Rooibios Tea (Aspalathus linearis)

Rooibos tea, also known as “Red Bush” tea is one such natural remedy, made without preservatives, additives, caffeine, colorants or other chemicals. The healing qualities of Rooibos tea are still being discovered in a lot of ways. Much of today’s research has been conducted in South Africa and Japan, uncovering more and more positive and healing attributes and interest in the health benefits of Rooibos tea.

Organic South African Rooibos Tea

Nature never ceases to amaze us with her abundant remedies. Our Rooibos Tea is one such natural remedy, made without preservatives, additives, colorants or otherchemicals. Ongoing research continues to uncover diverse healing properties from clearing acne and resisting signs of aging, improving adult digestion, soothing depression,easing colic in babies and relieving allergies, to fighting cancer and HIV. Rooibos tea is delicious served hot or cold and can be added to beverages, sauces, soups and stews,and meals to enhance flavor and color. Rooibos contains no caffeine, low tannin, and no harmful side-effects.

Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea

The healing qualities of Rooibos Tea are still being discovered in a lot of ways. Much of today’s research has been conducted in South Africa and Japan, uncovering more andmore positive and healing attributes, and interest in the health benefits of Rooibos Tea. So far, studies have shown Roobios Tea to contain antioxidants; relieve mild depression,insomnia and nervous tension; aid digestion in adults; reduce allergy symptoms such as asthma, skin irritation (itching, eczema, acne) and hay fever; enforce anti-agingproperties in the skin and body; and relieve colic in babies (it is often also used as a supplement for babies who are allergic to milk). Plus, Rooibos Tea has properties which help fight cancer and HIV.

Rooibos Tea is low in tannin (or tannic acid), which is a substance common in most teas (and a large component of the bitter taste) that decreases the body’s absorption of iron and inhibits proper digestion of protein. Tannin has been said to reduce the iron in tea drinkers by approximately one third. The level of tannin in Rooibos tea is so low that tests have confirmed that Rooibos tea does not significantly affect iron absorption. It also contains no caffeine. Studies on caffeine are concluding that it forces your body to function under a sustained, heightened level of stress, affecting among other things your heart and blood pressure. Rooibos lifts energy and mood naturally, without caffeine.

Rooibos tea contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, fluoride (which can be beneficial when in its natural context), potassium, and sodium. These minerals aid the body in maintaining healthy metabolic processes and nervous systems, and keep your skin, bones and teeth healthy and strong. Strong natural antioxidants can also be found in Rooibos tea. Antioxidants protect against toxicity in our environment which contribute to cardio-vascular diseases, aging and cancer. Very exciting studies have been performed on Rooibos tea, demonstrating an ability to resist X-ray induced cancer in test animals and cease brain oxidation caused by aging.

Also present in Rooibos tea are oligosaccharides and flavonoids. Oligosaccharides are a small number of saccharides or simple sugars which participate in T-cell viral binding, thereby helping to resist HIV. Flavonoids are intense antioxidants, more potent than vitamin C. The flavonoid aspalathin can only be found in Rooibos tea. Rooibos also contains properties which act like Super Oxide Dismutase, an enzyme which hunts free radicals, guarding the body from oxidant damage.

History of Rooibos Tea

Though histories differ slightly as to how and when Rooibos tea was introduced to the world, all seem to agree on how a wild bush became a healing tea used around the globe. The local people of the Cedarberg area of the South African Cape discovered that the needle-like leaves of “Aspalathus Linearis” or “redbush” plant made a delicious tea. They devised a process for making the tea which involved bruising the leaves and stems of the harvested plants then leaving them to ferment in heaps and finally drying them in the sun. Current methods of processing Rooibos have not strayed far from their original form. There are many standards in effect now to regulate the quality of Rooibos and ensure that our organic Rooibos tea is pure, natural, and of the highest quality.

Recipe Recommendations

Think beyond your tea cup! Get creative with the versatile flavor, aroma and hue of Rooibos Tea. It is an excellent complement to soups and stews, sauces, cocktails, and even the main course. It is delicious served both hot and cold and does not lose flavor or color when reheated or refrigerated. The limit is your imagination and your taste buds.

The recommended method for making a cup of hot Rooibos Tea is to steep 1 teaspoon of Rooibos (per each cup) in boiling water for 2-4 minutes or until the tea is dark red. It can be enjoyed with milk, honey, sugar, lemon, you choose.

For delicious Iced Tea (makes 1 qt), place 5 teaspoons of Rooibos into a heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into the pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Common names: Ling chih, ling zhi

Parts used and where grown: Reishi mushrooms grow wild on decaying logs and tree stumps in the coastal provinces of China. The fruiting body of the mushroom is employed medicinally. Reishi occurs in six different colors, but the red variety is most commonly used and commercially cultivated in North America, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.1

In what conditions might reishi be supportive?

