How To Know If Your Supplements Use High-Quality Medicinal Herbs

Choosing our healing herbs isn’t as simple as going to the supermarket and picking the best ones by hand. We go through a meticulous process to ensure that everything we use has been grown under perfect conditions. Dr. Colette deals with only the most trusted suppliers when sourcing high-quality ingredients for our herbal extracts and supplements.

The best ingredients are essential to creating herbal supplements that help best heal the root causes of your symptoms. But how exactly do we know that the medicinal herbs we source are of the highest quality? 

How do we source our medicinal herbs?

We only source our herbal ingredients from reputable and trusted companies. We must work only with companies that follow ethical practices. The companies we source our ingredients from must comply with the law and ethical norms. They must abide by the Food and Drug Administration’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the Natural Product Association (NPA). 

By following these standards, we can ensure that our products are made with high-quality and ethically sourced herbal ingredients by following these standards. 

How do we know our ingredients are sourced from the best locations? Simply put, we understand that not all herbs can be grown under the same conditions. Dr. Colette knows which climates are best suited to grow the medicinal herbs we use in our products.

One example of this is astragalus, or Huang Qi, which needs a dry climate to grow optimally. While astragalus can technically grow in damper regions, it may not develop the necessary potency for medicinal purposes if not grown in an optimal climate. However, we only source our herbs from farmers with a proven track record for growing high potency astragalus. For this reason, we source our astragalus from farmers in Eastern countries rather than those produced in the US.

The importance of growing medicinal herbs in proper conditions

We place a lot of emphasis on where our herbs come from because of the effects on their potency. This is because many healing herbs can only develop such strong properties in a specific terroir--the combination of factors that affect plant growth. This includes, but is not limited to, climate, temperature, soil type, soil dampness, and more. 

For example, ginseng roots from China have been cultivated to be extremely potent when used for certain medicinal purposes. These roots are especially good for older adults who eat a bit of the root daily. However, American Ginseng has its own properties and health benefits. 

Though similar, the two are not used to treat the same ailments. American ginseng is often used as a relaxing agent, while Chinese ginseng has an energizing effect. That is because they were cultivated in different soil, topography, and climate, all of which affect growth.

Here are some examples of healing herbs that we use in our products:

Spirit Poria (Fuling), a calming medicinal fungus.

The Poria mushroom is a fungus that has been used in TCM to calm one’s senses. This healing property makes it perfect for our Quiet Please sleep aid capsule.

As poria naturally feast on pine trees, it should be cultivated where these are abundant. Typically, pine grows in sunny locations with dry soil. Chinese farmers have produced poria for thousands of years and thus know the fungus’s best growing techniques and conditions. For this reason, we source our poria directly from China and other Eastern countries.

Ledebouriella Root (Fang Feng), an immunity-boosting healing herb

Ledebouriella root, otherwise known as Fang Feng, is traditionally used to remedy bowel problems and hallucinations. In TCM, it is also used for its immunity-strengthening properties due to its ability to remove wind pathogens. This immune-boosting property is why we use it in our Force Field blend.

For maximum potency, Ledebouriella root requires a lot of sunlight and grows well in garden soil. It is best grown during the early days of spring or the fall months.

We source our Ledebouriella directly from Eastern countries since locally grown variants have a different level of potency.

Atractylodes (Bai Zhu), a medicinal herb for internal issues 

Atractylodes, or Bai Zhu, are a staple in TCM. They are typically used to treat gastrointestinal problems, among other medicinal purposes. Like Ledebouriella root, it can be found in our immunity-boosting Force Field supplement.

However, Bai Zhu requires a specific environment to achieve its optimal potency. The ingredient grows best during December when the temperature ranges from -14 to 32 degrees °F. It also needs to be planted in soil with low clay content and high calcium content. 

Red peony root (Chi Shao Yao), A healing herb that improves circulation: 

Chi Shao Yao, or red peony root, is often used in TCM to treat blood clots and improve blood circulation. This property makes it a vital ingredient in mixtures that treat menstrual pain or acne. We use this and various other healing herbs in our Acne Be Gone remedy.

Red peony plants like to have six to eight hours of sunlight every day. However, they must also be sheltered from strong winds as their blooms can easily topple them over. They also love deep and fertile soil that does not retain much water.

Reishi (Lingzhi), a cancer-fighting medicinal mushroom

Reishi mushrooms, also known as Lingzhi, are used in TCM for their benefits to strengthen the human immune system. They are also known for their ability to combat chronic diseases such as cancer. Its immunity-boosting properties make it the perfect ingredient for our Force Field supplements.

Reishi is a relatively easy mushroom to cultivate. It can usually be found growing in the wild on dying hardwood trees and stumps. It typically grows best during May to November in temperatures of 69.8 to 80.6 degrees °F.

The Risk of Low-Quality Medicinal Herbs

But that begs the question: what happens if we don’t go to such lengths to get the highest-quality ingredients? Simply speaking, there are three main issues we want to avoid.

Toxic herbal ingredients due to pesticides

Some farms use harmful pesticides to protect their crops from insects and rats. These chemicals can poison those who ingest these herbs. 

Additionally, these pesticides can damage the local ecosystem if they somehow make their way into a water source. 

Pest-ravaged herbal ingredients

Varying potency of herbs

The biggest problem with using low-quality ingredients comes when they’re added to a mixture. The growing environment of plants can affect their potency; low-quality ingredients can vary in their strength.

That is why you must use only the highest quality medicinal herbs and ingredients in your herbal supplements, as we do. Look at our product pages and see what herbal ingredients we use in our Balance Blends products. All of our products are authentic and have been triple-tested for safety. Check them out today!

Note:

It is essential that you get a qualified opinion from a licensed physician before taking any supplements. Some medicinal plants need to be consumed in the correct dosage. All of our supplements should be taken with the consent of a licensed and qualified medical practitioner.

Check out our other posts to help boost your immune system today!

3 Herbs that Boost your Immune System:
https://balanceblends.com/blogs/news/3-herbs-that-boost-your-immune-system

The Best Eastern Medicine Herbs and Remedies for Non-Cystic Acne:

https://balanceblends.com/blogs/news/71316421-the-best-chinese-herbs-and-remedies-for-non-cystic-acne

4 Advantages of Complete Herb Blends:
https://balanceblends.com/blogs/news/4-advantages-of-complete-herb-blends