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| FAQs | ||||||
| General Questions | ||||||
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| Product Questions | ||||||
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| Ordering/Service Questions | ||||||
| Q: I'm sending a package directly to my patient; can you send me the bill? Q: Do you offer free shipping? Q: Will I be called when my backorder comes in? Q: Will back orders be sent to me without shipping and handling? Q: What do"SF", "P" and "C" refer to in your catalogue? Q: Do you custom manufacture? Can I have formulas made? | ||||||
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| Q: Can anyone order herbs from you? A: TCMTrade only sells its products to health care practitioners, health related businesses and students of traditional Chinese medicine and consumers. Proof of licensure, certification, student identification, or retail resale number is required. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: How can I find out what a product is for? A: By law, we cannot make claims about our products. Please check with your practitioner or retailer for more information. There are also books about Chinese medicine in libraries and many health foods stores that may have the information you need. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: What does "unsulfured" mean? A: This refers to Plum Flower® Brand herbs, which are processed without sulfur, a common preservative agent. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: What was the motivation behind Plum Flower® Unsulfured herbs? Is sulfur known to cause allergies? A: Sulfur is known to trigger and even cause allergic reactions. It can lead to respiratory problems in some people and skin reactions in others. We were motivated to provide unsulfured herbs for many reasons. First and foremost was concern for the health of consumers. We were also uneasy with the changes to taste and TCM temperature, and thus perhaps nature and efficacy, that sulfur might induce. Quality concerns were also a motivating factor. The freshness of sulfured herbs is hidden by the preservative action and impossible to gauge. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: If an herb has a higher grade (example: Shan Yao#1), does that mean it is of a higher quality, or just a different size or cut? A: Higher grades almost always are a larger cut coming from a larger, more mature plant, so that usually also means it is of a better quality. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Why do some herbs look radically different from what I have been getting in the past from other suppliers? A: Although in some cases it may be processing related, most likely it is due to the herb being of a different species. We decided that it was important for us to promote the use of the correct species of herbs as specified in the People's Republic of China's Herbal Materia Medica, as these are the herbs practitioners are taught to prescribe. In the U.S., many southern species have been substituted due to the large number of southern Chinese doctors, teachers, and importers of Chinese herbs. Although in many cases the actions and indications of the substitutes are the same, or very similar, in some cases they are only superficially alike, and thus potentially ineffective or even harmful. Please feel free to check with us whenever you are unsure. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Why are some Plum Flower® Herbs drier than other brands? A: Sulfur allows herbs to retain more moisture as it prevents molding. Since our herbs are unsulfured, they have to be drier so that they will not easily mold or grow bacteria. Given that the herbs are drier, you actually get more herb per pound. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Do you have organic herbs? A: We do not carry certified organic herbs at this time due to the high costs of organic licensure and the lack of demand. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Do your herbs have pesticides? A: Some pesticides are necessary on some herbs in order for crop yields to keep up with commercial demand. Not all herbs are treated with pesticides, but we test all of our Plum Flower® Brand sulfur-free herbs for the presence of DDT and Hexachlorabenzene, two banned pesticides. Although these pesticides are no longer in use, residues may remain in the soil in some regions. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: How do I figure out a standard dose of concentrated extract powder? A: Many practitioners use a standard dosage of 9g/day, which can be given as 3 doses of 3 grams. Some practitioners prescribe 10 grams a day, or 70g a week, both for mathematical simplicity. A range of 4 to 16 grams per day can be given based on the nature of the case. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Where is your Dong Chong Xia Cao/cordyceps mushroom from? A: Qinghai Province (Western China). It is also harvested from other provinces such as Gansu, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. Some feel the Tibetan product is best, but there has not been research to support that. Cordyceps are harvested from the wild in July. As it is very expensive, and there are fakes and other quality problems, many people are using Cordyceps Biomass instead. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: How is "prepared" Gui Ban processed? A: Gui Ban is processed in the "chao" (toasted) manner. The Gui Ban is put into a cooking vessel with water, tightly covered, and cooked until the flesh separates from the shell. The flesh and water is discarded and the shells are washed to remove the black skin. The shell is broken into pieces and sun-dried. The dried shells are put into a large wok and stir-fried with river pebbles until the shells have reached a golden brown color. The pieces are then soaked in a vinegar mixture and re-dried. It requires about 20 kgs. of vinegar to process 100 kgs. of Gui Ban. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: What is the difference between red and black Reishi/Ling zhi? A: Red Reishi is Ganoderma lucidum, and Black Reishi is Ganoderma sinensis. They are different species, so their properties may be slightly different. Consult a Chinese Materia Medica. However, research conducted by the Hong Kong Baptist University TCM department, indicates that red Ling zhi/reishi contains more spores than the black Ling zhi/reishi, thus making them more potent for immune enhancement. