Celebrating John Lennon and His Visits to a Chinese Herbal Medicine Doctor

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When John Lennon was shot, the world lost a hero.  If you are like me, you remember where and when you heard this news.  It was a sad day.   In honor of what would have been John's 70th birthday,  I celebrate his brilliance. 

John Lennon was always ahead of his time, even in the 1970's.  John and Yoko visited "a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture for spiritual and physical cleansing and healing" acording to an article in the New York Times today.   This news has apparently never before been made public.  The doctor,  originally from Shanghai China was an immigrant and  living with his family in San Mateo, CA.   It was reported that Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, also came to Dr. Hong for treatments and may have been the liaison that brought John and Yoko to him. 

Years later, it was reported that John sent the family money and saved them from poverty.  Barbara  Hong, the daughter of the Chinese herbal doctor said,  "Lennon liked to joke ..and play his harmonica, and one day he shared a new tune. “He played it on our piano,” Barbara Hong said. “He said, ‘This is a song I’m going to release soon.  It was “Imagine.”

Imagine that happening in your living room.   Thank you John for your vision to see the value in Chinese Medicine  when it wasn't even a licensed health modality in the 1970's.  We wish you were alive to see the state of Acupuncture and herbal medicine today.  I know you would be pleased to see how treatments like what you received  from Dr. Hong are now available from coast to coast and Chinese herbs are on every continent in the world.   Imagine what another 30 years will bring us!

 

New York Times article here:   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/us/08bcjames.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss


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

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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.

President Clinton Loses Weight With the Help of Herbs

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Clinton loses weight withthe help of a Chinese herbFormer President Clinton wanted to get into shape for his daughters wedding.  Sounds familiar, what almost every parent hopes to do, but not all can achieve this goal.  So how did he do it?  He changed his eating habits and added herbs!  “It changed my whole metabolism,” Clinton says. “And I lost 24 pounds. And I got back to basically what I weighed in high school.”

In the video below President Clinton talks about changing his diet and the protein drink he makes to start his day.  One of the herbs in the morning protein drink is a famous Chinese herb called He Shou Wu.  This herb has been studied and used since ancient times to increase stamina and rejuvenate the body.  Something clearly worked well for Clinton.   This Chinese herb is also well known for increasing sexual vitality and longevity.  Both men and women can use it for fertility.   If you are interested in adding He Shou Wu  to your protein shake or drinking it as a tea, we provide only the  highest quality herbs and He Shou Wu concentrated granules here at Pac Herbs.

Believe It or Not, Prozac for PMS

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PMS, PMDD, best herbal remedies for menstrual crampsAt first I thought it was a joke, but it's for real.  Prozac is now being touted as the latest greatest thing for PMS and PMDD.  This is the drug used for treatment of depression or obsessive-compulsive behavior.  You know, the happy pill. Sadly,  I've seen lots of people who are not happy, who take this pill.

Straight from Wikipedia (and a few other sources) re-labeling drugs is becoming a common occurrence when a prescription drug  patent is about to expire. The  manufacturer suddenly finds "new uses" for it to stem the post-patent sales decrease.    Eli Lilly's re-branding of Prozac is the latest drug to suddenly find new uses.  This time the "research" (hmm, some research at the University of Birmingham, but couldn't find anything published) says it works for the treatment of PMDD, otherwise known as  Pre-Menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This is a dramatic form of Premenstrual syndrome.

Not to worry though, because if Prozac helps your PMDD or your PMS you only have, well minimal side-effects.  Here's the short list. 

