The Raw Journal
Jing Herbs - Safety, Quality, Purity
At Jing Herbs, we pride ourselves on bringing you the highest quality tonic herbs. We take them each and every day, and would not settle for anything less than the best! Our partnership with a vertically integrated manufacturer means that whether it's at the farm or wild-crafting site - someone is there to ensure correct production of raw resources. Not to mention, their indispensable training and experience in botany and Classical Chinese Medicine is a crucial aspect to our success. Water may be stubborn, but we're persistent All raw plant material is processed in pure, clean, natural water. No alcohol, hexane, or other industrial solvent is ever used, ensuring none is present in finished extracts. If any other materials ARE used in formulating or packaging, only pharmaceutical grade components are used. The water then undergoes an extensive purification process involving UV light treatment, deionization, and multiple layers of filtration. The resulting water we use is USP grade. Through a proprietary reiterative process, even stubborn compounds with low water solubility are extracted into the full spectrum result. Thorough Analytical Testing Procedures Throughout the entire process, extracts are subjected to extensive testing. This adds another layer of assurance that we are providing only the highest quality product. We ensure you're getting only authentic species and parts of plants, proper marker compounds, and the full spectrum proportions of constituents. Technologies we use include: Simple organoleptic testing HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) UV Spectrophotometry HPTLC fingerprinting ensures consistency from batch to batch without adulteration in the process. Clean Room Packaging After spray dried into a powder, the extract is collected in an isolated temperature and humidity controlled clean room, preventing contamination from moisture, dirt, and other extract powders. The finished product is double bagged with an ultra low diffusion Mylar® layer, nitrogen flushed, and packaged in protective drums for additional quality assurance. ISO 9001:2000 Certification The manufacturing facilities were constructed specifically to conform to internationally recognized quality standards. Certification was performed by the internationally renowned Norwegian certifier DNV (Det Norske Veritas), one of the top 3 ISO9000 certifiers worldwide. Compliance with ISO9001:2000 standards is ensured by an on-site audit of the quality system every 6 months. Kosher Certification For an additional assurance of quality and purity, the manufacturing facility and all raw materials processed within are Kosher certified by BCK (British Colombia Kosher). Kosher processing specifies standards for purity and sanitation, such as separation of plant and animal processing, stringent insect control, and absence of fermentation. The World's Most Trusted Authority Each and every day we strive to provide quality, purity, and expertise; always aiming to fulfill our role as the world's most trusted authority in the art and science of Chinese Tonic Herbs. Buy Jing Herbs here.
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Phoenix by SuperTonic Herbs - Supporting Women Over 50
My mother went through menopause when I was 10 years old. Watching her struggle, I sought to find out why she experienced this difficult ordeal. That began my path as a health practitioner, and ultimately led to the creation of products -- one of which I'd like to talk about today - Phoenix. Now, I know my mother’s symptoms were intensified by severe stress. Menopause, and andropause in men, causes changes in hormone balance. For both sexes, the drive to reproduce abates, ideally freeing us to refocus from our nuclear family to the larger human community. But, while men are hardwired to respond to acute stresses, women are not… Women need to feel safe. When women are under constant stress and anxiety, the primary female hormone, progesterone, is cross-synthesized into androgens. At menopause, percentages of progesterone and estrogen reduce in relation to androgen hormones. During this life-stage, women are best suited to be our leaders. But progesterone depletion causes imbalances in estrogen, and can affect women’s energy. In a more evolved future, mid-life women will best represent our communities and run our politics, and I can state with certainty that we would have a much better, more compassionate, healthier society, with equality for all, and we would take better care of our planet. Phoenix is my formula to support women at mid-life and beyond. There are four primary concerns during and after menopause. STRESS: Consistent stress can deplete Progesterone, the primary female reproductive hormone responsible for all estrogen synthesis. This can cause hormonal imbalances, and symptoms including hot flashes. HORMONE SUPPORT: Mid-life women can rely on certain nutritives, primarily diosgenins, found in yams and many other foods, to assist regulation of the primary female hormones. BONE/TENDON/LIGAMENT: Bone density requires adequate progesterone to support osteoclasts. At menopause, progesterone synthesis is reduced, which can affect bone density. PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL STAMINA: Like all of us, mid-life women can benefit from herbs and nutratives that help support lasting energy and spiritual fortitude. Phoenix contains four primary herbs, used by women the world over for millennia, to help support balance during the shift and beyond. Dioscorea is a wild yam, high in Diosgenins; precursors to progesterone. Eucommia Bark is the top bone/tendon/ligament herb in Asian herbal medicines. Reishi mushroom offers emotional and spiritual fortitude. Ho sho wu, Morinda, and Rehmannia are herbs said to tonify the kidneys. And so, I am thrilled to offer this super-sophisticated formula to help support the needs of an under-represented and under-respected demographic of our society. Phoenix is safe and beneficial for all women from approx. age 40 and over.
