Chemical Additives in Your Herbs. To Sulfur or Not to Sulfur

Posted by Cathy on February 6, 2011

When purchasing dried fruit, 9 out of 10 people will pick the bag that looks prettier than the one that has fruit turned brown. Go beyond the beautiful color because that beautiful color is deceiving, it may even carry toxins. Sulfur dioxide is used to prevent discoloration in dried fruit and has significant side effects on some people. The most common reactions are diarrhea, allergies, headaches and asthma.

Now what about the herbs you buy?

Do your herbs contain sulfur dioxide (SD) and does SD effect the fundamental quality of the herbs?

Chinese herbs are derived from natural plant and mineral products. Like any natural product, they are vulnerable to mold and insect infestation. To control the decay and mold many herbal products and natural supplements are sprayed with sulfur based fumigation. This process kills bacteria, mold, insects and may also be used for bleaching/ cleaning raw herbs.

But can it change the chemical constituents of a particular herb? In some cases we know for a fact the answer is YES! Pac Herbs products are not fumigated with SD! We believe the byproduct of fumigation is unacceptable as it often changes the nature of the herb.

Sulfer dioxide is commonly used by some farmers to cosmetically improve the appearance of the herb Dioscorea, (Shan Yao) Pueraria Root ( Ge Gen) and dried ginger (Gan Jiang). In high sugar content raw herbs SD causes the herbs to taste more acidic, in herbs containing fatty oils such as persica (tao ren) used in our PMS Relief, fumigation leaves a pungent oil odor. Fragile herbs such as Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua) should never be fumigated with sulfur dioxide because it damages Chrysanthemum's fundamental qualities.

As a preservative, sulfur dioxide is often used in dried fruit because it's antimicrobial properties preserve freshness, reduce rotting and help maintain the appearance of the fruit. Sulfur dioxide is an important compound in wine making. It serves as an antibiotic and antioxidant, protecting wine from spoilage by bacteria and oxidation. The Center for Science in the Public Interest lists two food preservatives, sulfur dioxide and sodium bisulfate as being safe for human consumption except for certain individuals who may be sensitive to it, even in small amounts.

Our labs conduct sulfur dioxide residue tests before our herbs are processed to insure the our natural herbal products are sulfur free. When I visited wholesale herb markets in China, the un-sulfured herbs were noticeable different in color and price (see above picture) from the same herbs treated with sulfur. Untreated herbs were always more expensive, what does that tell you?

Center for Science in the Public Interest.. http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm#sulfites

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.

This Year I Will Finally (dot, dot, dot)

Posted by Cathy on January 4, 2011

Hopefully you've made some New Years resolutions and hopefully you can keep them.

One resolution I hear often from patients is "I would like to stop taking so many OTC (over the counter) pain killers." When I inquire further, I often learn the Tylenol, Advil, or generic ibuprofen or acetaminophen are used for muscle aches, PMS and menstrual cramps and some use the PM versions of these OTC pain relievers as a sleep aid. I'm always surprised people use these for sleep aids because their is no evidence that the PM versions of these pills have any active ingredients that will help you sleep.

If you are taking these pain killers for menstrual cramps you should check out our PMS Relief Herb Pac, and if you are taking over-the counter pain relievers for muscle aches I recommend switching to a systemic enzyme supplement.

If you are taking acetaminophen, whether it be a generic or Tylenol, make sure you heed the BLACK BOX Warning on the box label. The FDA requires the manufacturers to include this warning because of the number of life threatening incidences resulting in liver failure and death. 650 mg is the maximum recommended dosage per day, this is two pills at 325 mg. More than that and you risk serious liver damage. Please don't buy the 1000 quantity bottles at Costco or Wallmart, simply because 1000 of any pain reliever is just too many.

If you drink on the same day you're taking acetaminophen, you increase your risk for acute (sudden onset) liver failure. Don't be one of the thousands that are rushed to the emergency room each year as a result of acetaminophen overdosing. Herbs are a fantastic alternative to OTC pain relievers. Our herbal sleep aid is a much safer and more effective solution.