 
In clinical studies, the most common side effects Prozac included:
  • Insomnia –– in up to 33 percent  of people    (Great I'm dead tired from not sleeping but I'm not anxious. But I do need another drug to help me sleep, what do you recommend?)
  • Nausea — up to 29 percent
  • Weakness — up to 21 percent
  • Headache — up to 21 percent
  • Diarrhea  — up to 18 percent
  • Loss of appetite — up to 17 percent 
  • Drowsiness — up to 17 percent
  • Anxiety— up to 15 percent               (what, I thought it treats anxiety, You mean I could have a 15% chance of having more anxiety?  What's up with that?)
  • Nervousness — up to 14 percent
  • Shakiness (tremor) — up to 13 percent
  • Dry mouth — up to 12 percent 
  • Decreased sex drive — up to 11 percent 
  • Yawning — up to 11 percent
  • Indigestion — up to 10 percent
  • Dizziness — up to 9 percent
  • Sweating — up to 8 percent
  • Impotence- up to 7 percent 
  • Ejaculation problems — up to 7 percent  (probably doesn't apply to females, unless…   does this include failure to orgasm?)
Other common Prozac side effects (that occurred in at least 1 percent of people) include:
 
  • Flushing (redness of the skin, especially the face)
  • Abnormal dreams
  • Constipation
  • Gas
  • Vomiting
  • Fever or chills
  • Weight loss
  • Vision changes
  • Chest pain
  • High blood pressure/hypertension
  • Increased appetite and weight gain
  • Taste changes
  • Menstrual Problems  (What???  Wait a minute …. I thought you said it's for my menstrual problems??)

Lastly, let's not forget that Prozac, like all anti-depressant drugs, carry the "black box warning"  on the label.  That's the little caveat that says if you commit suicide it's not our fault because we  are telling you this drug may give you suicidal thoughts.   

If you need something for PMS or menstrual cramps and pain, we have a better answer.  You don't have to suffer and you don't have to take a drug with side-effects.  Check out all your options.  Feeling good again can happen, check out a natural alternative used for generations.  We've got it here.

 

Wikipedia  says:    Eli Lilly's patent on Prozac (fluoxetine) expired in the United States in August 2001, prompting an influx of generic drugs onto the market. Prozac was rebranded "Sarafem" for the treatment of PMDD in an attempt to stem the post-patent decrease in Eli Lilly's sales of fluoxetine.

2000 Year Old Herbal Remedies Found in Greek Shipwreck

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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/

 

From Dr. Mercola, Buyer Beware With Herbs and Tea

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D. Mercola on the best herbal supplements and Chinese herbsIf you are buying herb supplements, especially Chinese herb supplements, which are virtually unregulated or controlled in America, you must  see what Dr. Mercola has to say.  Many Western countries including Canada, Germany, Japan and Australia have strict regulations regarding who can sell herbal supplements and who can import herbs. But not here in the states.  America is a bit like the wild west.  Anything pretty much goes! 

Don’t get me wrong, government regulation can and does get completely out of control, but we do need some standards of quality assurance.  ‘Consumer labs’ does provide reports on everything thing from Chinese herbs to vitamins and other natural supplements so this is always a good place to check on the brands you purchase. 

We are proud to offer only the highest quality, tested and certified herbal products on the market. Our manufacturer, (see our virtual factory tour here) is known worldwide for it’s pharmaceutical factory processing with state of the art equipment. All Pacific Herb products undergo laboratory assurance tests for potency, pesticide contaminants, and toxicity testing. Do your herbal supplements go through this testing?

.  Dr. Mercola on the importance of knowing where and how your herbs are processed.   The first minute are two he talks about adaptogenic herbs the remainder is about  the importance of herbal processing and quality

A Story on The After Birth, How Valuable Is A Human Placenta?

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Add some chinese herbs to your placenta and you have a nutritious feast.Ok,  this topic makes some heads turn.  I’m sitting at Starbucks talking about my friend who had her placenta cooked and dried and put into capsules after the birth of her baby.   My Starbucks neighbor started giving me strange looks.  Is it just me or if you’re going to eaves drop, is it polite to then give the person a crazy look?  I would have engage the fellow eaves dropper in a friendly conversation on the subject but he split after he heard this story.