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Spotlight on Golden Berries
By Kate Magic I recently had the privilege of visiting the factory in Peru where our golden berries are processed, and learning more about this wonderful fruit. Golden berries grow all across the world and are known by lots of different names: Physalis, Chinese gooseberries, Cape gooseberries, Incan berries and Golden berries. They are native to South America, but also grow in Asia. They are tart little balls, a little smaller than cherry tomatoes, which explode with juiciness in your mouth, encased in a delicate paper shell that makes it seem that they were packaged up by the fairies, just for you. Often, when I eat fruits like these and raspberries, I marvel at how incredible it is that mother nature has created them to be the most perfect candies for us. I was eating a lot of them in Peru, it's easy to find them and they are so fresh and tangy. When we get them in the UK, they are usually a bit old, so I took advantage of being where they grew, and enjoyed them for breakfast frequently. But of course, they are not just delicious, but fall into the category of super fruits for their high nutrient profile. They are high in antioxidants and rich in Vit. C (1 cup fresh berries contains 15mg). Like goji berries, they are a good source of beta-carotene. They are also known for their bioflavinoid content, which acts as an anti-inflammatory. In the factory, I watched the workers remove the paper husks from the fruits at lightening speed; each worker can process around 20kg berries per hour. I was also pleased to learn that the husks are composted, and then the compost is returned to the farmers, to minimise wastage. Once they have been prepared and inspected, they are sent off to the industrial dryers, where they are dried at low temperatures in order to preserve nutrients. I love to snack on a small handful of golden berries. They pair particularly well with cacao, and often when I am making my raw chocolate creations, I stir some into the chocolate. There's an awesome raw chocolate cake recipe in my Magic Kitchen book called Inca Redible Cake! There's also a Golden Salsa recipe there as well. Buy Raw Living Peruvian Golden Berries here.
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Peruvian Fruits And Vegetables
Interested in learning more about Peruvian Super Foods? At Raw Living, we sell lots of Peruvian fruits and vegetables in dried and powdered form, including Purple Corn, Yacon, Lucuma, Peruvian Carob (Mesquite), Camu Camu, Maca, and of course, Cacao in all its various forms. On Kate's recent visit to Peru, she had the opportunity to enjoy all these foods in their natural state. Click here to discover actually what a Lucuma fruit looks like, and why we never see Cacao fruits!
