Tao In A Bottle

[Cameron]

Yeah, Cam may be a bit too high on Tao in a Bottle, and of course it is being hyped with marketing.

 

.

9662[/snapback]

 

Not sure I understand this statement Craig. I said Tao in a Bottle was the best product I HAVE TRIED. I never said it was the cure for cancer or Aids or would solve world hunger.

 

It has been the single most useful and helpful herbal formula I have taken. And that includes many hundreds of dollars spent on acupuncturists and herbaslists. I simply recommended people check it out(or don't).

 

I don't see how this is any different than Kieth telling everyone how much he loves Tahitian Noni Juice or Bill Bodri saying everyone needs to try nattokinase.

 

I don't think the marketing he does for this product is hype. For me, for the cost of this product and the benifits, it has been a steal.

 

Cam

[Lozen]

Ooh, I almost forgot! I just wanted to add one thing. There is a really great book I have called Asian Health Secrets by Letha Haddy, which is phenomenal. Basically if you read it and put in a little bit of legwork, you WILL be able to come up with your own herbal formulas and change them according to your condition, the seasons and other changes. It is a great book which covers diagnosis, diet, activities and visualizations as well as herbs. My personal opinion is that the strength of TCM is not so much in the types of plants that grow in China (a lot of them grow hear too) but in the diagnostic process... It is beyond anything I have ever encountered in Western or Ayurvedic medicine... So this book incorporates the diagnostic tools/analysis with the herbs for personalized treatments. I could rave forever, so I'll stop now.

[karen]

Terrific post, Lozen.. it's precisely my point of view regarding the new wave of herbal supplements. I think the key is to remember that herbal supplements marketed to the general public in a one-size-fits-all way, are generally developed more by marketers than by real herbalists.

 

I have been asked time and time again to critique multi-level marketing products, and almost 100% of the time those products fail the test when some simple critical thinking is applied to them. Now that herbs are being patented, similar products are flooding the market, and the message being presented is that these products are real alternatives to allopathic methods, when they're simply another flavor.

 

There are a few criteria that people can apply to these products: first, traditional herbalism doesn't give single herbs or extracts over extended periods of time. "Simpling" is the one-herb approach for acute situations, not on any regular basis. An herbalist will use synergistic formulas, and single herbs only for very specific purposes, specific patterns of imbalance, specific people, you get my drift.

 

Secondly, who developed the formula? Can you find any real herbalist behind it? And if it's a formula, what is the rationale for the foruma? Often herbal products contain irrational combinations of things, sort of the "let's throw everything against the wall and hopefully something will stick" approach.

 

Rational formulas often contain herbs that have similar properties, but that's not the same thing as not knowing what you're doing and just throwing a bunch of things in the mix that have some exotic appeal to consumers.

 

Also when I hear the usual hyped claims, to me they beg the question, why is this product so unique? You could probably take just about any herb, or vegetable for that matter, and write up a hyped ad for it, which would all be basically true -- look at the humble dandelion leaf that anyone can pull up in their garden. "Miracle cure for liver ailments!" Or even something a bit more subtle, analyzing all the amazing phytochemicals it contains and all the wonderful properties thereof.

 

I think it would be fun to write some ad copy, or even something in the language of medical studies, for herbs that everyone has in their spice rack -- cinnamon, cumin, bay leaf, black pepper.. especially the ones you can get in bulk for less than $2/ounce, to compare side by side with the products that are being sold for $30 a bottle.

 

To be fair, I think there are some products that are really worth buying at those prices. For one, Ayurvedic rasayanas, which are made according to traditional formulas and to the specs of master herbalists. Also other product lines developed by master herbalists.. for example, the Herbalist & Alchemist line by David Winston, and Herb Pharm from Ed Smith, Planetary formulas from Michael Tierra, and quite a few others.

 

Then of course knowing how to use them correctly is a whole 'nother thing.

 

Now that I've gone way off topic, I see that Mike asked me a question that I missed.. about goji berries.. I prefer eating them whole.. the juices are so concentrated that you get a quick insulin surge, and I prefer to avoid that. Also, there are so many active enzymes in the raw berries that help with digestion, although I do use Ayurvedic digestive herbs in general (Draksha is truly amazing).

 

I generally find that raw veggies and some raw fruits have a bit too much cellulose to digest well, even though the enzymes are intact. That's why I'm not a big fan of veggie raw foods, but get my raw foods mostly via animal foods (that's also a whole 'nother topic :-), and some fresh veggie juices when I can. Less juice this time of year, though.

 

Karen

[karen]

My personal opinion is that the strength of TCM is not so much in the types of plants that grow in China (a lot of them grow hear too) but in the diagnostic process...

9685[/snapback]

 

 

YES! Just wanted to support that opinion. TCM could use "western" herbs and still be TCM ;-).

 

Karen

[karen]

Oops, just one thing I forgot to mention about the goji berries.. even though raw, it's a good idea to soak them a bit, reduces the vatagenic quality of dried fruit (hard to correlate that with any TCM designation, but sometimes I think in TCM and sometimes I think in Ayurveda :-)

 

Karen

[Yoda]

Based on my preliminary experience, Tao in A Bottle has the power to relax me equal to about a half a beer, but it lasts *much* longer and it doesn't have dopey side effects. So it pretty much rocks. Kicks in in about 30 minutes.

