Dragon River Herbals: FAQ

PO Box 74, Ojo Caliente, NM 87549
Phone: 505-583-2348 Toll Free: 1-800-813-2118 Fax: 505-583-2339

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read the disclaimer regarding our herbal products.

Full Spectrum vs. Standardized
Quality Products vs. Products of Strength
Why liquid herbal extracts?
Why is alcohol used?
How much alcohol and removal
Shelf life
Milligrams per dose
Dosage

What is the difference between "Full Spectrum Products" and "Standardized Products"?
Standardization is more akin to pharmaceutical science and the use of herbs as drugs. To arrive at specific levels in Standardization, toxic solvents are utilized which disrupt the natural relationships occurring in medicinal plants. These concentrates are not naturally occurring and increase possible side effects! It is also thought, controlling the constituents of plants while processing reduces the benefits of active compounds, and synergistic relationships found in naturally occurring Full Spectrum products. Standardized products, in our opinion, lack the Quality, or nature-balanced complex of synergistic relationships so useful in effecting the body to heal itself. The magical processes of nature and the ability we all possess to heal ourselves are inherent in the divine relationships that life only reveals to us in small doses of understanding. Other arguments against Standardization are that herbs can be Standardized to the wrong marker [constituent/compound(s)] as happened in the case of St. Johns Wort. The failure of Standardization is the notion that a plant's total health can be attributed to one elevated compound or group of compounds. The basis of Herbal medicine relies on the whole plant or Full Spectrum of each plants known and, more often, unknown constituents. It is this full relationship between all the components an herb possesses that gives it ability to synergistically provide and regulate a healthy therapeutic response.

What is the difference between "Quality Products" and "Products of Strength"?
These terms are not necessarily synonymous. In Herb remedies the constituent that gives product strength is often less important than are the attributes that go to make up Quality, which, perhaps more that Strength, leads to superior excellence! Strength can be viewed as something that makes a product stand out boldly, and which in toxic drugs, produces a very strong energetic action as something poisonous, thus stimulation an excessive reaction by the body. Quality, let us say, is a balanced combination of other metabolic substances with just enough of the toxic substance to make a complex product that, as a whole, has wider synergistic functions than are possible if the single toxic agent, which often produces side effects, dominates. An example view would be the Strength of wine as opposed to its Quality. Wine may be higher or lower in relative Strength to its alcohol proportion content, buy its Quality is attributed to other components such as its water, potassium salts, ether, acids, tannates and such, and to the relationship each of these has to one another! It can be argued that with scientific manufacturing processes Strength is not hard to obtain where as Quality is easily overlooked or neglected! Our opinion at Dragon River Herbals is that the attempt to standardize a preparation by a single dominant constituent is but a vain, struggling attempt towards a pharmaceutical standard of Herbalism! Thus more drug-like with more side effects!

Quality of Herbal Products are best based on the many directions that involve therapeutic action of an herb. These actions or conditions are mighty factors as concerned with an herb's quality of therapeutic benefit. Some of these Qualities, and not all when considering use and manufacturing of products are: plant identification, recent harvests or seasonal harvests, fresh plant or recently dried plants, soil conditions, farm location, water sources, natural and man made contaminate exposure, harvesting techniques, regeneration attempts, intention while growing harvesting, producing and manufacturing products, energetic influences (i.e. music), wild resources, farming practices as in organic, bio-dynamic, sonic bloom, sustainable agriculture, land stewardship, etc.

Why Liquid Herbal Extracts?
Fresh and dried herbs processed in a liquid menstrum such as alcohol and water preserve the freshness and plants vitality at the time of processing. This medium of cold process extraction preserves and makes available the full range of an herbs medicinal constituent value. Liquid extracts are absorbed up to 40% better than capsules and/or tablets and act in the body much faster. Tasting the herbs also facilitates digestive action and the support of therapeutic function.

Why is alcohol used?
As a solvent, alcohol preserves the freshness, is nontoxic (in small doses), and provides much better extraction along with water than other extraction mediums (i.e. glycerin, vinegar, water) as teas and decoctions. It allows for complete digestion immediately in the stomach increasing absorption and therapeutic response.

How much alcohol is in a dose of extract and how can I remove it?
It has been reported that the amount of alcohol in a dose is equal or less than the amount of alcohol found in a ripe banana. By pouring hot water over your extract and stirring for 3 minutes, 90% of this alcohol will be removed. An alternate method, removing even more, is putting the dose in a small glass pot, cover slightly with water and simmer for one minute.

What is the shelf life of liquid herbal extracts?
The herbal industry self determines that shelf life can be for three years when stored properly, away from light, heat and air. Often extracts are good for many years beyond this!

How many milligrams of herb are in each dose?
The amount can vary from the herb used and the extract production methods, however a general rule of thumb is one 30 drop dose contains approximately 250 to 350 milligrams of herb.

What is the correct dosage for these herbal extracts?
The recommended dosages for these extracts are based on the weight of an 150 pound adult. To adjust to smaller or larger persons or for children, take the weight in pounds of the person over the average adult weight of 150 lbs....resulting in a fraction of the 150 lb adult dose.
Example:
A) For a 50 pound person 50/150 or 1/3 of the recommended dose.
B) For a 200 pound person 200/150 or 1&1/3 of the recommended dose.
Recommended Dose: 1 tsp.
Example A.........1/3rd tsp.
Example B.........1 1/3rd tsp.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.

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