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Be The Change - Great Taste Award Winner 2023
Let's take you back in time twenty years, to 2003. It's early days of the Internet, before Google, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and if you wanted to learn about something you had to seek it out in person. There weren't really any raw food gurus: Gabriel Cousens had the Tree of Life Centre in Arizona, Anna Maria & Brian Clements were running Hippocrates in Florida, David Wolfe was touring the world, and that was about it. In the UK, there weren't any raw food products to buy, and raw fooders subsisted on veggies, fruits, sprouts, nuts and seeds. A classic raw food dessert was to make a "pie" with a date and almond base and then fill it with fruits like bananas and mangos. Juliano had introduced the world to raw gourmet cuisine with his book "Raw" in 2000, but the recipes were very labour intensive, and to be quite honest, didn't actually work a lot of the time. Kate's first book Eat Smart Eat Raw was the first ever raw food recipe book to come out in the UK, and Raw Living was a modest affair selling that book, juicers, tahini and Klamath Lake algae. But in 2004, the game changed with the introduction of raw cacao. David Wolfe's company at the time, Sunfood, were the first to go to the Peruvian producers to get the raw cacao beans in their unroasted state, and Shazzie's company Detox Your World, were the first to bring them over to the UK. We would take the beans, grind them in the Vitamix with Brazil nuts and raw agave, to make a kind of nut butter, that would set when put in the fridge. This was our very first bar, the Hi-Bar, and it was sold in a few London stores including Olivers in Kew and Here in Chelsea. At the Festival of Life (the raw food festival that ran in central London for nearly a decade) in 2005, many raw-fooders got their first taste of raw chocolate, and we completely sold out that day. From thereon, due largely to David's connections with the Peruvian farmers, we got introduced to more and more plants that revolutionised raw cuisine - ingredients like Lucuma, Mesquite, Camu Camu, Suma and Purple Corn. And this took raw foods out of the "lettuce and bananas" era of the 90s and opened up so many people to the exciting potentials of a living foods diet. In the UK, for the first time, you started to see raw food products appearing on health food store shelves, not just raw chocolate and snack bars, but granolas, crackers and kale chips. And at Raw Living, we made it our mission to seek out the best products and make our website a trusted and reliable resource for those interested in the raw foods lifestyle. But we really owe it all to the mighty cacao bean! We would not be where we are today without it, if it hadn't sparked that wave of interest in raw foods and superfoods twenty years ago. Be The Change was one of the first bars that we created, back in 2006, and it's been in our top-sellers ever since. So we are delighted that the judges of The Great Taste Awards 2023 recognised it in this year's awards, and to celebrate we are offering 20% off all our Raw Living chocolate bars for one week only, from now until 16th August. T&C: Discount automatically applied on site. Maximum 10 bars per customer. Check out Raw Living chocolate bars Be The Change, Whoosh, Hi-Lovers and LuckyMe here.
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Spotlight on Lion's Mane
In the world of medicinal mushrooms, Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a unique and interesting species. Also known by the name Yamabushitake “mountain-priest mushroom” in Japan or Hou Tou Gu "monkey head mushroom" in China, Lion’s Mane has been revered for centuries in traditional Asian medicine for its cognitive enhancing properties. Lion’s Mane boasts a rich nutritional profile. It contains an abundance of bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, terpenes, phenolic compounds, and amino acids. It is also high in antioxidants and a decent source of vitamin D, iron and potassium. Elusive in nature and distinctive in appearance, it springs forth from dead or dying hardwood trees in mountainous areas across North America, Europe and Asia. With its long and soft spines that resemble a cascade of icicles, its appearance resembles those of its monikers - a lion’s mane, a monkey’s head; or, a little white hedgehog. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, it supports all five internal organs: the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and lungs. Traditionally reserved for royalty, it has been used as a tonic for overall health and vitality, as well as for brain and digestive health. TCM also suggests it as a restorer of Qi - life force. Legend has it that it was first used by mountain-dwelling monks, thousands of years ago, who would make tea from the powdered mushroom. Using it to increase their brain power and heighten their focus during their meditation practices. It is also one of the most well-researched medicinal medicines in the modern Western sphere. There have been numerous studies investigating its effects on the brain, particularly on its capacity to