What are Tonic Herbs? Yin Yang Qi Blood
Tonic herbs were first mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao (Emperor Shen Nong's Classic Herbal) around 2,000 years ago. This central text of classical Chinese Medicine was an accumulation of the herbal knowledge known at the time, the knowledge of which likely spans thousands of years prior to its writing. The text classifies herbs according to three distinct categories. First, “upper herbs”, which can be consumed daily with cumulative health benefits. Then, “middle herbs”, which are used to treat the sick, but should not be used for an extended period of time because of the potential long term negative side effects. Finally, “lower herbs”, which are mostly toxic herbs, which should be used for a short time, to get a powerful and fast result when treating a serious illness.
What we know today as tonic herbs are those herbs that are classified as “upper herbs”, herbs to be consumed daily to promote longevity, prevent illness, and improve quality of life. These upper herbs are further categorized as Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood tonics. The effects of these herbs are well understood and documented, after thousands of years of their monitored use by some of history's greatest herbalists. We know how these herbs work in a vast array of circumstances, so we can proceed with confidence in their consumption.
In a world where health food crazes yo-yo by the season, where it is hard to keep up with what vitamin supplements are currently considered healthy and which are detrimental, tonic herbs offer a solution, grounded in thousands of years of empirical evidence. Their safety has been verified in modern times with scientific research, confirming the effects these ancient herbal scientists monitored over millennium.
Tonic herbs allow us to cover all of our bases, with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the forms and combinations designed by nature. These special food grade herbs fuel our body in unique ways, feeding our organ systems, and harmonizing their interactions. With tonic herbs we can fortify our body, preventing instead of treating illness, thus living more fulfilling and resilient lives.
“Taking herbs once we are sick is like digging a well when we are thirsty.”
-Huangdi Neijing
What we know today as tonic herbs are those herbs that are classified as “upper herbs”, herbs to be consumed daily to promote longevity, prevent illness, and improve quality of life. These upper herbs are further categorized as Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood tonics. The effects of these herbs are well understood and documented, after thousands of years of their monitored use by some of history's greatest herbalists. We know how these herbs work in a vast array of circumstances, so we can proceed with confidence in their consumption.
In a world where health food crazes yo-yo by the season, where it is hard to keep up with what vitamin supplements are currently considered healthy and which are detrimental, tonic herbs offer a solution, grounded in thousands of years of empirical evidence. Their safety has been verified in modern times with scientific research, confirming the effects these ancient herbal scientists monitored over millennium.
Tonic herbs allow us to cover all of our bases, with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the forms and combinations designed by nature. These special food grade herbs fuel our body in unique ways, feeding our organ systems, and harmonizing their interactions. With tonic herbs we can fortify our body, preventing instead of treating illness, thus living more fulfilling and resilient lives.
“Taking herbs once we are sick is like digging a well when we are thirsty.”
-Huangdi Neijing