy (tofu, tempeh, miso), flax and raw pumpkin seeds, clover and mung bean sprouts. Avoid powdered soy concentrate, these have caused some to develop Hashimoto’s thyroid disease. (4)

Studies have shown that phytoestrogens increase the effectiveness of breast cancer treatments. Borage oil has shown to decrease the growth of breast cancer cells. (5)

Eating an organic diet, and limiting exposure to chemicals, including household cleaners, detergents, pesticides, food packaging (plastics leach into foods, especially when warm foods are put into plastic containers) is also important to reduce cancer risk. Chemicals and pesticides can change the DNA of cells, causing them to mutate into cancer cells. Studies have shown higher levels of pesticides and pollutants in fat and blood of women with breast cancer than in healthy women.

1-6. Lahans, T. Integrating Conventional and Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care. Elsevier 2007; 92-102.

2 Easy Tips to Reduce Your PMS?

Posted by Cathy on September 29, 2010 with 1 Comment

Want to reduce those monthly period cramps naturally? Here’s why you need to stay away from Bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A is a toxic, endocrine disrupting chemical in our food supply. Recently an environmental health group with more than 525,000 members, decided to sue, yes sue, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over it's stance on Bisphenol A.

It is not easy or inexpensive to sue the Federal Government so you must have resources and a good cause. Well, this group has both, and since the FDA did not respond to their initials petition on Bisphenol A, this citizen group filed a lawsuit asking that Bisphenol A be banned from products such as plastic bottles and food can liners.

What is Bisphenol A? A chemical used for the lining of canned goods and used in the production of plastic water bottles. Those same plastic water bottles that kids use and that are crowding our land fills/dumps by the millions. Animal and human studies have linked this chemical to serious health problems including an increased risk for diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

When we drink water from plastic bottles or eat canned food this endocrine disrupting chemical leaches into our food and water. What is an endocrine disruptor? They are artificial chemicals that can mimic or block the effects of natural hormones from certain receptor cites. For example thyroid hormone which regulates our metabolism may be effected because a receptor cite is blocked. This is like an underground garage that blocks your cell phone signal. No matter how many times you dial, the signal is blocked. This may cause weight gain, or just a sluggish, low energy feeling.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals can give someone with mild PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) a really bad case of PMS.

The reason is this, a woman's menstrual cycle requires a delicate balance of hormones to be turned on and turned off during a monthly cycle. Chemicals like Bisphenol A can interrupt these on/off switches fairly easily causing a woman to have irregular periods, heavy bleeding, missed periods and very painful period cramps. There is no doubt among the medical community that endocrine disrupting hormones are very hazardous to our health.

If you have difficult menstrual cycles, try limiting your exposure to Bisphenol A. Stop drinking from all plastic water bottles and do not eat canned foods. To regulate your menstrual cycle and reduce period cramps, bloating and PMS moodiness take PMS Relief Herb Pac for 3-4 days each month. Enjoy it as any herbal tea.

One final note, earlier this year, the FDA said that it officially agreed there might be health concerns over exposure to BPA and announced a $30 million BPA research program. Change doesn't come quickly at the FDA so in meantime make the change in your own life, for your own good health.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/725535?sssdmh=dm1.628250&src=nldne&uac=139834FJ

Sleep Tips From The Mayo Clinic, Is Sleeping Now a Luxury?

Posted by Cathy on September 21, 2010 with 1 Comment

Is Sleep a luxury? As our world has become more modern, more convenient and more well, fast paced sleeping seems to be, more of a luxury than a necessity. We can take pills to quickly put us to sleep and all kinds of drinks and foods to keep us awake. We can regulate our bodies for 20 hour work days and 4 hours of rest, or any combination thereof. With hundreds of TV stations on 24 hours, movies on demand, internet, anytime, anywhere, there just seems like so many better things to do than sleep. Even little kids know that it's usually much more fun to stay up late, than to go to bed.

Yes, but our genetics tell us we need 8-9 hours of sleep every night. Sorry, overriding genetics on this issue will only deteriorate your health. Here are the highlights from an eight page report about sleeping well from the Mayo Clinic.

Sleep isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity.
Restful sleep is just as important to health as adequate nutrition and exercise.
Sleep is necessary to think clearly.
Studies have shown that being well rested improves the body’s response to infection.
Evidence suggests that brains are hard at work during sleep, possibly forming the pathways necessary for learning, making new memories and insights, and coming up with creative solutions to problems.
Inadequate sleep is linked to depression and irritability as well as diabetes, weight problems and cravings for high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods.
Sleep problems often can be treated, sleep aids can be both behavioral and medications.
In fact, sleep problems often can be traced to treatable health issues. Examples include poor pain control, frequent nighttime urination, or illnesses that cause coughing or shortness of breath.
Insomnia and depression often go hand in hand: Many people develop insomnia prior to being depressed. Studies show that unresolved insomnia increases the risk of depression. It’s not clear if one causes the other, but each can worsen if untreated.
Antidepressants may have stimulating properties and make insomnia worse. Prescription sleep aids are designed for short term use.

We believe in natural sleep aids here at Pac Herbs. Our iSleep Herb Pac will help you rest and feel rejuvenated the next day. Get the sleep your body needs to stay healthy, because sleeping is not just a luxury but a necessity for wellness. Checkout our all natural iSleep Herb Pac, an herbal formula used in Asian cultures for thousands of years.

2000 Year Old Herbal Remedies Found in Greek Shipwreck

Posted by Cathy on September 16, 2010 with 1 Comment

Picture a Roman merchant vessel sailing 2000 years ago in the Mediterranean. It’s nearly to it’s destination when a storm blows in, the ship is slammed into rocks near the shore and sinks to the ocean floor. The ship and it’s cargo sits at the bottom of the ocean until just recently when Archeologists excavate it, under water. Then several years after glass jars holding 2000 year old pills were excavated, analysis finally reveals their content. The pills are herbal medicine. It is believed they were part of a medical kit, assumed to be used by sailors to stay healthy on long voyages. DNA analysis has now proven several herbs and vegetables were the components of these pills.

But the pills are only part of the story. A sort of medical chest was found, maybe a physician was on the ship. The archaeologists found a cup used for bleeding, a surgery hook and 136 drug vials made of wood and several tin containers holding flat green tablets. The herbal pills were sealed and completely dry even though they have been on the sea floor for 2000 years. (That is absolutely mind blowing.)

It took an international authority on medicinal plants of antiquity Alain Touwaide, at the Smithsonian Institution and the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions in Washington, D.C. to identify the ingredients. (I didn’t even know we had a Medical Traditions Preservation institute, need to check that out.)

The findings were presented last week at the Fourth International Symposium on Bio-molecular Archaeology in Copenhagen, Denmark. The herbal remedies were a combination of many plants including carrot, radish, parsley, celery, wild onion and cabbage, alfalfa, yarrow and some hibiscus were also part of the mix.

“The plants match those described in ancient texts such as those by the ancient Greek physicians Dioscorides and Galen. According to Touwaide, “Preliminary analysis of these tablets seems to confirm that the ancient doctors used common plants for their treatments.” Whatever they were used for or however they were ingested or used topically it is certainly incredible to have a specimen that is in tact 2000 years later.

We have always been able to read about herbal remedies in ancient manuscripts but to hold them in our hands and be able to analyze them must be unbelievable. Finding this ancient herbal medicine reminds us of our reliance on herbs throughout history. As the saying’s go, history repeats itself and what goes around comes around.

More on this story here: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2010/09/10/2000-year-old-pills-found-in-greek-shipwreck/

Tag: Chinese Herb