promote Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) production. NFG is a protein that plays an imperative role in the growth, maintenance and survival of neurons. Furthermore, other research suggests that Lion's Mane may help reduce inflammation in the brain, which is associated with the neurodegenerative diseases that are all too common nowadays. In a 2017 study, results were clearly shown that the participants who took the Lion’s Mane for 16 weeks enjoyed noticeable improvements in cognitive function over the placebo group. The same participants recorded decreased scores on the same tests after just four weeks without ingesting the mushroom. Lion’s Mane can be consumed in various forms, including fresh, dried, powdered, or as an extract. Our Raw Living brand Lion’s Mane Dual Extract Powder is great value and of the highest quality. Extract form is the best way of receiving its benefits, you can add 1/2-1 tsp to soups, or use it as the basis of a coffee substitute drink. You can also keep the highly practical Four Sigmatic sachets in your bag - perfect for travelling, or just for days on the go. Tinctures are also another convenient way of consumption, easy to keep at hand for some quick daily drops under the tongue. Dragon Herbs’ tinctures are of the best quality and can be found on our website here. If you feel like getting more hands-on, there are various grow kits available online. While they require daily care, it can be a fun and very rewarding project. There’s nothing better than eating your own freshly grown Lion’s Mane - certainly one of the tastiest mushrooms out there! You can find all of our Lion’s Mane products here. By Reuben Wood
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World Bee Day 20th May 2023
To celebrate World Bee Day, we wanted to highlight some of the amazing bee companies that we work with. World Bee Day is observed on 20th May each year to draw attention to the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy. It provides an opportunity for people everywhere to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping. Did you know that there are over 20,000 species of bee in the world? Honey bees gather nectar from four million flowers to make 1 kilo of honey. Close to 75% of crops are dependent on bees as pollinators. But due to intensive monocropping and extensive pesticide use, the bee population is currently in rapid decline, endangering our biodiversity. At Raw Living, we only work with beekeepers who observe traditional methods of bee-keeping and work to protect the bees and the important role that they play in our environment. We stock three brands of honey. Bee Baltic works with small-scale local beekeepers in Lithuania, following sustainable and ethical practices. Founder Paul left a finance job in the city of London, to return back to the Baltic and follow in his grandfather's footsteps as a custodian of the beekeeping traditions. As well as honey, Bee Baltic produce propolis tincture and gum, nature's number one antibiotic, and a selection of beautiful beeswax candles. Magic of Spain bases their business around a beekeeper they met while camping in the Pyrenees in the late 90s. They know all their beekeepers personally, and now as well as Ramon, they work with Antonio who has hives in the mountains north of Madrid, and Luisa and Mario who live in bear country in north west Spain. Like Bee Baltic, they only carry raw unpasteurised honey, made by bees who are free to roam wild, and never treated with antibiotics or pesticides. Seggiano work with artisanal Italian farmers to produce truly raw honey: unheated, unpasteurised, nothing added and nothing removed, as close as possible to the condition it was in when it left the beehive. Their Italian bee keepers extract their honey from the comb through centrifugal forces as opposed to heat. Their mono-varietal honeys are never filtered, and the kind of honey it is usually only possible to purchase direct from the beekeeper. Our Raw Living Organic Bee Pollen comes from Transylvania, where there are less than 100 bee colonies, living in a large area with a big floral multitude. There is no intensive agriculture in this area, and the type of bee that is bred is Apis Melifera Carpatica, a gentle bee that allows the beekeepers to work without any protection. Our Wild Bee Bread is produced in western Lithuania, in meadows that are 80km from the nearest city. Bee Bread is fermented bee pollen mixed with honey, and is considered an even better source of bioavailable protein than pollen, as well as minerals and B vitamins. To learn more about the wonderful bee companies we work with, click on the "Further Info" tab of any product description. You can also click on the "Podcast" tab of Bee Baltic and Seggiano to hear an interview with the respective founders. Or take this fun educational quiz to see how much you know about apiculture! World Bee Day Offer! Use the code WELOVEBEES23 at checkout to get 25% off Raw Living Bee Pollen 250g or Raw Living Bee Bread 100g & 250g . One use per customer only. Cannot be used with any other discounts, including loyalty points. Valid from 8am Thurs 18th May until midnight on Sun 21st May.