 

My experience doing energy cultivation exercises is that I get frustrated/angry when I do too much standing/sungazing/retention/circulation/etc. My answer has been to back off those and to meditate more and I think Tao in a Bottle could really help me out on this front as well.

 

One caution: it can make me sleepy if I take it at night or during a long interstate drive, so I won't take any during a driving day.

 

Also, I have extremely sensitive senses and theanine has an msg like taste to it that I can sometimes taste when it's in my system. And now that I know the taste, I can recognize it in my tea. I'm not nearly as sensitive as a supertaster, but if you are one this effect could be distracting.

 

I think it is going to make for a mellower me.

 

I'll try it compared to straight theanine and see how they stack up with each other.

 

-Yoda

[VCraigP]

Based on my preliminary experience, Tao in A Bottle has the power to relax me equal to about a half a beer, but it lasts *much* longer and it doesn't have dopey side effects.  So it pretty much rocks.  Kicks in in about 30 minutes.

 

My experience doing energy cultivation exercises is that I get frustrated/angry when I do too much standing/sungazing/retention/circulation/etc.  My answer has been to back off those and to meditate more and I think Tao in a Bottle could really help me out on this front as well.

 

One caution:  it can make me sleepy if I take it at night or during a long interstate drive, so I won't take any during a driving day. 

 

Also, I have extremely sensitive senses and theanine has an msg like taste to it that I can sometimes taste when it's in my system. And now that I know the taste, I can recognize it in my tea.  I'm not nearly as sensitive as a supertaster, but if you are one this effect could be distracting. 

 

I think it is going to make for a mellower me.

 

I'll try it compared to straight theanine and see how they stack up with each other. 

 

-Yoda

9966[/snapback]

 

 

Yoda

On with the experiments.

As long as you are experimenting. Get some good Rhodiola extract. Tao in a bottle has tibetan rhodiola, because that is the choice Ron T. made for his products, but even better is Rhodiola Rosea.

 

So for those long interstate drives(or whatever else comes up), stick to Theanine only from Nice Green Tea, and take some straight Rhodiola for focused concentration. It also has properties of stress reduction based in demonstrated ability to reduce cortisol.

 

Rhodiola is one of my favorite herbs. HerbPharm has it in liquid extract form and theirs tastes like the real deal to me. Can't recommend any other brand.

In interest of balanced herbalism, Rhodiola is somewhat warming and astringent, so can tend to dry you out if used all by itself.

 

Happy experimentation.

 

Craig

[Yoda]

Craig,

 

You should put together your top ten fav herb list at some point. I've tried cheapo Rhodiola before, but I'll follow up on your suggestion.

 

Thanks!

Yoda

[Cameron]

Yodimus Prime,

 

I find it is more stimulating when I take 2 at once. Maybe give that a try. And more relaxing just taking one.

[Yoda]

2???? That's pretty strong stuff to double up, but I'll give it a shot. I wonder why it changes. Speaking of that sort of thing have you test piloted 3 at a time?

[Yoda]

Cam,

 

would you agree with my 1 pill=half a beer assessment?

 

-Yoda

[Cameron]

I don't think more than 2 would be necissary. Why don't you take 3 and let me know .

 

No, I find it is far different than beer for me.

[Yoda]

No, I find it is far different than beer for me.

 

in terms of raw units of relaxation? I agree that it's different than alcohol, not numbing or depressing or anything. Any useful analogies?

 

I just tried 2 and I had to take a nap! One should do it for me.

 

-Yoda

[Cameron]

Just take the whole bottle and do sungazing/standing.

 

I am sure you will have some sort of experience.

 

I am kidding! Don't take the whole bottle man!!

 

Shen stabilization is much different than beer giddiness for me.

 

One is balanced and my qi feels good.

 

The other....well....

 

I don't have the heart to say anything bad about Beer.

 

You wiring might be a bit different than mine.

[Cameron]

I think it actually gets better and better the longer you take it. I prefer taking one in the morning and one in the evening(per the bottles directions) and have had deeply relaxed, almost blissful states .The difference between TIB and drinking a six pack is I feel very focused on TIB. It sounds like it is making you drowsy and less focused which would be a different reaction.

 

Then again, I think he says TIB calms you down if your too excited/hyper and stimulates you if your too mellow. I wouldn't call you hyper but your defenintly not mellow so maybe it's just an initial mellowing out and will balance out. Probably good just to finish the first bottle atleast before giving any real feedback of how deep your experience or just basic emotional balancing(one of the major beifits which you defiently don't get from alcohol). I have found it so helpful to my practice and emotions/stabilizing shen.

Edited December 21, 2005 by Cameron

[Yoda]

One in the morning and one in the evening is what I'm settling on and the mellowness is, indeed, most appreciated.

[juliank]

Old thread: Awesome product.

I have theanine and take it as needed, but this is on another level. Must be the ingredients.

Peaceful bliss with razor sharp mental concentration...