Herbal Legacy Articles

By Amanda Goodsell - General Manager of Wholistic Botanicals LLC - Utah
Throughout the years, we at Wholistic Botanicals LLC have received thousands of quality related comments and questions from customers of the Christopher’s Original Formulas product line.  At this time, I would like to take the opportunity to share with you what quality means to our company. It is our mission to stand true to the principles taught by Dr. John R Christopher and his son David Christopher M.H..

The quality of a dietary supplement cannot be determined by merely testing the finished product.  To produce a quality herbal dietary supplement the quality must be built in at every stage of the manufacturing process beginning with the sourcing of each raw material.  It is Wholistic Botanical’s policy to identity and verify each raw material against a vouchered/verified sample that a botanist has positively identified as a specific species of herb. One or more of the following tests are used to accomplish this identity verification:

1.    High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography

2.    High Performance Liquid Chromatography

3.    Gas Chromatography

4.     Organoleptic

After the identity has been verified each raw material is then tested for microbiological and heavy metal contaminates. These tests include:

1.    Aerobic

2.    Yeast

3.    Mold

4.    Coliform

5.    E-coli

6.    Salmonella

7.    ICP-MS for Heavy Metals

Each of the tests mentioned are performed before and after each raw material is purchased.  These tests are again performed on each lot of each finished product manufactured. Wholistic Botanicals LLC has made a commitment to only utilize the best raw materials available.  This means that Sulfate free vegetarian capsules are used in all of our encapsulated products, Kosher Glycerin derived from Palm is used in our Glycerin Extracts, and wild crafted and organic non-treated or steam treated herbs are used when available.

I have often heard from concerned customers regarding the occasional use of non-organic or wild crafted herbs in our products.  There are various reasons that this may occur such as failed crops or poor quality organic or wild crafted herbs.  Although uncommon our company has sourced organic herbs that have failed one or more of the quality tests that we perform. For example we have sourced Organic Goldenseal Root that did not pass several of the quality tests that we perform.  This particular lot of Organic Goldenseal Root was white in color when it should have been a deep gold.  After further testing using High Performance Thin Layer chromatography it was determined that this lot was Goldenseal however it was clearly altered and contaminated.  Needless to say that lot of Organic Goldenseal Root was not approved for purchase.  Another example occurred when we had sourced Horsetail grass that had been contaminated with another herb and did not pass our identity test.   Although it is uncommon, sometimes a better option than ordering a poor quality organic or wild crafted herb is to source conventionally grown herbs that are non GMO and are pesticide free.

After the highest quality herbs are selected, they are then manufactured in compliance with Current Good Manufacturing Practices.  The Christopher Original Formulas products are manufactured without the use of excipients or fillers. Excipients and fillers are commonly used in herbal dietary supplements not because of their superior nutritional value, but because they speed up the encapsulating process. The problem is that the consumer pays for ingredients that have little or no nutritional value.  Wholistic Botanicals provides dietary supplements that are designed to aid the body in cleansing and nourishing the body, not an encapsulating machine!

Wholistic Botanicals sales continue to grow even in this unique economy because our customers get the results they are expecting for competitive prices. Providing quality has to be a planned and does not happen by mistake! Our Quality Assurance policies go above and beyond what is required by the FDA mandated Current Good Manufacturing Practices. What we do at Wholistic Botanicals is important but how we do it is even of more importance. We manufacture our products to the highest quality standard because it is the right thing to do and it is what Dr. John R. Christopher intended for his formulas. We appreciate all our customers who continue to use and teach about our great products.

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By The School of Natural Healing

In answer to the many inquiries of what to do about the recent news and reports (New York Times) of a radiation plume reaching the west coast by Friday, here are some things to know and ways in which you can be prepared.

At this point the levels of radiation prospected to be in the plume that would actually fall on estimated California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, etc. is very minimal and is not to pose a serious risk to health. However, “if” the situation in Japan worsens (ie. the Fukushima reactors have a rod “meltdown” - creating a massive release of radiation into the atmosphere) taking the following precautions/preparations would be our suggestion, especially for those living in the pacific and on the west coast.