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: How old is "Shih Chu " Ginseng? A: Shih Chu Ginseng is usually allowed to grow 5-7 years before harvesting. Harvested roots are then graded into 20s/24s, 32s, 64s, and 80s. These numbers denote the number of roots per catty (500 gm container). The size of ginseng ranges due to years grown, but can also range among those grown the same number of years due to factors such as nutrients in the soil, amount of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides used. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: How is your Shu Di Huang processed? A: Shu di huang/rehmannia root-prepared is made by taking dried Sheng di huang/raw rehmannia root, rinsing it, then soaking it in yellow wine made from barley until the wine is fully absorbed. The herb is then steamed for 12 hours until very soft, pounded into small circles and oven-dried. It takes 20 kgs. of yellow wine to result in 100 kgs. of Shu di huang. Although most of the alcohol evaporates during the drying process, there may a slight alcohol smell due to the residues. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Why don't you carry Wu Jia Pi? What is Xiang Jia Pi? A: Wu jia pi/acanthopanax bark is unavailable commercially as it has been over-cultivated and Xiang jia pi/periploca sepium bark is the acknowledged substitute herb in many formulas. As Xiang Jia Pi grows in the north, it is also known as northern Wu Jia Pi. Xiang Jia Pi is bitter, warming, expels wind-dampness, promotes urination and alleviates swelling, and strengthens the heart. However, Xiang jia pi/ periploca sepium is toxic and cannot be used interchangeably with Wu Jia Pi and is not recommended for long term use. Practitioners should be careful not to over-dose. (1.5-3 gm is the recommended dosage). Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Is Ci wu jia the same as Wu jia pi? A: No. Ci wu jia is Eleutherococos senticosus root and Wu jia pi is Acanthopanax gracilistylus root-bark. They are from different plants, have different properties, and are not medicinal substitutes. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Is your American ginseng/Xi yang shen cultivated? Wildcrafted? Organic? A: Our American ginseng is cultivated in Wisconsin. We are seal members of the Wisconsin American Ginseng Board, and the Board has stated that organic American Ginseng is not commercially feasible as Ginseng takes years to grow and requires different types of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides throughout its growing stages. To grow it organically for commercial purposes would be cost prohibitive. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Which of your products contain potential allergens? A: Cuttlefish Gluten Sesame Soy Tree Nuts Wheat Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Are these allergens listed on your labels? A: As of October 15, 2006 we have begun to add temporary labels on all our affected products that will identify food allergens including, soy, tree nuts, and wheat, as well as ingredients known to cause food sensitivities including cuttlefish, gluten and sesame. We will be phasing in new labels with these warnings in the next few months. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: What herbs are not for sale? A: Ma Qian Zi, Ma Dou Ling, Bing Lang, and Lei Gong Teng are not for sale due to toxicity or potential for causing cancer. Although toxicity is associated with a type of use or an amount, as the FDA cannot control how the herbs are used, it simply banned them. The use or sale of some of these herbs is a federal offense. Some herbs are for sale in some forms and not others because the offending substance may be removed through processing: Fu xiao mai is not available for sale in raw herb form due to the threat of viral contamination to indigenous wheat crops but is available in 5:1 concentrated extract powder and prepared herbal formulas. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: I'm sending a package directly to my patient; can you send me the bill? A: Yes. We have a drop shipment service for all of our products, including our extensive prescription pharmacy, which allows you to create your own bulk or concentrated extract formulas to send directly to your patient. Your account will be charged, and the invoice will go directly to you. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Do you offer free shipping? A: Beginning March 1st, 2007 Free UPS Ground Shipping will be available for orders over $150 placed from anywhere in the continental United States. In addition, Customers in UPS zones 6, 7 and 8 who wish to receive their orders more quickly can pay for ground shipping and we will upgrade it to 3 day service, free!*. * Some restrictions do apply: available to customers in continental United States only. AK and HI customers please contact us for special rates. Free shipping and upgrade does not apply to orders with books, herb ID kit, accessories (powdering machine, herb pots, cookers, mortar & pestle, cutters, scales), or orders with more than 5 units of bulk herbs/powders. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Will I be called when my back-order comes in? A: Yes, We are happy to call you when a back-ordered product comes in. When placing a back-order please specify if you would like it to ship immediately when available or to be called first. Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Will back orders be sent to me without shipping and handling? A: If the product in question is a Plum Flower® or Min Shan® Brand product there is no shipping or handling fee applied. If the product is from local distributors and not something we import, we do apply the shipping charge as we have little control of that inventory. We never charge handling fees on back orders. Back to top | ||||||
Q: What do"SF", "P" and "C" refer to in your catalogue?
Back to top | ||||||
| Q: Do you custom manufacture? Can I have formulas made? A: Yes. Other than through our prescription service, we can have formulas produced in China according to a customer's specific needs. Call us for more information. Back to top | ||||||
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