Spring Elixirs
to Unleash
Life's Potential

Spring starts with the vernal equinox. This is a special day on Earth. It is a day of balance, a date when day and night are of equal length. It is a universal law that everything in existence seeks balance. Everything of course moves in waves (cycles), and therefore, balance is something being sought after yet is not quite manifested most of the time. But on Spring Day, we can ponder and celebrate – and feel – this profound moment of balance in nature, a date of tremendous harmony and joy. This was a date that our ancestors revered for millennia – not just because it signaled the beginning of a planting season, but as much for the spiritual sense of universal balance.

This Spring energy is so powerful that it can sustain us for a full new cycle of living on this beautiful Earth. Spring is partly about shaking off the old and tossing out the winter baggage, and it is partly opening our hearts, senses and soul to a new beginning. The Taoists say that this energy may be called the “Will to Become.”

There are Five Elemental Energies: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Spring energy is of the Wood Element. It provides the power of growth and renewal. It is our creative (and procreative) power. It feeds vision, imagination and the power to manifest new ideas.

One of our major organs is central to the power of this Element: the Liver. In the Spring, the Liver, on some profound level, awakens and becomes robust.

When the Liver becomes too yang, a person can feel frustration and even anger. If the Liver is too yang, one might feel pain in the area below the ribs where the Liver lies. On the other hand, if the liver has insufficient energy (Qi), instead of the exuberance that naturally flows through us in the Spring, we can feel tired, depressed (down) and unmotivated.

If the Liver has become toxic due to the exposure to toxins through our diet, air, fluids, and emotional-chemical reactions (stress, fear, frustration, worry, etc.), we again can feel the Liver blocking our creativity, our “Will to Become,” our sense of balance and well-being, and indeed our happiness. In fact, the Liver is known as the “Seat of Happiness,” but only when the Liver is healthy, happy, unblocked and able to do its job without hindrance.

There is a second Elemental Energy that plays a primary roll in our Spring. It is the Earth Element. In Chinese philosophy, the Earth Element plays the role of maintaining balance in our body. It is synonymous with the idea of homeostasis, internal, functional, and emotional balance. The body seeks balance at all times. If it is too hot, we seek coolness. If it’s too cold, we seek warmth. If it is too damp we seek dryness, and if it’s too dry, we seek moisture. This is nature at its root.

We humans have thousands of functions that must be adjusted moment by moment in order to stay balanced, and therefore happy and healthy. These are called “regulatory mechanisms.” Thousands of chemicals in our body serve only one purpose, and that is to maintain balance – homeostasis under changing conditions. Good nutrition, exercise, good sleep and generally healthy living promote this great regulatory capacity.

There are several tonic herbs that have the remarkable capacity to nurture this regulatory system. They don’t push the body in one direction or the other. They support the adaptability of the body and mind under normal and abnormal conditions. These “adaptogenic” herbs are the epitome of natural support for a long life and extended wellness. Most of the “adaptogenic” herbs, sometimes just called adaptogens, boost the Earth Element, the elemental energy in nature that promotes balance.

As we get older, we lose some of our ability to adapt as quickly, as accurately, as fully as when we were younger. This may be due to hormone shifts, lifestyle shifts (becoming more sedentary), dietary shifts and so on. Supplementing our nutrition with adaptogenic herbs can have a profound benefit on our adaptability or our capacity to maintain balance during and after stress.

There are a few remarkable tonic herbs that have been favored in the Far East since the dawn of civilization for their ability to promote this most fundamental of all functions – adaptability. Adaptability is the measure of life. These adaptogenic herbs have become world famous and include: Ginseng, Reishi, Astragalus, Schizandra, Chaga, Rhodiola, Mountain Ant, Cordyceps and several others.

Gynostemma

Gynostemma leaf is an Earth Element, adaptogenic Qi tonic of the highest order. It is simultaneously a wonder herb for Liver health and function. It helps establish immunological balance, energetic balance, and creative power.