Boost Your Immune System with This Herb, Dr. Weil Says

Posted by Cathy on December 15, 2010 with 1 Comment

Astragalus root, also known as Huang Qi or astragulus membranaceous has been used for over 2000 years to keep people healthy.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine today we may call it “supplementing your Qi”, either way it’s boosting your immune system to fight off stress and everyday germs. Add it to boiling water for some tea and you will have more energy and increase your natural immunities. Dr. Andrew Weil calls it one of the five supplements he recommends for a healthy immune system. This herb is also known as an adaptogen.

Astragalus is usually used in combination with other herbs in Chinese herbal medicine. iI is commonly used to supplement spleen/pancreas and stomach energy. It is both safe and inexpensive and is commonly found in Asian cooking. You may even want to add it to homemade chicken soup for a kick ass immune busting soup.

If you prefer the more convenient pre-cooked astragalus you can find them here. Adding a little bit of granules to warm water and drink as a tea or add it to your favorite shake or juicing recipe. Granules are the preferred method throughout Asia simply because they won’t attract bugs like most raw hers do after sitting in your cabinet for a long time and the convenience can’t be beat. Our Astragalus granules are the highest grade available and although we cannot verify certified organic, they are always thoroughly tested for contaminants and as close to organic as is possible.

Mindfulness is as Effective as Anti-Depression Meds

Posted by Cathy on December 7, 2010

Since today we need a 'research study' to validate that something truly has value, here's one for you.

A study just published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that depression can be treated with "mindfulness" more effectively than with an antidepressant drug or a placebo. Since according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) there are 14 million or so Americans suffering from depression, I'm doing my part in spreading the word.

What exactly is "mindfulness"? Generally it refers to being in the present moment. It incorporates meditation and "helping patients watch their feelings and thoughts in a way that lets them work with them differently", said Zindel Segal of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, in Toronto, Ontario.

Participants who received mindfulness therapy learned how to meditate on their own for 40 minutes a day, in addition to going to a session with a therapist.

"It’s kind of like going like going to the gym and working a muscle, except in this case you’re not working a muscle in your body, you’re working the muscles in your brain that help you understand and control your emotions," Segal said. Ahh, this might explain the popularity of yoga studios, we become mindful when doing yoga.

Now if you live in San Diego there is a place called "The Healing Playground" at Herbin Acupuncture and Wellness which is the perfect place to exercise your "Mindfulness".

The founders and creators of this incredible "Healing Playground" concept are Lori Powell and Lara Koljonen, who is also a Licensed Acupuncturist. It's a place to carve 30 minutes (or more if you like) out of your day to listen to meditation cd's, relax in a zero gravity chair or sofa and rejuvenate. This is an alternative to the standard coffee house. It’s a place that will help you gain perspective, de-stress and unwind. You can drink a cup of organic tea or use many of the healing stations at your fingertips such as the biofeedback stress reduction station, a dvd station with movies centered around healing and emotional health, or aromatherapy audio programs on everything from breast health to meditation and more.

If you don't have a "Healing Playground" near you create your own meditation spot in a small corner of your favorite room. Adding some mindful meditation or Chinese herbs to your life will help you relax and de-stress. A great option before succumbing to the soon to be out-dated anti-depressant drug therapy.

(The National Institutes of Health was established by the United States Congress to support the mission of the National Institutes of Health—improving health through scientific discovery.)

Sleep Aids Valerian and Hops Check Dosage

Posted by Cathy on November 18, 2010

If you are looking for a natural sleep aid to help you stay horizontal through-out the night, we've got news for you. The traditional herbs used in the West for help sleeping are valerian and hops. Maybe you've heard of them. In one of the most thoroughly conducted research studies on these herbs, it was discovered these herbs only work when extracted together.

These top researchers in Switzerland conducted a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to demonstrate the fixed combination of chemical constituents from the plants. What the researchers found is that only when these two herbs are used in a fixed combination at 500 milligrams valerian extract siccum to 120 milligrams hops extract siccum, did they reduce sleep latency. The valerian extract alone was no better than a placebo. Always check product dosages for the best results.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long history of using herbs together. When using Chinese herbs as an over-the-counter sleep aid, either mixed at a Chinese pharmacy or in prepackaged packets like our iSleep Herb Pac, it is most common to have herbs combined together to create a synergistic action that is much more effective than any one herb working alone. Chinese herbs are always used in combination formulas for the very same reason this study demonstrates. They simply work better, together. Studies can prove this, but it is really history of over a thousand years of using herbs cooked together which has provided this knowledge.