1) Take the time to reevaluate your emergency plan and supplies as a family. Make sure your vehicles are not empty of fuel in case you need to evacuate and do not count on phones working in case of actual emergency.

2) If suggestion is and you plan to, stay put and to stay within your home for an allotment of time make sure you have plastic and duct tape to seal your windows and doors as well as the supplies needed in the case of a usual emergency: water, food, etc.

3) If you plan to evacuate, have at least a 72-hour kit ready to go at a moment’s notice. This is good to have no matter what you plans are.

4) Staring now, significantly increase your intake of naturally sourced iodine-containing foods and superfoods: (*estimated amounts of naturally occurring iodine). We want to make it clear that any consumption of kelp from clean waters is a great source of naturally-occurring iodine for the body and will be an asset in building stores for the blood if needed. The list of food sources given below with estimated measurements in parts per million (ppm) of iodine is purely for your information - not dosage recommendation of one type of kelp over another.

    Icelandic Kelp - *8000ppm

    Kelp, Dulse, etc. (Seaweeds) - *5400ppm

    Chlorella - *100ppm

    Spirulina - *70ppm

    Pistachios - *51ppm

    Dark Greens in all their variety

    Colorful vegetables & fresh fruits

    Onions & Garlic

Once you have a source of kelp, the recommended dosage amount for building blood stores of iodine (if needed for exposure to radiation) would be 8-12 capsules a day. Make note: this amount varies according to size and health of each individual.5) The purpose of increasing your intake of iodine-containing foods is to raise the amount of stable iodine in the blood. This will increase the likelihood that the thyroid will absorb the stable iodine instead of the radioactive iodine (iodine-129 and iodine-131) released during a nuclear accident.

6) During the intake of iodine (kelp), further precautionary measures would be to take the four Dr. Christopher’s Cleansing Formulas to keep things cleaned out (Lower Bowel Formula, Kidney Formula, Liver & Gall Bladder Formula, and the Blood Stream Formula) and then to add the Heavy Mineral Bugleweed Formula for additional cleansing. The details for the Extended Herbal Cleanse (ie. Dr. Christopher’s four cleansing formulas) can be found here at our public reference library, Herballegacy.com. Also within our same library, are the details for the Bugleweed formula here.

Our prayers continue to go to those in Japan and all those working to control at present this devastating disaster.

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 By Jo Francks M.H.
Horseradish has been proclaimed the 2011 Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association and is one of the herbs on the School of Natural Healings 100 Herb List.
Dr. Christopher recommended horseradish as a reliable remedy for sinus infections.  Additionally, horseradish has been shown in laboratory tests to be antibiotic and active against a variety of bacteria. It has a high sulphur content, which may contribute to its antibiotic properties as well.

In the book Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices by N.W. Walker, it says this about horseradish:

We do not use the juice of horseradish, its ethers are quite potent and powerful enough when the horseradish is finely ground or triturated (pulverized).  The effect of taking one half a teaspoonful of the triturated (pulverized) horseradish will leave an indelible impression on the memory and a dissolving reaction on the mucus in the sinus cavities.            

Walker recommends mixing the horseradish pulp immediately with lemon juice and using a half teaspoon twice a day between meals to dissolve mucus in the sinus cavities and throughout the body.  This procedure has been followed for weeks or months if necessary, until the horseradish sauce could be eaten without any sensation resulting from it.  It then indicated the practically complete dissolution of the mucus.

Horseradish can also be used as a poultice for rheumatic and arthritic conditions. The historical herbalist Culpepper said,  “If Bruised and laid to a part grieved with the sciatica, gout, joint-ache or hard swellings of the spleen and liver, it doth wonderfully help them all.”