So, here is the story.  In China and other parts of the world, the human placenta is considered a valuable source of  nutrients.  The placenta is that which feeds the baby during pregnancy and is otherwise known as “The After-Birth” because it is expelled from the uterus after a birth.  The first Emperor of China used human placenta with Chinese herbs for health reasons some 2200 years ago and it has been used and documented in various culture every since.  

Granted, most of us are not familiar with this concept and understandably it can turn some people’s stomachs. The topic came about because of this article in a Chinese newspaper about the selling of human placentas at some smaller Chinese hospitals. Of course, this is actually illegal. They have the same laws in China regarding the ownership of the placenta as we do here.  The mother is the legal owner but she usually gives up her right to it and in that case the hospital should dispose of  it as medical waste.   Well, entrepreneurs are everywhere and when opportunity knocks, they answer.  In China  some unscrupulous types were buying placentas cheap at various hospitals and selling them for profit, and apparently business is good, there is both a supply and a demand.

In America, some mothers do return home with their placenta’s in a cooler.  Some bury it in the yard for religious reasons other will have a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist (there really is such a profession) come to their house, cook it with Chinese herbs and pack it into capsules to supplement the new mothers health.

The preparation work and cooking of the placenta is quite a detailed process and should only be attempted by someone who has the proper training and knowledge.  Cooking the placenta with Chinese herbs is said to improve the blood building and is considered a powerful yang tonic.  The placenta is full of natural oxytocins which are responsible for contracting the uterus, enhancing milk supply, increasing energy and the hormones it contains most probably help with postpartum depression.  Historically Chinese Medicine has used human placenta for those who have low energy.

For you expectant mothers, I happen to know Sara Pereira in Los Angeles who is qualified specialist in placenta cooking with Chinese herbs.  You can reach her at mommyfeelgood.com, I definitely recommend it!

Another blog on the topic of human placenta, Tom Cruise on Oprah talked about eating Katie’s placenta.


Can A New Diabetes Drug Come From Chinese Herbs?

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My friends father has diabetes, you also probably know someone dealing with excess body weight and a lack of exercise that has resulted in diabetes.  The numbers are staggering, something like 21 million people currently have diabetes or pre-diabetes. For some countries that would be the entire population and then some.  Scientist are studying just about ever possible angle to discover new drugs to improve insulin levels for diabetics. This recent research published in the British Journal of Pharmacology studies various Chinese herbs. 

“If repeated in humans, all of these changes would be beneficial for people affected by type 2 diabetes or other metabolic diseases associated with insulin resistance,” says lead author Dr Ying Leng, who works in the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China.  Many countries have used herbal medicine much longer than America.  When it comes to the use of Chinese herbs and herbal medicine in fact, in both Germany and Japan, herbs and herbal formulas are only prescribed by doctors.  Hmm, why don’t we have this? That’s certainly another blog, back to diabetes.  

“Our work showed that this natural extract from Chinese herbs could point the way to a new way of helping people with type 2 diabetes as well as other metabolic disorders.” says Dr Leng.  There are already many Chinese herb formulas that improve digestion and can help with over eating. Check out Sugar Control Herb Pack here.  

See the study here:

www.brjpharmacol.org/SpringboardWebApp/userfiles/bjp/file/FINAL%20PR%20-%20Leng%20Emodin%20-%20BPH.pdf

Holy Hormones – Evidence Shows How Menstrual Cramps Effect Women’s Brains

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Often, menstrual pain and cramps are not taken seriously. But here at Pack Herbs we take them very seriously, as do a group of researchers at the University of Taipei.  These researchers from Taiwan have made international news.  Using highly specialized brain scanners the researchers found the anatomy of the female brain changed as a result of painful menstrual cramps.  If fact, even if women did not have cramps at the time of the brain scans, yet had experienced moderate to severe cramps on a regular basis for years, scans still showed their brains gray matter had abnormalities.  Yes, abnormalities!  This is the first documented evidence of it’s type. This research proves the monthly misery of menstrual cramps have serious lasting side effects, similar to the effects of people who deal with chronic pain issues. This research is published in the Sept. 2010 issue of PAIN.