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Spotlight on He Shou Wu
He Shou Wu is one of our favourite Chinese tonic herbs, along with Reishi, Goji and Schizandra. It is considered a superior herb; these are the herbs that Traditional Chinese Medicine believes are beneficial to take on a daily basis to support good health and longevity. The TCM paradigm is in direct opposition to the modern Western medical paradigm. Your doctor's job was to give you herbs and prescribe lifestyle practices to keep you well. If a patient was sick, the doctor was seen as failing in his job; contrast that with modern doctors who only see patients when they are sick, and who only look at isolated symptoms, never the whole person. As the primary Jing herb, He Shou Wu is a herb that can be enjoyed without restraint, in order to sustain spiritual well-being. It is actually prepared from the root of a vine that grows in China, that can grow up to 80 ft in the wild. The roots must be sliced and boiled with black beans initially, to inhibit the laxative effect, then steamed and dried. In TCM, black foods such as black bean, black sesame, and black rice are said to support kidney function, and so Jing energy, which is stored in the kidneys. He Shou Wu also falls into this category of black foods which are kidney tonics. There are some great legends around He Shou Wu! Neng Si was believed to have first discovered it in China. After falling down drunk in the forest, he was struck by the unique appearance of some he shou wu vines growing nearby, so he picked it, took it home, and ground it into a powder. Legend has it, his hair grew dark again, and he changed his name to Neng Si, which means "Capable of Bearing Offspring." The name He Shou Wu translates as "Black-haired Mr He." This legend tells of Mr He, who fell into a deep depression when he realised he couldn't have children. This depression also caused his hair to go white. However, after consuming the herb for a year, as well as restoring his hair colour, he fathered a child at 56, and he was reputed to live on to 132. The Taoist sage Li Ao, had this to say, “I will reveal to you an herbal secret. Taking He Shou Wu helped me to father children. Originally, I preferred peace of mind, and under no circumstances did I want to take this herb, because I had heard it said that it was ‘harmful to peace of mind’ (referring to its stimulation of sexual desire). However, my spouse took it accidentally and we attained the greatest happiness (the highest level of sexual ecstasy). Since then I have continued taking this miraculous herb.” Li Qing Yuen reportedly lived until 252 years old, and maintained a youthful vigour until the end of his life. Legend has it he was born in 1680, and died in the 1930s! His secret was a daily soup of gojis, ginseng and he shou wu. Modern Chinese research has much more to say about this plant that has evidently been used for well over a thousand years, and maybe one day we will be able to share those stories with you too. For now, we hope that this has piqued your interest in this amazing plant. If it has, you can consider taking He Shou Wu in a variety of ways: Our Raw Living He Shou Wu powder is the best value way to purchase the herb. You can add 1/2-1 tsp to soups, or use it as the basis of a coffee substitute drink. Dragon Herbs offer the finest quality He Shou Wu, which has been grown in a semi-wild state, harvested after five years, and then steamed for under a day, before drying. They produce it in both tincture and powdered form. For tea-making, you can purchase the dried root pieces, or find it as a core ingredient in our Eterniteea blend. It's also one of the key ingredients in our chocolate power blend, Tonic Power. Anima Mundi Herbals use it as part of their Collagen formula. You can find all He Shou Wu products here.
