AIM Herbal Release ^®

The value of herbs has been known and understood by humanity for centuries. The herbs in Herbal Release come from cultures and people around the world.

Formulated to bring out the benefits of 11 time-tested herbs. Herbal Release draws on the herbal tradition of cultures around the world to create a unique cleansing food.

For centuries, many different cultures have developed healing traditions around the use of herbs. In Western cultures, these traditions date back to Egyptian medical records that are more than 4,000 years old. This herbal tradition continued through Greek and Roman times, which in turn led to the birth of herbs being used as a regular part of the European diet.

Western civilization, however, is far from the only culture that has a centuries-old herbal tradition. In India, as tar back as 2500 BC there are records of herbal healing remedies. In China, much of the medical practice is tied to uses of herbs, a tradition that also dates back to at least 2500 BC.

Virtually every culture and continent in the world has a history of using herbs as part of the daily diet. Often, these traditions have merged. Such was the case in North America where the European uses and theories about herbs were combined with uses that were practiced by Native Americans. In fact, as time has passed, herbal practices from around the world ahve merged, and many cultures began to use herbs in much the same way.

This tradition continues to this day. Herbs have found their way into mainstream medical practice. Active ingredients from innumerable plants are used to make modern medicine. Morphine, a powerful pain killer comes from the poppy plant. Pilocarpine, an extract taken from the jaborandi plant is used to treat glaucoma. Vincristine, which comes from the rare Madagascar periwinkle, is used to treat leukemia. Hundreds of similar examples abound.

Herbal Release draws on this centuries old herbal tradition, providing 11 herbs that have been used for their beneficial effects on the lymphatic system. This system, composed of literally hundreds of miles of lymphatic vessels and nodes, is key to the elimination of waste products generated throughout the body. Dead cells, one of the major components of this waste, collect in the lymph nodes, where they are passed on to the blood stream, which in tum delivers them to the lungs, kidneys, colon, and skin for elimination from the body. The lymphatic system also plays a critical role in the formation of white blood cells, which are the body's front line of defense against viral and bacterial invaders.

Each of the herbs in Herbal Release was carefully selected for its ability to work with the digestive and lymphatic system to produce a positive cell environment. In doing so, Herbal Release provides benefits not currently available in any other herbal formulation. The herbs in this "cleansing food" are sure to be a tremendous addition to your daily diet. These herbs include:

cascara sagrada
In Spanish, cascara sagrada means "sacred bark" a name given by Spanish explorers in the seventeenth century after they observed American Indians using the bark for a variety of uses. Common to Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, cascara sagrada's use spread with the arrival of Europeans to North America. Soon, it had been shipped back to Europe, where it became one of the most widely prepared and used laxatives. Its use has continued in a number of preparations.

echinacea
According to anthropologists, echinacea was the herb used most frequently by American Indians. It was by observing Indian uses for the herb that it became popular among western cultures. By 1885, echinacea was being packaged and sold as a commercial product. Today, herbatists continue to recognize its many benefits, continuing this plants special popularity .

burdock
Like most herbs, the history of burdock goes back centuries, in this case originating in Europe. It has continued to be used as a tea and also in some external applications to the skin. So old is this herb's reputation that it is referred to in Shakespeare's play, As You Like It.

barberry root bark
Called a variety of names including European barberry, jaundice berry, pepperidge berry, and sowberry, barberry also has a wide range of uses. Mainly, it is the plant's bark that has been found to bring benefits as an herb, although sometimes the berries are used as well. Both have a bitter taste, so are often added to other mixtures of herbs, or are used in flavored teas.

sarsaparilla
Unlike the other herbs found in Herbal Release, sarsaparilla is a tropical plant, common to many parts of Central and South America. As is often the case, it is the plants root that is used as an herb, applied externally as an ointment or brewed as a tea for internal use.

Buckthorne bark
Buckthorne, a close relative ot cascara sagrada, has been used as an herb since the sixteenth century. Used first in Europe, the plants berries were the first part to be used, often mixed with cinnamon or sugar to hide their bitter taste. Later, other parts of the plant were used, in particular the bark which was dried and added to teas to bring out its benefits.

dandelion root
Often, we simply think of dandelion as a weed that we want to remove from our lawn, but over the ages it has also been used as an important food source and in herbal applications. The greens of the dandelion are a nutritious food source. The roots, however are the part of the plant most commonly used in herbal mixtures. The dried roots are also sometimes roasted and used as a coffee substitute or are added to hot chocolate.

licorice root
Licorice has been used as a flavoring in syrups, lozenges, and candies for centuries. And although we often think of it in association with confections, it has also been used in a number of herbal formulations for centuries. Actually a member of the legume family, making it a kin to peas and beans, it is the root of the plant that is ground and used in numerous applications.

chickweed
Historically speaking, chickweed is a relative newcomer to the family of herbs, only having come into use fairly recently. It's benefits, therefore, are still somewhat disputed by herbologists, but regardless of the varying opinions, chickweed has earned a place among the most commonly used herbs.

Boldo leaves
Boldo Leaves have historically been used to for hepatitis, poor digestion and urinary infections. It is believed to stimulate uric acid elimination, as well as gastric and bile secretion.

Parsley
Parsley is most commonly known as a decorative addition to dinner plates. added to provide a touch of bright-green color. As an herb, however it has many other applications, both internal and external. In fact parsley because of its ability to grow in a wide range of temperatures and climates, is one of the most common herbs around the world.

ADDITIONAL READING:

• Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs edited by Claire Kowalchick and William Hylton
• The Book of Herbs by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely
• Proven Herbal Blends by Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D.
• Eat the Weeds by Ben Charles Harris