Powerful Yin, & Jing, Tonic to Restore Health & Vitality

Jing Strengthening Formula (...Everything and the Kitchen Sink)

I went on an amazing walk yesterday in the woods, during a heavy snowfall. Walked along the fjords. After several months of snow I'm still excited about it, and get a little depressed whenever it lets up. Spending my entire life on the Central California and Northern California Coasts before moving to Maine last summer means that I'll probably never tire of the winter wonderland (although wildharvesting avocados means this is not my new indefinite home) that this place is.

I'm used to, at this time of the year, having all the nettle you'd care to eat. Well, that's not the case here, but in learning to always adapt to new (and sometimes adverse) situations I've found a great new thing to wildharvest in the middle of winter: Chaga ( Inonotus obliquus ).

Yesterday brought us several huge, beautiful chagas. While I'm partial to tea, especially since having chaga chai at the Common Ground fair last spring, I decided to tincture a batch today. Some websites report that tincturing chaga is possible, although my understanding is that the polysaccharides in mushrooms which make them medicinal are water, not alcohol, soluble and tincturing loses 99% of the potency. But since people are reporting good things about it, I figured I'd give it a try. Looking over the different claims about chaga (none of them looking too scientific), it seems to strengthen the immune system. As we all know, a strong immune system is a good sign of a strong Jing, and what more reason do you need to be interested in chaga. Other names of chaga, like Siberian Reisi, The King of Herbs, and Mushroom of Immortality, are sure ear-perking and attractive (though possibly largely unsubstantiated).

Having odds and ends of dried and organic herbs around, I decided to combine a few different things to put together a bit of a Yin supporting, Jin strengthening potion. Here's what I came up with (in order of appearance):

Astragalus:

• Strengthen immune system
• Boosts metabolism
• Strengthen digestive system
• Increased healing rates for wounds
• Boosts energy and stamina
• Powerful yin tonic

Chaga:

• Increases immune response
• Promotes cellular health
• Provides powerful antioxidant protection

Goji Berry:

• protect the liver
• help eyesight
• improve sexual function and fertility
• strengthen the legs
• boost immune function
• improve circulation
• promote longevity
• Powerful Yin tonic

Koren Ginseng:

• Reducing mental stress and anxiety
• Increasing mental clarity and alertness
• Stimulating the immune and nervous system
• Treating diabetes
• Preventing the growth of certain types of cancer cells
• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Improving digestion
• Reducing fatigue
• Improving athletic endurance
• Powerful Yang tonic

Nettle Leaf:

• It is used as diuretic
• It is used to treat anemia since nettle leaves contain high amount of iron content. It also helps to formation and coagulation of blood cells.
• It is used in the treatment of arthritis and rheumatism
• It protects respiratory and urinary problems
• It decreases the risk of eczema and other skin disorders. Additionally, it is used in asthma treatment.
• It is used in the treatment of benign prostate
• It is used in the treatment of sinusitis and rhinitis
• It protects hair loss (Alopecia)

Mucuna pruriens

• Improved sleep (promotes deep sleep)
• Reduced body fat & decreased cellulite
• Decreased wrinkles
• Improved skin texture & appearance
• Increased bone density and reversal of osteoporosis
• Increased lean muscle mass
• Improved mood and sense of well-being
• Enhanced libido & sexual performance
• Increased energy levels
• Improved cholesterol profile & regeneration of organs (heart, kidney, liver, lungs)
• Dramatically strengthen immune system

I'm not a fan of complicated herbal formulas, and in my opinion it is usually impossible to get a significant dose from a tincture with more than a few herbs in it, but I thought that it would be fun to create a "...and the kitchen sink" formula for my personal use. I'll add tinctures of Ho Shou Wu and Dong Quai when it’s ready, and will have a powerful Yin, and Jing, tonic to restore health and vitality.

This is not something that I'm going to be carrying over at RAW Forest Foods, but I'll have a fair amount of it and I am definitely open to sending out a few bottles to anyone who asks, so send me a message if you're interested. These tinctures will be double extracted and of superior quality.