It’s a pet peeve of mine but science seems to bear it out: supplements and vitamins are no substitute for a good diet. Recent studies have shown that supplements have failed to prevent Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and premature death. Folks, mother nature knows how to package our nutrition better than any lab. This is why Chinese herbs are so effective. We do not try to extract or mimic the one magical ingredient from a plant. The entire plant substance is used. Any given plant has more in it than science understands, and teasing out this or that constituent will inevitably leave behind the complex array of organic components that deliver the healing effect. Sadly this is why Chinese herbs will perhaps never be fully understood by western medical means. Looking for this or that particular enzyme or flavinoid misses the point of the intricate symphony of molecules, let alone the intrinsic “qi” of the plant, that Chinese medicine has observed empirically over several thousand years. No doubt your own mother echoed the wisdom of mother nature: eat your veggies - and as many different kinds and colors as possible. And if you want a stronger healing effect from the plant kingdom, consider Chinese herbs. I’m going to be posting blogs about various Chinese herbs so stay tuned . . . .