HERBAL PRODUCTS
Natural Herbs for
Health and Healing
For nearly 3000 years oriental cultures have harnessed the natural power of the earth to live healthier, happier, more yougthful lives. Now you can too!
NaturalHerbsGuide offers the most comprehensive guide to natural herbal remedies, herbal medicine, and herbal supplements.
NaturalHerbsGuide does not sell products. However, click here for advice on how to choose where to buy your supplements.
How to choose nutritional supplements
The Story of Ohio Valley Herbal Products
In 1984 I moved to Homer, Alaska from Southern California. I met an herbalist who was writing a book about the edible, cosmetic and medicinal uses of the Alaskan wild plants. I had a computer job at the time, but I was so fascinated with this new subject and with the wonderful spirit of my new friend, Jan, that evenings and weekends I would put on my hiking boots and walk all over the woods, bogs and coastlines with her identifying plants. I slowly learned about the properties of all the herbs of the north. We hiked everywhere, and spent time at her log cabin in the wilderness across Kachemak Bay where we took pictures of the plants, and picked herbs for salads, teas and stir-fries. We concocted things in the kitchen that were interesting, unique, delicious and healing. We made seasoning blends, creams, lotions, lip balms, salves, liniments, oils, tinctures, bath salts, bath herb blends, sinus steams, scented powders and teas. We tried them out on husbands and friends. Herbal products were a novelty then. People were interested and intrigued.
We experimented with packaging: computer labels, cork tops sealed with beeswax, cloth tops wrapped with ribbons, recycled jars and bottles. We had such a variety that we thought we might try a fair. Our first fair was a great success. We expected nothing, but sold several hundred dollars worth of herbal products. We were thrilled. I wanted to continue and hone in on the products that had done the best. Jan wanted to focus on her book and teach. We parted ways, and I created my own company, Canyon Wildcrafts, and redesigning my product line, HerbAlaska, focusing on the seasoning, oil and lip balm. I even made beautiful wreaths from the herbs and wildflowers that sold well at Christmas.
I slowly grew the company to where I was doing over 20 shows a year, sold in over 100 stores, and had over 10,000 people on my mailing list. I had dozens of testimonials from people telling me how well the products were working for them. I was known all over Alaska as "the Herb Lady". I got so busy that I had to hire several pickers to help gather herbs in the summer. I also had employees who helped me with packaging, my yearly mailing, and with selling at the fairs. It was a growing operation.
In April of 1996 I took an extended vacation in the Lower 48, filled my truck with product and sold at several fairs in California. I then continued my travels around the country, visiting friends and relatives, having every intention of returning to Alaska eventually. But in July I met my current husband and my life took a turn south, to the wilds of Ohio, where I stayed and have been ever since. After several years of working again in the computer field, I decided to take my nest egg and return to the business I love, this time using the plants that grow in the Ohio Valley.
With the help of a friend I built a large herb drier in June, 2001. I incorporated in July and spent the rest of the summer picking herbs and finding out where I could get the ones I needed to make the products. I researched ingredients and revised formulas. I wrote a business plan, got a loan, rented a kitchen and finalized my product line. In the spring of 2002 I began making products, wrote a recipe book, designed packaging and labels. After months of surging forward and many setbacks, I was finally ready to sell my products. During the months of August through November of 2002 I drove all over eastern Ohio, visiting over 300 stores, distributing samples and talking to the owners and buyers about the unique nature of my herbal products.
Besides selling to the retail stores we have tried to participate in many craft shows, fairs and festivals so that we can demonstrate the products and have direct contact with our customers. Though we never diagnose, we can listen to the questions you have about your various health issues and advise you on where you might look to find some answers. At each show we always meet a handful of people who stand out, who are especially appreciative of what we are trying to accomplish and who share with us invaluable pieces of information from their own realm of experience with alternative medicines and approaches to personal health.
This is what makes the shows such a special avenue for trading information and establishing a personal relationship with our customers, something that is lacking in the current economic environment. We pride ourselves on being a company you can talk to, that cares about how well the products work for you. We are in business to work for our customers. We are always tweaking the formulas and trying to make them better, using the feedback we get from you. Customer satisfaction is our number one goal.
In 2008 there are more than 12,000 of you interested in my products which are available in over 35 outlets in six states. I have 5 employees who are working hard to make this business a success. In May 2007 we moved to a larger manufacturing space in East Liverpool which is FDA approved. Each of my employees contributes their own unique energy and enthusiasm to the business and without them I could not continue to make this business work. Every year I make it a point to attend an educational seminar on herbs or alternative health to broaden my knowledge and be a better resource for my customers. I will do my best to help you become more informed of the options available to you regarding your current health issues. I always have lots to share.