“A long-term bombardment by peripheral pain can elicit plastic changes in the central brain as a reactive adaptation,” Hsieh explained. “It can also be a crucial mechanism that perpetuates the ‘chronification’ of pain” — that is, a mechanism that can turn pain into a lingering affliction, says  Dr. Jen-Chuen Hsieh, a professor of neuroscience at the Institute of Brain Science at National Yang-Ming University in Taipei, Taiwan, and lead researcher.  Previously, the researches found PET brain scans also showed differences in brain activity.

Menstrual cramps, or pain in the lower abdomen occur when the uterus contracts during menstruation.  Cramps are one of the most common gynecological disorder in women of childbearing age. As a woman who has been through some pretty painful menstrual cramps in my life, I found Chinese herbs can eliminate monthly suffering and I wanted to share it with others. This is the reason I gave birth to PMS Relief Herb Pack.  (Not a traditional birth, but a birthing of sorts.)

Whether you experience the moodiness, cramps, backaches, bloating, breast tenderness or all of the above, PMS Relief will work for you.  It’s packed with 14 herbs (a dried powder extraction) which has been used through-out Asia for centuries.  Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, our herbal blend of Chinese herbs (not Western herbs) is nothing like what’s been on the American market before.  One packet mixed in water is all you need to start feeling the immediate relief.   Most women use a packet the day before their cycle starts and then a packet or two on their worst cramping days. Did I mention it’s all natural herbs, nothing artificial added and it taste good too.   

Do your brain and your body a favor and give PMS Relief a try.  There is really no reason to suffer any longer. Chinese herbs have the longest continual use history of any medicine on earth. What are you waiting for, an abnormal brain to develop?

Connect to a Australian study:  549 women had documented results on the severity of PMS using Chinese herbs. By restoring the imbalance in the reproductive system, Chinese herbal medicine can prevent monthly menstrual cramps, depression, PMS, and abdominal pain.

Read the abstract here: http://www.painjournalonline.com/article/S0304-3959(10)00329-5/abstract

 

 

 

Chemo Side Effects Reduced With Chinese Herbs, Says Yale

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Chemo patients helped with Chinese herbsThis remarkable research conducted at Yale University is incredible news for Americans.  Asian societies, on the other hand, have used these Chinese herbs for generations and understand that boiling peony root, with licorice root, red dates and skullcap root can help the gastro-intestinal tract especially when one is suffering from diarrhea.

The recently announced research proved a drug made from four traditional Chinese herbs, dubbed PHY906, countered the side effects of chemo in rats.  The researchers decided to give the mice, who were on a chemotherapy drug which has side effects of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, this blend of natural herbs.   Not only did the four Chinese herbs improve the mices symptoms of diarrhea but it simultaneously cut the cancerous tumors growth.

 “This combination of chemotherapy and herbs represents a marriage of Western and Eastern approaches,” said lead researcher Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng.

A study such as this and so many others, are slowly beginning to open up American minds to the incredible health benefits of Chinese herbs. I found it interesting to listen to the interview with Dr. Cheng. He states that the four herbs must be used in combination and cooked together.  Used individually, they did not perform the same function. He says, “deletion of any of those herbs, you have a different impact on three biological endpoints.”  This is exactly what Chinese medicine textbooks have told us for years. It is the combination of herbs cooked together that create the synergy and provide the valuable healing medicinal action.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become a core component in  treating cancer patients. Diarrhea is one of the major side effects of the cancer drug irinotecan.  According to  Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng this herbal remedy is based on the formula which was first established 1,800 years ago and is also known as Huang Qin Tang. It was historically used and still is used today for treatment of diarrhea and GI disorder[s].  The popularity of natural herbal medicine has been expanding each year in America as more studies like this are published.

Insomnia Thoughts, Chinese Herbs Will Change Your Mind

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Natural sleep aids like Chinese herbs work bestTip of the day:  The best treatment for insomnia according to researchers is to change your thought patterns.   Once you change your thoughts your behavior will follow. You see, what you think is what you get.  So it makes sense that insomnia really is, all in the mind. 

