Dragon Fire: Winter Tonic

Spicy and sweet vinegar preparations are made by combining herbs and common culinary vegetables to make preparations that are nutrient rich. Fire Cider is a popular traditional herbal preparation used to support digestion and help build seasonal immunity. This zesty extraction is an oxymel, an herbal preparation made with apple cider vinegar, raw honey and herbs that support respiratory health and warms up the body.  Just a serving a day supports the fires of digestion, which can slow down during the wintertime. It is believed to be first named Fire Cider by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, who adds garlic, onion, horseradish, turmeric and pepper to her blend to kick-start immunity. From there, recipes for traditional Fire Ciders are often adapted regionally depending on local herbs, culture or family tradition. (2)

A 'fiery and spicy winter delight' promoting normal circulation and upper respiratory function*

Usage: Add 20-50 drops to water or apple juice, 1-3 times a day. (Note: Dropper included with 2 ounce size only.)

Ingredients: Beet root, horseradish, parsley, garlic, cayenne, and ginger in a base of organic apple cider vinegar.

Precautions: This formula is NOT recommended during pregnancy, for children under the age of 12 years old, for people with 'hot constitution' or hyper-acidic digestion.

Do you dread winter because you always feel sluggish, sick and generally unwell? Do you suffer from frequent and lengthy cold and flu symptoms? Wise Woman Herbals® Dragon Fire Winter Tonic was designed to support and improve a sluggish immune system and improve stamina and energy for a healthy winter season. With a base of healthy organic apple cider vinegar, our potent tonic is formulated for quick and complete absorption for immediate results. Harmony in mind, body and soul are key to immune health and lifelong vitality.

At Wise Woman Herbals, we work tirelessly to ensure each of our over 300 botanical supplements are nutritionally sound, inherently safe, nutrient rich and GMO-free. Our premium botanical ingredients are naturally sourced, with as many as 70% coming from farms in the Pacific Northwest. Our strict quality control standards meet, and exceed, those recommended by industry professionals. Our mission is to provide industry leading botanical supplements while sustaining and preserving our environment. Let's talk a little more about our Dragon Fire Tonic.

• Beta vulgaris (beet root) may: Promote healthy liver function, improve heart health, and promote stamina and recovery following athletic performance. 

  A native to South Europe, the lower leaves, when boiled, are quite equal in taste to Spinach, and the leafstalks of a cultivated form, the Spinach Beet (B. vulgaris) are sometimes stewed, under the name of Swiss Chard. (3) The root contains about a tenth portion of pure sugar, which is one of the glucoses or fruit sugars and is very wholesome. It is softer than cane sugar and does not crystallize as well as the latter. There is a treacle principle in it, but this renders it even more nutritious. Cane sugar must be converted by the digestive juices into fruit sugar, before the body can absorb it, but the sugar present in the Beetroot is already in the more easily assimilated form, thus making the Beet a valuable food. Its sugar is a force-giver and an energy creator, a source of vitality to the human body. (4)

• Armoracia rusticana (horseradish) may: Promote energy, disarm free radicals and aid in antioxidant defense, promote healthy hair and skin, promote a healthy immune response during times of illness, promote a healthy nervous system, promote healthy sleep patterns and improve metabolism. 

  Horseradish is a perennial crop belonging to the Brassicaceae family. This plant has been in cultivation from the earliest times, but its exact place of origin seems to be unknown. Hooker considers that it is possibly a cultivated form of Cochlearia macrocarpa, a native of Hungary; other authorities consider it indigenous to the eastern parts of Europe, from the Caspian and through Russia and Poland to Finland. (6) Both the root and leaves of Horseradish were universally used during the Middle Ages as a condiment due to its extremely pungent flavor, in Denmark and Germany. (7)

• Petroselinum crispum (parsley) may: Promote healthy digestive function, improve metabolism of kidney cells, promote healthy blood circulation and platelet formation, support healthy blood glucose levels and promote urinary tract health. 

  Petroselinum crispum, commonly known as English parsley, is a culinary and medicinal herb of the Apiaceae family that grows up to 30–100 cm high. Although native to Europe and western Asia, the herb is now cultivated and consumed throughout the world. Parsley is a functional food that supports health and well-being. (8) Parsley contains many antioxidants such as flavonoids, carotenoids and ascorbic acid. It’s leaf, seed, and root contain the volatile oils apiol and myristicin, as well as flavonoids, beta-phellandrene; bergapten; and vitamins A and C. -. (9) Therefore, it is speculated that the health supporting effect of parsley may be due to its flavanol constituents. (10)

• Allium sativum (garlic) may: Improve pre-meal blood sugar levels, promote healthy total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, promote normal histamine response, promote a healthy immune response during times of illness and improve digestive function. 