In Dr. Christopher’s book The School of Natural Healing he says:

Horseradish is one of the most prolific stimulant herbs there is, especially to the digestive organs (dried root), kidneys, skin and circulation.  It will give pleasant warmth in the stomach, relieves the gall ducts, stimulate alvine (intestinal) action, and increase the flow of urine.  Caution: do not use this herb during pregnancy.

To cultivate horseradish all you need is a piece of the root about an inch long and as big around as a pencil.  Plant about an inch deep in a place where it can grow year after year.

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2009 is a very exciting year for us.  Dr. Christopher was born in the year 1909, so this entire year we will be celebrating his life and work, culminating in a Centennial Celebration in Utah in August.  More details will follow in this newsletter as we approach that date.  For now, be sure to mark down August 1st on your calendar and plan to be in Utah that day for this “once-in-a-lifetime” celebration.

To kick off the Centennial we have a very exciting announcement.  For quite some time The School of Natural Healing has been working very hard to convert their introductory course, Family Herbalist, to a simple, easy-to-use, online course.  We are pleased to be the first to announce that this is done!  The regular price for this course is $495, but to celebrate Dr. Christopher’s 100th anniversary of his birth, they are offering this course for just $100!  If you have been waiting to sign up because of financial reasons this is the time to jump in.  You will never see the cost for this course this low again.  More details follow below.

We thought it would be appropriate to share some memoirs of Dr. Christopher as our article today.  The article comes from “Dr. Christopher’s Natural Healing Newsletter” Volume 4, Issue 4.  Christopher Publications has agreed to give you a PDF copy of this article for free.  You will find a link to it in the article.

Memoirs of Dr. John R. Christopher, Master Herbalist
Excerpt from Dr. Christopher’s Natural Healing Newsletter, 4-4

Once in a great while the Earth is blessed with an enlightened soul who is able to raise the consciousness of his fellow man by his love, wisdom, and humor.  It is as though this person…has a direct connection to a divine source of information.  Dr. John Raymond Christopher, the great herbalist, was one of these beings.

Like the Savior, Dr. Christopher in his life went about doing good and healing the sick.  And like the Savior, for his efforts, he was despised and rejected of men.

Shortly before his death, Dr. Christopher said, “You know, the only good thing in this life is when you’re helping somebody else.”

A man who truly practiced what he preached, Dr. Christopher’s life was marked by service to those around him and service to many others whom he helped through his extensive writings on natural healing, his lectures, his formulas and the School of Natural Healing.

To read the entire newsletter, you can download it for free by clicking on this link (it is a large file, so please be patient while it downloads):
http://www.herballegacy.com/Memoirs.pdf

SCHOOL OF NATURAL HEALING ONLINE: As mentioned above, The School of Natural Healing is offering their introductory course online for just $100.  You will never find see a price this low again.  Several changes have been made to the course to bring it online:

• Herbs to the Rescue by Kurt King, M.H. has been added to the course along with a study guide
• 2.5 hours of audio about Vaccines has been added to the course
• All the books, study guides, audio, and video are online, so no material will be shipped to your home (if you choose to purchase the materials you will be able to do so at wholesale prices)
• The study guides will be filled out online – allowing for quicker grading, especially for those overseas
• The Final Test is online and will be graded immediately, so you will know right away whether or not you have passed.

Other courses will be added to the online school over the course of 2009.

To learn more about the online school, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit http://online.snh.cc. 

You can register for the course with the Register link on that page or if you are ready to register now click this link: http://online.snh.cc/Register.html 

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October 15, 2008

Dr. Christopher always extolled the virtues of red raspberry leaf tea.  Red raspberry leaves are a great aid in times of cold or flu and provide the body aid in times of cold and flu and provide the body with iron in an absorbable form.  It is high in calcium, making it an important tea for the pregnant or nursing woman.  Throughout the history of American Botanic Medicine, red raspberry leaves are mentioned as a tonic for the female reproductive system.  Its astringent properties help strengthen the uterus.  Dr. Coffin, of the early American Botanic Medicine School mentions red raspberry leaves extensively for every phase of pregnancy.  Jethro Kloss states in Back to Eden that red raspberry leaves will allay menstrual cramps and promote a painless labor.  Dr. Christopher has always advised nursing mothers to drink marshmallow root tea to increase milk flow and red raspberry tea to enrich the milk.  In the booklet The Cold Sheet Treatment and Aids for the Common Cold, Dr. Christopher explains how to conquer the cold by fasting on red raspberry leaf tea.  The leaves contain fragrine, a substance that affects the muscles of the pelvic region.