 Hint:  If you need a kick start to change your mind set without hitting the heavy prescription sleep aids, try our iSleep Herb Pac.  It contains nine herbs and is based on an ancient Chinese herbal formula called Suan Zao Ren Tang.  Famous minds have used Chinese herbs to help them calm their busy brains and induce a restful night of sleep for centuries. Nothing new under the sun here. Just natural substances found in plants, working together to help reduce stress and calm your head.  It will work for you too, without addiction or side-effects.    

By Jan Yager, Ph.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com

You’ve heard that expression, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Well, it turns out that getting enough sleep, and other kinds of rest, just might postpone when your death occurs as well as increase the effectiveness and joyfulness of your life.

Consider this: the Nurses’ Health Study conducted by Harvard University found that getting too little sleep is linked to a greater risk of getting breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Furthermore, sleep deprivation causes drowsy driving which can lead to accident fatalities. As reported by The National Sleep Foundation at their website devoted to drowsy driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 1,500 deaths and 71,000 injuries are caused annually because of falling asleep at the wheel.

In another study, a review of information about 28,000 children and 15,000 adults found that too little sleep doubled the chances of being obese. Obesity has, in turn, been linked to a variety of life-threatening illnesses including sleep apnea, a condition in which we stop breathing during sleep. As pointed out in “Sleep Apnea Tied to Increased Risk of Stroke,” especially for men over the age of 40, having sleep apnea more than doubles their potential for a stoke.

Preventing an early death or decreasing the likelihood you will become obese aren’t the only reasons we need to get enough sleep and rest. We also need it so we can be alert at work, making it less likely that we’ll make mistakes, have accidents, or fall asleep during meetings, which could embarrass you or, worse, get you fired. Also, too little sleep can increase someone’s tendency to fly off the handle or to be overly emotional, reduce memory retention and increase depression. Simply put, too little sleep reduces the overall quality of our lives.

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/boomerific/2010/020_getting_enough_rest.html#ixzz0vTASDnQs

It’s not, A Chinese Herb for Weight Loss

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Chinese herb bitter orange for weight loss and digestionI am often asked, "What's a good herb for weight loss?"  Ever since ephedra was banned it seems people have wanted a substitute.  Lately, one Chinese herb in particular is showing up in a lot of weight loss supplements.  That herb is unripe bitter orange.  Although it is not ephedra (ma huang), is does contain a similar chemical to the ephedrin called synephrine. 

Bitter orange  refers to the peel of a particular specie of unripe orange and has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for centuries.  Also known around the world as citrus aurantium  it's a native of the Far East and grows well in most warm climates.  Unripe bitter orange is part of the Chinese herb pharmacopeia and has been used in Chinese cuisine, fragrance and medicine for over 2000 years.  

The medicinal part of the bitter orange seems to get all the attention these days.  It has digestive effects and carminative effects, meaning it can help prevent gas formation in the intestines.

The active property of unripe bitter orange that are so desirable for those seeking a weight loss supplement is the synephrine.   This alkaloids appears in slightly higher quantities in the unripe fruit than in the ripe bitter orange.  Today many weight loss supplements are including varying amounts of bitter orange peel extract for it's synephrine value to hopefully increase metabolism which may help a person lose weight.

However, if you are looking for herbs for weight loss this is not the magic bullet.  There have been some reports that taking unripe bitter orange is conjunction with caffeine, mate and other stimulants can cause cardiotoxicity, increased blood pressure and increased anxiousness. Sounds like a bad combination to me and I would stay clear of supplements combining these stimulants.

Unripe bitter orange was never used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for weight loss but it was used and still is used to help improve digestion and to move the Qi or energy, help unblock the bowels, and it has been used to raise blood pressure. But like most Chinese herbs, its use is magnified when paired with other herbs in a set formula with proven time tested benefits.    Funny how an old Chinese herb is new again.