We are expanding the product line to include other personal body products including shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste. An herbal tea and throat lozenge is also on the list. We want to make the best products you have ever used and we are always grateful for your comments and suggestions. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.
Many visitors to NaturalHerbsGuide ask us if we can recommend specific supplements. In general, we do not officially endorse any particular product. However, we can certainly give you some background information about the supplement industry and provide some advice to help you weed through the bewildering number of choices available to you.
There are certainly good supplement companies and bad ones and not all products are created equal. Here are some tips to help you make good decisions.
Be wary of any information you read on websites that sell product or that primarily endorse specific products. Try to go to neutral sites to get information.
Don’t believe product reviews you read on retail websites. NutritionalTree.com is a good neutral source for supplement reviews.
Understand that price often is not directly related to quality. Products marketed by network marketing (multi-level) or infomercials are usually overpriced.
On the other hand, understand that you will pay more for quality products. The sourcing of the raw ingredients and other factors will impact the price.
When companies claim that their products are innovative and one-of-a-kind, be especially cautious. Good products have published, solid research behind them.
Buying supplements is similar to buying anything else—if you are just trying to get the cheapest price, you will be amazed at the great deals online. However, you should ask yourself if you might be better off paying a bit more for higher quality. Keep in mind that the government does not regulate the supplement industry; you have to trust the company you are dealing with.
Some companies go the extra mile to build trust. Note Atlanta-based Vitabase, which is growing rapidly because it has built a reputation for emphasizing quality. For example, it uses herbal extracts in its products that meet very strict European pharmaceutical standards. In our opinion, their emphasis on quality more than justifies the modest price difference.
There is a lot of debate about whether you should take supplements as tablets, capsules or in liquid form. There seems to be some evidence that liquid supplements may be more bioavailable. If you choose to take supplements in tablet form, it might be worth a little research to ensure that the manufacturer conducts disintegration testing to make sure that the tablets break down quickly in the stomach.
Our best advice is to do a bit of research at the beginning of your buying process and once you decide you can trust a company, stick with them. Until more regulation of the industry is put into place, you can trust a product only as much as you can trust the company that makes it.
All Natural
Herbal Antioxidants
Free radicals” are dangerous substances, chemical compounds, and toxins found within the body. Herbal antioxidants help rid the body of these toxins and help people live healthier lives.
Super Fruit Formula
View Product
Current Rating is 5/5412345Read Reviews
Green Tea Extract
View Product
Current Rating is 4.5/5412345Read Reviews
VitaComplete
View Product
Current Rating is 5/5412345Read Reviews
Find Herbal Remedies
Type in a health condition and receive practical tips and advice on herbs and nutrients that can help.
Type in a specific symptom or health disorder.
Examples: coughing, loose stools, can't sleep
The body uses oxygen and nutrients to make energy. Oxygen also helps the immune system fight disease and harmful substances. Oxidation is a process that uses byproducts formed from oxygen fighting disease to create molecular agents that react with body tissues. Unfortunately, this process can form “free radicals” that cause cell damage. Antioxidants help reduce the number of free radicals that form in the body, lower the energy levels of existing free radicals, and stop oxidation chain reactions to lower the amount of damage caused by free radicals.
Free radicals are believed to be one of the causes of over sixty health problems, according to various scientific and medical groups. These problems include cancer, aging, and atherosclerosis. By increasing antioxidant intake and reducing exposure to free radicals can help lower health risks and problems.
Antioxidant enzymes are also produced by our bodies and include catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione perixidase. These enzymes also fight against free radicals. The enzymes are available in supplemental forms, but it is believed that taking the building blocks of the enzymes in supplemental form is more effective. Zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese are some of the building blocks.
Minerals and vitamins are also often antioxidants. Vitamins including lutein, cysteine, beta-carotene, vitamin B2, vitamin C, vitamin E, and coenzyme Q10 and herbs such as bilburry, aloe vera, green tea, turmeric, ginkgo, grape seed or pine bark extracts, milk thistle, and cascara sagrada also help protect the body from health problems caused by oxidants. Many fruits also contain antioxidants like mangosteen.
The best way to fight against free radicals is to intake a variety of antioxidant minerals, enzymes, herbs, and vitamins.