The astringent and nutritive properties of red raspberry are employed in Dr. Christopher’s lower bowel formula, the female corrective formula, and the herbal eyebright combination.  The great medical botanist, Dr. Samuel Thomson, used red raspberry in his patented system of medicine.  Lobelia was first given as an emetic, then cayenne was administered to restore heat to the body and red raspberry was taken as a tea to remove canker from the digestive tract.  Red raspberry leaf tea may be used as a gargle for sore mouths and throat canker, according to the English Herbalist, Maude Grieve.  Externally the tea can be used as a wash on ulcers and other wounds.  The herb also aids in setting the stomach.

Red raspberry can be easily cultivated.  It should be planted in the spring from suckers taken from plants that are a year old.  The suckers can be set three feet apart with six to eight feet between rows.  The soil needs to be moist and the plants should be exposed to full sun.

Red raspberry leaf tea should be kept on hand for women and women-to-be.  A mother should give a young girl a cup of red raspberry tea every day as she approaches puberty. This will make the transitional period much smoother.

Red raspberry leaf tea is made by using a heaping teaspoons of red raspberry leaves to each cup of hot steam-distilled water, or one ounce of the herbs (two heaping tablespoons, approximately) to each pint of distilled water.  Never let the tea boil, but pour the boiling water over the herbs and then steep fifteen or twenty minutes in a warm place, strain and drink.  It is best to drink three or more cups a day of this tea during the entire pregnancy.  It is a pleasant-tasting tea and is also an anti-nausea.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Dr. Christopher’s Natural Healing Newsletter – Vol. 4, No 7 “Ten Honorable Herbs”
• Herbal Home Health Care by Dr. John R. Christopher
• Red Raspberry Master Herbalist Thesis by Marisa Corless: http://www.herballegacy.com/Red_Raspberry_Corless.html
• Christopher Publications carries all the books highlighted in the article above
• To find an herb shop that carries red raspberry leaves and other Dr. Christopher herbs check out http://www.christopherwebsites.com.

HERBAL VOCABULARY:

TONIC: a medicine that invigorates or strengthens; pertaining to, maintaining, increasing, or restoring the tone or health of the body or an organ, as a medicine.

ASTRINGENT: a substance that contracts the tissues or canals of the body, thereby diminishing discharges, as of mucus or blood.

EMETIC: causing vomiting

CANKER: a defined area of diseased tissue

SUCKER: swift-growing shoots which appear around the tree’s base

STEEP: to soak in water or other liquid, as to soften, cleanse, or extract some constituent

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October 2004

by Lindsay Wolsey, MH

In January of 2004, the results were in. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reports showed that the flu shot did not keep people from getting the flu. Basically, the reports showed that people who got the flu shot were just as likely as those who didn’t to develop flu-like symptoms. This following all of the hype that there wasn’t enough vaccine for everyone, and then the announcements that you can still get a vaccine, and there isn’t really a shortage. In October of 2004, when I began writing this newsletter, the hype over the flu shot was just beginning. Chiron Corporation, one of the major manufacturers of the flu shot, was unable to ship their vaccine, due to contamination by the Serratia bacterium. This meant that people could only get the vaccines made by Aventis Pasteur Pharmaceuticals.