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5G Solutions With Tachyon
5G exposure is expanding. But good news, there is a solution! 5G is here, and with it, a whole new level of 5G milli-wave and EMF radiation exposure. More than 220 scientists from over 40 countries have expressed "serious concerns" over the EMF waves created by our electronic devices. This came even before the release of 5G, showing that our leaders are neglecting to focus on our health. “The 5G rollout is absolutely insane.” Dr. Martin Pall addressing the NIH “Allowing this technology to be used without proving its safety is reckless in the extreme, as the millimeter waves are known to have a profound effect on all parts of the human body.” Prof. Trevor Marshall, Director Autoimmunity Research Foundation, California “The plans to beam highly penetrative 5G milliwave radiation at us from space must surely be one of the greatest follies ever conceived of by mankind. There will be nowhere safe to live." Olga Sheean former WHO employee and author of No Safe Place "There is a plan, within the next two years, to launch 20,000 satellites to beam 5G onto the planet. This new attack on life on Earth would cause a disruption of the earth’s primary harmonic frequency called the Schumann Resonance. When this harmonic resonance is disrupted, it is likely to cause and activate more physical and biological mechanisms for creating even more human health problems." Dr. Gabriel Cousens Our bodies are composed of Subtle Organizing Energy Fields (SOEFs) that keep us healthy and balanced. Think of the SOEFs as the energetic glue of the universe. SOEFs create and maintain the energetic matrix from which all physical forms are made. Nevertheless, harmful EMF and 5G milli-wave radiation deplete and disrupt these SOEFs, causing various health problems. 5G milli waves operate in a high-frequency range of the wireless spectrum and they have a much harder time traveling over long distances or through different objects. For the 5G network to function properly, 5G antennas need to be typically implemented every 400 to 1000 feet (100 to 300 meters). Compared to the transmission antennas required for the preceding 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies, this spatial distribution is significantly denser. Transmitter density required for 5G to work and achieve “anytime-everywhere” connectivity means a greater population currently is or soon will be exposed to high levels of 5G and EMF radiation. The benefits that are promised by the 5G rollout are mostly economic or related to the increased convenience for consumers. But what about our health?The scientific uncertainty about the safety and the biologically disruptive potential of the 5G exposure is a big concern. That is why it is crucial to be proactive and protect yourself from the 5G global rollout. The good news is there is a solution to this growing problem.Tachyonized™ 5G protection tools are a cutting-edge development in 5G protection. They are unique in that they negate the disruptors of 5G milli-wave radiation. This is because Tachyon devices work at the subatomic level, where 5G milli-waves are generated. Tachyonized tools are not frequency tools. They are the source of frequencies.Tachyonized™ tools are the only US patent-proven EMF and 5G protection devices on the market. They help to re-establish balance and health in your body's SOEFs and provide much more than just protection from 5G and EMF exposure. The solution is a multi-step approach to living in a superconductive energetic space 24-7. There are six main areas that should be addressed: personal, mobile, home, bedroom, car and work. To survive in a 5G world, one must become a superconductor of life force energy. Becoming unaffected by 5G frequencies can lead to a life without limits. Don’t wait, BE PROACTIVE, and protect yourself and your loved ones. Shop ATT here.
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Where To Start
When you're new to this world, the options can seem overwhelming. How do you tell your Mucuna from your Lucuma? How to choose between 12 different types of Reishi? How do you even say Astragalus? We've put together a handy "Where To Start" section for you. Or if you already know your Shilajit from your Shiitake, it's a great place to send friends and family when they are starting out. It's one page of products that are all under £10 each, or you could buy the whole lot for under £170, and use it as a starter for your raw kitchen. All you need is some nice seasonal veggies from the farmers market and some fresh fruits, and you'll be eating the high vibe way in no time. For example, for breakfast, you could make your own superfood granola with buckwheaties, gojis, hemp oil, tahini, honey and maca. Or perhaps a chia porridge with lucuma and gojis. Lunch could be a nori wrap with some tahini, fresh veggies, and sauerkraut. Or you might make a dip with the sunflower seeds, and have it with crudites and sauerkraut. Kimchi and kelp noodles with some home-grown sprouts makes a great dinner, or just have a big salad with a hemp oil dressing and a Super Salad Sprinkle topping. You can make lovely chocolate energy ball snacks with tahini, honey and Tonic Power, or maybe just fill-up on a handful of activated nuts. And don't forget to keep sipping on your Eterniteea throughout the day to stay hydrated, The possibilities are endless, but we believe with the help of the recipes in Kate's book Raw Transitions, you've got all the tools you need to eat a high-vibe, high-raw diet easily and economically. Check out our Where To Start section here.
