SV: New Formulas and Strategies book by Bensky

[Guest guest]

Jason, Carl, et. al,

 

First, Jason...if you're going to call people out for references,

which you do, I think your response to Eric and Bill was pretty limp.

If you want to make big sweeping statements prepare to back them up,

or simply keep your opinions to yourself. Although there are some

factors that may change the " ratios " of chemicals in extracts, this

does not make them all that different from decoctions. The primary

difference is herb batches and pressure. The powdered extracts that

are used are essentially decoctions, albeit dried and usually

processed under pressure. Water is water, it is a good solvent for

most organic chemicals, but unless you are adding other solvents or

otherwise changing the chemistry of the water there ain't much

different, if any at all. And, as far as I know, one of the primary

focuses is to get those extracts as close to decoctions as possible, no?

 

This has been a wonderful discussion, growing Chinese medicinals and

using local medicinals. As some of you may know this has been a major

part of my work as a professional. I use several hundred " Western "

herbs in my practice and although I don't have a garden at the moment

(and don't use those Western herbs right now either since I am living

in China, except for some that I can get here as extracts/pills) I

have grown a pretty good number of Chinese herbs. I have regularly

grown some herbs that I harvest from the garden to use in the clinic

but many of the perennial root crops or tree/bark crops were only for

fun. BTW, there are several plants found in the Chinese materia medica

that are also native to North America and other places in the world,

so the appendix in the back of my book. Some of these plants are used

in multiple locations and is the focus of research I have been

conducting over the last, well most of my professional career, but I

have been beginning to pull it together into a formal PhD study. There

are also a number of plants that have naturalized from Asia to North

America, and vise versa.

 

That being said, there is a difference between growing 5-10 lbs of an

herb in the garden and growing commercially, a very big difference

indeed! I never had my herbs tested with HPLC or any other lab method,

but I know a good herb when I see, smell, and taste it. For those who

want to grow some herbs in your garden I recommend Richo Cech's

Horizon Herbs in Williams, OR. He's got 35-40 different seeds for

Chinese herbs. There is also Rictors is Canada, and a couple other

very small operations.

 

As to your question Carl about using local herbs I think that my book

is a good start. Further, I would find some local herbalists who are

offering some classes in the area. I would recommend 7Song in Ithaca,

NY as an excellent teacher and resource for the North East. I would

also recommend David Winston in New Jersey as an outstanding teacher

and frankly, I consider David one of the best herbalists in the

country. These two teachers can help you find and understand the local

materia medica, but what I have found over the years is that there are

some herbs that are hard to practice without, things like huang qi are

difficult to replace.

 

It is also important to note that many of the " Western " herbs that are

in common usage are from Europe, but have either naturalized or have

been cultivated in North America for decades or in many cases longer.

Take, for example, burdock (Actium lappa), this is an plant that is

native to much of Europe and Asia, or at least has been in those parts

for a very long time (it is probably native to the Turkey area). This

plant has been naturalized in Eastern North America for over 100 years

and is one of those plants that easily adapts to an environment. It is

not native to Eastern China, where it is grown, but the Chinese keep

using it. There are many other examples of herbs like this. At the

same time when I visit botanical gardens here in China I see plants

like echinacea, california poppy, and milk thistle. And this is not

just a plant or two, but an entire bed devoted to them. Chinese

medicine has incorporated many herbs from outside of China for

millennia and there is no difference when you, Carl, use local plants

while practicing Chinese medicine. Oh yes, there will be the

nay-sayers who are concerned about safety and but I would challenge

them by asking how did people of the past do it? Was it Divine

intervention, or did they learn as much as they could and then start

using it? Of course, this type of work is not for everyone, but for

those of us who like to walk on the snowy path before it is trodden by

skiers, snow-shoers, and other hikers I say the air is clearer and the

trees more picturesque. So, Carl, I say GO FOR IT! And, please keep

us, or at least me, informed about your process.

 

There are several species of Lycium (gou qi zi) in the Southwest, one

particular that was a significant food source to the native people

there, sorry don't remember the species off the top of my head.

 

Thomas

P.S. I would consider Bill an expert on herb production and products

as he has worked in the industry for many years as well as being a

practitioner.

 

 

Beijing, China

Author of " Western Herbs According to Traditional : A

Practitioners Guide "

Check out my blog: www.sourcepointherbs.blogspot.com

[Guest guest]

Is there a pre-order discount for this? I know ChineseMedicineTimes is

offering 20% in the UK, but I'm looking for something stateside. Maybe I'll

just have to wait for its release then do the Borders.com 30% off coupon

deal that seems to crop up regularly.

 

Thanks,

Tim Sharpe

 

 

 

On Behalf Of

Wednesday, February 04, 2009 12:08 PM

 

Re: SV: Re: New Formulas and Strategies book by Bensky

 

Yes, it will be starting to ship after february 20th. . . ads should be on

the Eastland Press website very soon. .

 

Z'ev

[Guest guest]

On Feb 11, 2009, at 11:07 AM, Tim Sharpe wrote:

 

> Is there a pre-order discount for this? I know ChineseMedicineTimes is

> offering 20% in the UK, but I'm looking for something stateside.

> Maybe I'll

> just have to wait for its release then do the Borders.com 30% off

> coupon

> deal that seems to crop up regularly.

>

> Thanks,

> Tim Sharpe

>

>

>

> On Behalf Of Z'ev

> Rosenberg

> Wednesday, February 04, 2009 12:08 PM

>

> Re: SV: Re: New Formulas and Strategies book by Bensky

>

> Yes, it will be starting to ship after february 20th. . . ads should

> be on

> the Eastland Press website very soon. .

>

> Z'ev

>

>

>

 

Ray Rubio, D.A.O.M.

President/CEO ABORM

 

Westlake Complementary Medicine

900 Hampshire Road, Suite B/C

Westlake Village, CA 91361

Phone: (805) 497-1335

Fax: (805) 497-1336

email: rtoo