Â¥ altitude sickness

Â¥ chemotherapy support

Â¥ fatigue

¥ hepatitis ¥ HIV support

Â¥ high blood pressure

Â¥ high triglycerides

Historical or traditional use: Reishi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 4,000 years.2 The Chinese name Ling zhi translates as the ‘herb of spiritual potency’ and was highly prized as an elixir of immortality.3 Its traditional Chinese medicine indications include treatment of general fatigue and weakness, asthma, insomnia, and cough.4

Active constituents: Reishi contains several constituents, including sterols, coumarin, mannitol, polysaccharides, and triterpenoids called ganoderic acids. Ganoderic acids seem to help lower blood pressure as well as decrease low density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride levels. These specific triterpenoids also help to reduce blood platelets from sticking togetherÑan important factor in lowering the risk for coronary artery disease. While human research demonstrates some efficacy for the herb in treating altitude sickness and chronic hepatitis B, these uses still need to be confirmed.5

How much should I take? Many people take reishi as 1.5-9 grams of the crude dried mushroom per day, 1-1.5 grams per day in powder form, 1 ml per day of tincture, or as a tea.

Are there any side effects or interactions? Side effects from reishi can include dizziness, dry mouth and throat, nose bleeds, and abdominal upset; these rare effects may develop with continuous use over three to six months. As it may increase bleeding time, reishi is not recommended for those taking anti-coagulant (e.g., blood-thinning) medications. Pregnant or lactating women should consult a physician before taking reishi.

References:

1. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 255&endash;60. 2. Jones K. Reishi: Ancient Herb for Modern Times. Issaquah, WA: Sylvan Press, 1990, 6. 3. Willard T. Reishi Mushroom: Herb of Spiritual Potency and Wonder. Issaquah, WA: Sylvan Press, 1990, 11. 4. Shu HY. Oriental Materia Medica: A Concise Guide. Palos Verdes, CA: Oriental Healing Arts Press, 1986, 640-41. 5. Hobbs C. Medicinal Mushrooms. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995, 96-107.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Parts used and where grown: This plant grows in Europe and North America. The flowering tops are used in botanical medicine. Another plant, white clover, grows in similar areas. Both have interesting white arrow-shaped patterns on their leaves.

In what conditions might red clover be supportive?

cancer risk reduction, cough, eczema, blood purifier

Historical or traditional use: Traditional Chinese medicine and western folk medicine used this plant for similar purposes. It was well regarded as a diuretic, to stop coughing, and as an alterative.1 Alterative plants were considered beneficial for all manner of chronic conditions, particularly those afflicting the skin.

Active constituents: Red clover contains isoflavone compounds, such as genistein, which have weak estrogen properties.2 Various laboratory studies show that these isoflavones may help prevent cancer.3 Although the isoflavones in red clover may help prevent certain forms of cancer (e.g., breast and prostate), more clinical studies must be completed before red clover is recommended for cancer patients. The mechanism of action and responsible constituents for its purported benefit in skin conditions is unknown.

How much should I take? Usually red clover is taken as a tea, by adding 250 ml (1 cup) of boiling water to 2-3 U.S. teaspoons (10-15 grams) of dried flowers and steeping, covered, for ten to fifteen minutes. Three cups can be drunk each day. Red clover can also be used in capsule or tablet form in the amount of 2-4 grams of the dried flowers or 2-4 ml of tincture three times per day. Dried red clover tops are also available in capsules, tablets, and tinctures.

Are there any side effects or interactions?

Non-fermented red clover is relatively safe. However, fermented red clover should be avoided altogether.

References:

1.Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 177-8. 2.Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 177-8. 3.Yanagihara K, Toge T, Numoto M, et al. Antiproliferative effects of isoflavones on human cancer cell lines established from the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer Res 53:5815-21.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Plantain: Plantago Major

Plantago Major consists of the dried leaves of Plantago major L. (Fam. Plantaginaceae) gathered during the flowering period. The plant is a native British herb, with a basal rosette of leaves which abruptly contract into long petioles, bearing a long cylindrical spike up to 50 cm tall, green-brown with lilac and yellow stamens protruding.

The structure of the Plantago Major plant includes a remarkable glycoside of the monoterpene class (iridoid) called Aucubin.

This glycoside has been studied and numerous scientific papers have been written about this particular member of the monoterpene family.

The anti-toxic, anti-inflammatory and expectorant characteristics suggest why the plant is useful in lung disorders, and as inferences as to the effect of the Plantago Major on smokers. Exact cause and effect relationships are not yet fully understood. However, the above suggests real reasons for the noted effects on smokers.

Collection : Gather during flowering throughout the summer. Dry as fast as possible as the leaves will discolor if dried improperly.

Part Used : Leaves or aerial parts

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.