The Raw Journal
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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Spotlight On Astragalus
Astragalus is one of the premier Chinese tonic herbs. Tonic herbs are recommended in Traditional Chinese Medicine to take on a regular basis to keep the body functioning optimally. Chinese medicine looks at the body through a very different lens than Western medicine, and the tonic herbs are dispensed in order to help prevent a person getting sick, rather than waiting until symptoms appear and then diagnosing and treating the resulting conditions. It really is the inverse of the modern pharmaceutically-driven medical industry, where doctors profit from sickness rather than health. Astragalus roots come from a flowering plant which grows in China and Korea. It is an adaptogen which is high in saponins, polysaccharides and flavonoids. It contains a unique substance called astragalosides, which stimulate T-cell production. and restore telomere growth. T-cells are white blood cells which play a vital role in the adaptive immune response, particularly important with this new attack on our immune system over the last two years. Shorter telomere length is a major factor in the risk of chronic disease; herbs that extend telomere length are said to be anti-aging. Astragalus is available in tincture, powder and capsule form. Explore our range here. Also check out Dragon Herbs' Supreme Protector formulation, which is composed of the four "kings of defence": Astragalus, Reishi, Schizandra and Cordyceps, and the RDT Connoisseurs range, many of which include Astragalus.
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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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Sal de Maras - Peruvian Maras Salt
We know we have many customers who are big salt fans! We already stock Sel De Guerande, a grey Celtic Salt from the World Heritage Site of Guerande in Western France, and Saltverk and Islensk Hollusta, geothermal sea salts from Iceland. Kate recently visited the Maras salt flats of the Sacred Valley in Peru, and we are delighted to add Maras salt to our range of high quality premium mineral salts. The Maras salt flats are some kind of miracle of nature, existing 3,200 km above sea level. They have been farmed for over 500 years, each pond being passed down from generation to generation. Traditional artisanal methods of panning salt are used. Maras salt is a beautiful salt, favoured by many gourmet chefs and restaurants. Not as dominating in flavour as Himalayan salt, not as soft and gentle as Icelandic salt, try adding a sprinkle of the magic of the Sacred Valley to your next meal! Buy Maras Salt here. See more pictures of the Maras salt flats here.
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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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Current Global Cacao Market
You may have noticed the big increase in the price of cacao recently. In this podcast interview, Kate explains some of the history of cacao trading, and how the roots of African cacao in slavery are still having a negative impact today. Also how the coca market impacts the ability of producers to create a flourishing cacao trade. Listen on iTunes Listen on Spotify
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