Supplements and Herbs

What is Pearl Powder? The Chinese have been using pearl powder for both its medicinal and cosmetic properties since approximately 320 AD. It is thought that the Empress Wu Ze Xian (625 AD – 705 AD), famed for her beautiful and youthful complexion, used pearl powder both externally and internally.  During the Ming dynasty, pearl […]

Shilajit — pronounced “shil-uh-jeet” — is a tar-like resin that seeps out of high-altitude rocks across the Himalayas, the Caucasus, and the Hindu Kush. It’s one of the more heavily studied substances in Ayurvedic medicine, and unlike a lot of traditional remedies, a handful of its most-touted uses actually have human clinical trials behind them

What is Eucommia Bark? The word Eucommia refers to the bark of what is called the “Hardy Rubbertree”, which can reach up to sixty feet in height wherever it is grown. Originating in central China, Eucommia is used for ornamental and shade purposes, as well as for its medicinal properties. It is grown in temperate

What is Rehmannia? Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa) , also called di huang or Chinese foxglove, is a flowering plant that grows throughout China. It can be referred to as either shēng dì huáng (生地黄) or gān dì huáng (干地黄) – with 生 shēng meaning life and 干 gān meaning dried. Rehmannia Glutinosa grows to 0.3 to

What is Osha Root? Osha root, sometimes referred to as Porter’s licorice-root, bear root, or chuchupate, is scientifically known as Lingusticum porteri and belongs to the family Apiaceae which includes celery, carrots and parsley. It is a perennial plant, native to the western mountains of the United States and Mexico.  The plant is characterized by

What is Schizandra Berry? Schizandra (Schizandra chinensis), sometimes written schisandra, or referred to botanically, as Chinese Magnolia Vine, Wu Wei Zi or Five Flavor Berry, is a climbing vine native to parts of China, Russia, and Korea. It grows to approximately 8 metres tall, and produces oval-shaped leaves and large flowers that range from white and

What is White Oak Bark? Over thousands of years, oak trees have been worshiped for their association with ancient gods and they have played an important role in traditional medicine of several different societies. The White Oak Tree (quercus alba) is native to the eastern United States. It is the symbolic state tree for both Illinois

What is Tamanu Oil? Tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum) is an inedible greenish-yellow oil obtained from nuts of the tamanu tree. Calophyllum inophyllum (a species of the Guttiferae family) is an enormous evergreen tree found in the tropics of Southeast Asia. The tree also thrives in the Polynesian and Melanesian islands. The Melanesian people say that they

What is He Shou Wu? He Shou Wu, also known as Chinese knotweed, fleeceflower, or Fo-Ti (not to be confused with the unrelated product Fo-Ti-Tieng) is an herbal remedy from Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is derived from the root of the plant Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (synonym Fallopia multiflora or sometimes Reynoutria multiflora), a climbing vine