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Mood Boosters
February is widely regarded as the most depressing month of the year in the Northern hemisphere. The post-holiday glow has worn off, and the promise of Spring is still around the corner. So we thought we would deliver up some suggestions of natural mood-boosters this month. Of course, the best medicine is always nature: wrapping up warm and getting outside as much as you can; staying grounded, by using grounding mats and sheets when it's too cold to go barefoot; using saunas and hydrotherapy to stop the system getting sluggish; avoiding too much blue-light or at least wearing blue-light blockers like Swanwick glasses. But maybe you're doing all that and it's still not cutting it. That's where the plants come in to give you that extra helping hand. Two of the main happy chemicals in the brain are serotonin and dopamine, and there are many plant foods that support the body in increasing production of these chemicals. Here are some of our favourites: Cacao contains a feast of happy chemicals for your brain, including precursors to serotonin, PEA (the molecule of joy), and anandamide (the bliss chemical). Always our first stop! The blue-green algaes such as Spirulina and Chlorella are another great source of PEA, which also supports focus and concentration. The most concentrated source is Blue Majik from E3 Live. Etherium Gold is a unique monatomic supplement, which is scientifically proven to promote Alpha brainwaves, the brainwaves we produce in a meditative state. Taking Etherium Gold is like instant meditation! All the adaptogens, such as Reishi and Ashwagandha, calm the nervous system, which has a knock-on effect on our mood, making us feel more calm and relaxed, and less stressed by the little things. St Johns Wort is one of the most established natural anti-depressants, encouraging the manafacture of serotonin in the brain. It's present in our PMTeea herbal tea, and in the Fushi product, Women's Plus Tincture. You might know Turmeric for it's anti-inflammatory properties, but did you know that it's also proven in studies to be a more effective anti-depressant than Prozac? Try an afternoon Turmeric and Ashwagandha Latte for a lovely lift, or treat yourself to one of Anima Mundi Herbals Golden Milks.. He Shou Wu is the Chinese herb said to promote hair growth, as well as feelings of ecstatic bliss! As one of the premier Chinese tonic herbs, t's a powerful kidney strengthener, and a good one to give you that extra well-being boost. While we are on the Chinese theme, the ancient Taoist texts say the only side-effect of eating too many Goji Berries is laughing too much :) Nutritionally, getting an abundance of the essential fatty acids, vitamin D, and probiotic foods in the diet are all well-recognised ways of improving mood. Don't forget the gut is directly linked to the brain, so feed your tummy happy foods like sauerkraut and sprouts, so that it can send those feel-good signals along the vagus nerve up to your mind. And we saved the best for last! Mucuna is the number one superstar in this category, containing precursors to serotonin, dopamine, and DMT. DMT is a chemical which is naturally created by the pineal gland in a healthy person. It is known as "the spirit molecule"; it helps us access the visionary state, connecting us with our highest ideas and dreams. All the chemicals in our environment, as well as blue light pollution, calcify the pineal gland and block our natural ability to produce DMT. As well as our own Raw Living mucuna, we stock Anima Mundi Herbals and Sun Potion as well. Check them all out, and more, in our mood boosters section here. Try making your own raw chocolate with mucuna, Etherium Gold, and ashwagandha, and snacking on it throughout the day, whenever you need a pick-me-up. If enough of you request it, maybe we will share a recipe next month? 😀
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Diamond Mind