  Garlic is the edible bulb from a plant in the lily family. It was traditionally used for health purposes by people in many parts of the world, including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Japanese, and Native Americans. (11) Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks on the piles of stones at cross-roads as a supper for Hecate, and according to Pliny garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths. There is a curious superstition in some parts of Europe, that if a morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his competitors from getting ahead of him, and Hungarian jockeys will sometimes fasten a clove of Garlic to the bits of their horses in the belief that any other racers running close to those thus baited, will fall back the instant they smell the offensive odor. Garlic formed the principal ingredient in the 'Four Thieves' Vinegar,' This originated, it is said, with four thieves who confessed that although protected by the liberal use of aromatic vinegar during the plague, they plundered the dead bodies of its victims with complete security. (12)

• Capsicum annum (cayenne) may: Promote a healthy immune response due to thermogenesis, promote healthy blood pressure levels, promote healthy digestion, improve joint and back pain and improve psoriasis. 

  Cayenne or Capsicum derives its name from the Greek, 'to bite,' in allusion to the hot pungent properties of the fruits and seeds. Cayenne pepper was introduced into Britain from India in 1548, and Gerard mentioned it as being cultivated in his time. A powerful local stimulant, with no narcotic effect largely used in hot climates as a condiment. (14) Cayenne is one of the finest stimulants, producing a heat and burning sensation in the mouth, which immediately upon swallowing is communicated to the stomach, speedily diffusing, itself throughout the entire system. (15)

• Zingiber officinale (ginger) may: Promote healthy digestive function and improve pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis and menstruation. 

  Ginger is a perennial herb belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, primarily grown in Asia and tropical regions, and is one of the most important and widely consumed herbs worldwide. Cultivated for its edible under-ground stem (rhizome), ginger has been used since antiquity both as a spice and as an herbal preparation. This long and established history of medicinal use in humans has stimulated ongoing clinical trials to scientifically assess the effectiveness of ginger. (16) Ancient Sanskrit, Chinese, Greek, Roman, and Arabic texts discussed the use of ginger for health-related purposes. Ginger is gentle enough for both the elderly and children to use. (18)

References:

2. “Traditional Fire Cider.” Bastyr University, https://health.bastyr.edu/recipes/traditional-fire-cider.
3. “Beetroots.” A Modern Herbal | Beetroots, https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/beetro28.html.
4. Hamedi, Shokouhsadat, and Masoud Honarvar. “Beta Vulgaris - A Mini Review of Traditional Uses in Iran, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology.” Current Drug Discovery Technologies, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29521241.

      5 & 6. “Horseradish.” A Modern Herbal | Horseradish,                https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/horrad38.html.

7. Tang, Esther Lai-Har, et al. “Petroselinum Crispum Has Antioxidant Properties, Protects against DNA Damage and Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Cancer Cells.” Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Oct. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5024025/.
8. Akıncı, Ayşin, et al. “Petroselinum Crispum Is Effective in Reducing Stress-Induced Gastric Oxidative Damage.” Balkan Medical Journal, Galenos Publishing, Jan. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28251024.
9. “Parsley.” Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Library of Medicine (US), 3 Dec. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30000940.
10. Haidari, Fatemeh, et al. “Effects of Parsley (Petroselinum Crispum) and Its Flavonol Constituents, Kaempferol and Quercetin, on Serum Uric Acid Levels, Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Liver Xanthine Oxidoreductase Aactivity InOxonate-Induced Hyperuricemic Rats.” Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research : IJPR, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 2011, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3813066/.
11. “Garlic.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 30 Nov. 2016, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/garlic/ataglance.htm.
12. “Garlic.” A Modern Herbal | Garlic, https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/garlic06.html.
13. “Herbal Actions and Categories: The Foragers Path: Flagstaff, Arizona.” The Foragers Path | Herbal Medicine, 8 Mar. 2015, https://www.theforagerspath.com/educational-resources/body-systems/herbal-actions-categories/.
14. “Cayenne.” c, https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cayenn40.html.
15. (http://www.lform.com), Lform Design 2019. David Winston's Center for Herbal Studies, https://www.herbalstudies.net/_media/resources/library/Botanic-Pharmacopoeia.
16. (http://www.lform.com), Lform Design 2019. David Winston's Center for Herbal Studies, https://www.herbalstudies.net/_media/resources/library/Botanic-Pharmacopoeia.
17. Lete, Iñaki, and José Allué. “The Effectiveness of Ginger in the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy and Chemotherapy.” Integrative Medicine Insights, Libertas Academica, 31 Mar. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/.
18. Tilgner, Sharol. Herbal Medicine: from the Heart of the Earth. Pg. 92. Wise Acres, 2009.