So the news media has kicked into full gear, warning people that the nation is short 46 million flu shots. Healthy adults and school children are being told to forego the flu shot, to leave those shots available for those in high-risk groups. What are the high-risk groups? The elderly, children under 24 months, and health-care workers. My dad, who is a Type II diabetic, is apparently also in this group. As he is only 54, he insists he’s not in the elderly category.

One of the things I still don’t understand about this vaccine, is why there is such a promotion about getting the flu shot, when they play a guessing game as to which flu strain to put in the vaccine? Vaccine manufacturers start putting together the vaccines in February. So, for the 2004-2005 flu season, Chiron and Aventis started producing flu shots in February 2004. One of questions is how do you know which flu will be going around in November of 2004? The answer is, you don’t. So they guess. They put up to 3 different strains of flu into the vaccine, hoping that one of them will match up to the flu that hits. Sometimes they get it right, and sometimes they don’t.

One of the funniest things I read about the flu vaccine situation last year was “The CDC says flu vaccine will offer “some” immunity against the Fujian flu that’s going around this year. Some people are expected to get the flu even though they got vaccinated. But they won’t get as sick as those who didn’t get the vaccine.” Okay, prove it.

So I was feeling pretty good about this newsletter, until this morning when I read an article that said “the flu shot is plentiful.” After a little research, it looks like it is plentiful in Utah, and now anyone who wants a flu shot can get one. We’ve also only had 21 cases of the flu reported this season. I predicted to David (before I finished reading the article) that it would say that it’s been a relatively light flu season, and sure enough, that’s what article said. However, it appears that the country as a whole has only 61 million doses, out of the 100 million they were anticipating, and that 98 million people need the vaccine.

When this whole situation started, I thought it would be highly likely that the flu wouldn’t be a big deal this year. Of course, I knew that the news media and the CDC wouldn’t admit that people don’t really need the vaccine, but would make it out to be that we were lucky it was a light season. According to statistics, over 200,000 people each year are hospitalized with the flu, and over 36,000 people die from it. I just ran the numbers, and each state should have about 4,000 cases of the flu this season. So, if Utah has had only 21 cases halfway through the season, is it going to hit us in full force with the remaining 3,979 cases? Or is the lack of vaccine the reason the flu season is so light? Time will tell, because we’re only halfway through the season.

How Do I Know If It’s The Flu?It usually starts off with cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, and a non-productive cough. Then it moves into fever, particularly a high fever. Flu is characterized by severe headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue. The fever may last 3-5 days and the whole incident itself may last up to eight days.

So If I Don’t Get a Shot, What Do I Do?One news station in our area had some advice that I thought was better than the advice to get your flu shot-to avoid the flu, wash your hands. In fact, washing your hands is just good advice all around. I would also add boost your immune system. Take things like Garlic, Echinacea, or Cold Season Immune (one of my all-time favorite formulas). For children, use Kid-E-Mune. Avoid eating junky foods, which is hard during the holidays, with everyone bringing over plates of cookies all the time. Get enough rest, and stay warm.

Dr. Christopher had a case where a whole household of children came down with the flu. Their mother called Dr. Christopher in a panic. Dr. Christopher chuckled to himself, thinking that the panic was more due to the fact that there was only one bathroom, than the fact that all the children were sick. He told he to use red raspberry tea, and the sickness passed fairly quickly.

If you get the flu, use Red Raspberry tea to nourish and calm the stomach; slippery elm gruel (slippery elm and licorice mixed with water) to nourish and calm the stomach; fruit juices to stay hydrated; vegetables soups for hydration and nourishment; and be sure to keep the bowels clean. If you have to, Master Herbalist and School of Natural Healing Graduate Sandra Ellis recommends using a catnip enema. For children, add the Kid-E-Well formula. And stay at home if you’re sick. For one thing, you’ll get better faster. And for another, you don’t need to go passing your flu germs on to the rest of the neighborhood. If you do, your neighbors who got the flu shot will be upset, because they got the flu anyway.

Copyright © 2004 Christopher Publications. All rights reserved.

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