Boost your brain power naturally, with herbs and plants that have been recognised for hundreds, if not thousands of years, for their abilities to sharpen cognitive function. In our busy lives, we take in information at a speed that would be unimaginable to our ancestors. So many mental stressors to deal with, it's no wonder that so many people complain of brain fog or poor memory. Our brains are being taxed to work overtime, while atmospheric pollutants such as aluminium and barium contribute to rapid neurodegeneration. However, this situation is entirely avoidable by avoiding exposure to heavy metals, and taking regular supplementation to strengthen the neural pathways and keep the brain alert and functioning optimally. If you're concerned about heavy metal exposure, nascent iodine is a great supplement to take daily to improve chelation; that is, your body's ability to convert and excrete metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium. Just 2-3 drops daily in a glass of water is all that is needed. It's very easy to overdose on iodine, so be careful, and stick to the minimum dose. Other powerful substances for heavy metal detoxification are shilajit and zeolites. The micro-algaes all contain a substance called PEA, which is particularly good for focus and concentration. The micro-algaes include spirulina, chlorella, Klamath Lake algae, and phytoplankton. For concentrated PEA, consider E3 Live Blue Majik, which is a spirulina extract. Also recommended for focus and concentration, is Etherium Gold. There are many Chinese herbs that are considered supportive of brain function, such as Gingko, Rhodiola and Eleuthero. We have some great formulas, including Dragon Herbs Diamond Mind, Jing Herbs Master Mind, Anima Mundi Herbals The Mind, and our own loose leaf tea blend, Clariteea. Lion's Mane mushroom extract is considered a top nootropic, that is a substance that is believed to improve mental performance. Lion's Mane helps your body produce NGF, a naturally occurring substance which encourages neurogenesis, the rebuilding of healthy brain cells. Essential Fatty Acids are so called because, yes, you guessed it, they are essential to brain health. It's very hard for vegans to get enough EFAs in their diet. The best sources are hemp, flax and chia, and we always recommend taking a supplement such as NuIQue. We hope that hasn't been too much information to tax your brain! If it has you know what you need to do! Click here to find our Diamond Mind section, containing all the afore-mentioned products, and more.
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Nothing Beats A Cuppa!
Being British, we're firm believers that nothing beats a cuppa! We have an amazing selection of medicinal teas on the site, so you will never get bored - it would take you years to work your way through them all. What is medicinal tea? When we think of herbal teas, we think of an insipid cup of chamomile or peppermint, or some over-flavoured "fruit tea." In these kind of tea bags, very little of the healing benefits of the herbs remain. In contrast, when we take high quality organic herbs, carefully prepared in compostable tea bags, or better yet, presented loose, then the incredible properties of the plants can be readily utilised by our bodies. Healing Companies such as ourselves, Dragon Herbs, Anima Mundi Herbals and Lab Tonica, have carefully researched the most healing herbs from around the world, and curated unique and compelling formulas to meet the needs of our modern-day lives. Sustainable Plus, don't forget that when you use hand-picked organic herbs for your brew, a little goes a long way. With loose leaf teas, you can usually get two brews out of a handful of herbs, sometimes even three. So not only are you helping the planet with less packaging, you are being kind to your budget as well. How To Use A cafetiere or coffee-press is a good option for home brewing loose herbs. If you use a teapot, it needs some kind of filter so that you don't get goji berries stuck in the spout! We recommend heating your water to 80 deg. It's easy to find temperature control kettles, that have settings other than just the standard 100 deg. Or if you don't have one, get in the habit of flicking the kettle off before it boils. 80 deg is warm enough to activate the herbs, but not too hot that it destroys the benefits. Most dried herbs will be good for two or three brews. If you have excess tea, allow it to cool and bottle it for a refreshing drink, or add it to smoothies and mylk recipes to increase the nutrition. Here's a brief list of a few of our favourites: Calming: Shaman Shack Gynostemma, Lab Tonica Breathe For flavour: Spring Dragon Longevity Tea from Dragon Herbs, Raw Living Eterniteea Night-time: Dream and Blue Lotus from Anima Mundi Herbals Energising: Pow Tea from Lab Tonica, Four Sigmatic Matcha with Lion's Mane, Golden Sun Milk from Anima Mundi Herbals Immunity: Raw Living Immuniteea, Anima Mundi Herbals Pau d'Arco For women: Raw Living PMTeea, Dragon Herbs Schizandra eeTee For kombucha making: Dragon Herbs Oolong tea, Clearspring Kukicha Shop the full range in our herbal teas section.
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