Gynostemma is the main herb in Spring Dragon Longevity Tea, the first product ever sold by Dragon Herbs and it’s still our number one selling product. People around the world love this elixir/tea and know its power. It is delicious, rich, and satisfying. It has bi-directional capacity (due to its adaptogenic chemistry). You can drink it in the morning to get your day going, and you can drink it at night to sleep more deeply. You can drink it at work or play or rest. Drink it before meditation. Drink it before or during an intense match of tennis. Now you may understand why we named it SPRING DRAGON LONGEVITY TEA.

We offer Spring Dragon Longevity Tea in two forms. One is as a tea in a tea bag for your sipping pleasure. The other is as a hydro-ethanolic tincture extract that we call Spring Dragon Longevity Drops. Both are fabulous all year long (you need this creative life-force every day), but Spring Dragon Tea or Drops are of multiplied benefit in the Spring.

Schizandra

The superfruit and tonic herb Schizandra is revered in the Far East. Schizandra is called the quintessence of tonic herbs because it is the only herb in the world that nurtures all 5 Elemental Energies, enters all 12 major organs, is Yin and Yang balanced, and is a massively effective adaptogen. It does however, have a leaning – and that is toward the Wood Element, and therefore the Liver. It has a sour flavor that chemically drives its active phytochemical constituents to the Liver. Schizandra helps detoxify the liver as a phase II detoxifier that helps cleanse the liver and eliminate the toxins from the body without side effects caused by re-exposing the body to the same toxins it had stored away in the liver at an earlier time. Schizandra also is well known around the world as a brain and memory tonic. We offer Schizandra in many formulations. Here are the ones that are perfect now:

Schizandra Drops – This very rich tincture is a true herbal connoisseur’s dream. It is made from fresh wildcrafted Schizandra berries from Changbai Mountain, a volcano in Manchuria that has been the source of Schizandra for millions of years. Tinctures contain a little alcohol, and are in fact extracted with alcohol and water. The alcohol components are especially beneficial to the liver.

Schizandra eeTee – This is an instant tea of Schizandra made by the most advanced extraction technology in the world, FITT eeTee Raw Extraction. Though it is a granulated powdered extract, it was produced by popping the fresh fruit cell walls with sound, pressure and vacuum. The water temperature never goes over 103 degrees F, so raw foodists around the world recognize it as “raw.” Consuming Schizandra eeTee is just like eating the fruit right off the vine in the wild forests of Manchuria.

Schizandra Capsules – Dragon Herbs produces a pure water extract of Changbai Mountain Schizandra fruit and spray dries it into a powder that can be consumed as capsules, or as tea. This is a traditional and extremely easy way to take Schizandra every day.

Note: Not all Schizandra products on the American market are actually the correct species of Schizandra fruit. Many sellers unwittingly buy a faux species and sell it as Schizandra. Dragon Herbs Schizandra has been laboratory-tested to certify that it is authentic Changbai Mountain grown Schizandra chinensis – the real deal. In fact, we have recently had our Schizandra DNA certified to be authentic.

Schizandra Formulations

Spring Dragon Longevity Tea – There is Schizandra extract in Spring Dragon Longevity Tea.

Supreme Protector – Supreme Protector contains Schizandra, Astragalus root, Cordyceps and Duanwood Reishi. All these herbs support the Qi and Liver. Together they protect the body and help us deal with everyday invaders and toxins.

Liver Tonic – Liver Tonic Formulation in capsules contains six of the greatest tonic herbs used in Chinese tonic herbalism: Schizandra fruit, Duanwood Reishi fruiting body, Polyrhachis Ant, Gynostemma leaf, Goji fruit, Chinese Dioscorea rhizome. All of these herbs are considered to be completely safe and non-toxic. These herbs support the body’s natural ability to regulate the Liver functions while supporting the tissues of the Liver. These herbs have general adaptogenic effects on the body and specific supporting benefits directly on the Liver. This formula may be used as both a Liver tonic and a general tonic. It may be used throughout one’s lifetime.* This formulation does not result in rapid detoxification. Over time, the Liver becomes more efficient at self-cleaning. Look at the formula — this is indeed a supertonic formula of the highest order, plus it is a potent pure-yield extract (typically around 10:1). It truly nurtures the Liver and supports the Three Treasures.

If you feel that you need a professional herbal consultation relating to your liver functions, you may call our call center and talk to one of our licensed acupuncture/herbalists. They can provide additional guidance. Learn more »