For more info on this study:

Koetter U, Schrader E, Kaufeler R. et al. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, prospective clinical study to demonstrate clinical efficacy of a fixed valerian hops extract combination (Ze 91019) in patients suffering from non-organic sleep disorder. Phytother Res. 2007 May 8.

The Top 5 Natural Sleep Aid Tips

Posted by Cathy on October 18, 2010

Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?

Ever count sheep? Who came up with that idea anyway? I use to try it and it drove me crazy, I always lost track of how many sheep. I guess that was the point.. but it never helped me get to sleep.

Here's what I've learned after countless insomnia consults. Prescription sleep aids may work for some but before you resort to that extreme give a few of these natural sleep remedies a try.

1. Darkness counts. Make the bedroom as dark as possible. No computers in the room, no clock radio light. If you want to sleep you need to maximize that melatonin production so you need blackness. When you can't see your hand in front of your face, your sleep space functioning as a natural sleep aid.

2. Stop Nappiing!! No more than 1 short.. 30 minutes or less nap, per day. Sorry folks, if you really want good quality sleep you've got to maximize the efficiency of 7 hours straight. You shouldn't need a nap if you have at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Power napping (30 min or less ) is approved but more than that you are sabotaging your night time REM.

3. Change your mind, 7-8 hours is not a pipe dream. Although many of us would like to will ourselves to sleep, this method is fairly ineffective. But if you truly set a natural sleep goal, this will be a positive influence. As you go to bed, give yourself the positive affirmation that you will sleep all night. Don't doubt yourself, you may be surprised how strong the mind can be.

4. Love your mattress, or whatever you sleep on. If you don't love it, change it. Com' on, you spend months/years of your life sleeping. Do it in style.

5. The temperature is one of the most important natural sleep remedies. We have all experienced the" too hot" summer night or too cold winter morning. Make it right and enjoy the best sleep you can. (If night sweats are your "too hot" moment check out our natural Menopause Relief, it will naturally adjust your internal thermostat.)

Bonus tip: A few drops of Lavender essential oil on your pillow and behind your ear lobes provides a natural calming effect.

If you are still suffering with poor sleep, try our all natual sleep aid. Our herbal blend is not a secret, it is written in every Chinese herbal formula book on the planet. It has been used for centuries. Drink a small cup of iSleep before bed and we guarantee you will improve the number of hours you sleep. Best part… it's an all natural sleep aid!

Learn to Unplug and Recharge By Sleeping

Posted by Cathy on October 18, 2010

“I can’t speak for all women, but I want to get more sleep, says Arianna Huffington, the Co- Founder and Editor-In-Chief of the Huffington Post a nationally syndicated columnist, and author of twelve books. Arianna Huffington was a speaker at The Womens Conference 2009 and had this to say about sleep. . .

“The prevailing culture tells us that nothing succeeds like excess, that working 80 hours a week is better than working 70, that being plugged in 24/7 is expected, and that sleeping less and multi-tasking more are an express elevator to the top.”

“I beg to differ. There is nothing that negatively affects my mood, my productivity, or my effectiveness more than lack of sleep. I’ve had to learn to unplug and recharge. To trade multi-tasking for uni-tasking — and, occasionally — no-tasking. It’s left me healthier, happier, and more able to try to make a positive difference in the world.”

“My eyes have been opened to the value of regularly closing them.”

I couldn’t agree more with Arianna! Our fast paced, high tech world that never sleeps is creating a world of insomniac’s who wish nothing more than… well a good nights sleep. Weight gain is blamed on lack of sleep, as is an increase in depression and death, (due to drivers falling asleep behind the wheel). .

Consider 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.

If you suffer from a lack of sleep check into natural sleep aids such as iSleep Herb Pack, an all natural sleep aid used in Asian cultures for generations. Because, a good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for just about anything that ails you.

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.”

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/

Insomnia Thoughts, Chinese Herbs Will Change Your Mind

Posted by Cathy on August 2, 2010

Tip 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.

Tag: natural sleep aids