Core Botanicals blog.

Insights from Our Q&A with Paul Keogh: The Wisdom Behind Core Botanicals®

Introduction:

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of hosting a live Q&A session with Paul Keogh, the founder of Core Botanicals^® and our valued retail partners. Paul's extensive experience in herbal medicine, spanning over 35 years, has made him a trusted source of advice and innovation in this field. The session was a deep dive into Paul's journey, the philosophy behind his formulations, and the unique approach that sets Core Botanicals^® apart.

We’d like to make these sessions a regular part of our calendar, with different themes that impact the natural health industry. Here are some of the key highlights and insights from our enlightening conversation and we hope to see you at the next one!

Highlights and Insights:

The Art of Formulating:

Paul emphasised the importance of understanding that not all herbal products are created equal. He explained that the quality and effectiveness of herbal formulations depends significantly on who manufactures them and the importance that is placed on sourcing quality materials.

This insight underscores the meticulous approach we take in developing our products, ensuring that each formulation is crafted with precision and care.

Holistic Approach to Health:

Paul emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to health, which is central to his practice. Unlike conventional medicine that often targets only the symptoms, Paul’s method focuses on understanding and addressing the whole person and their unique context. Drawing inspiration from ancient traditions like Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, this approach aims to tackle the root causes of health issues rather than just the symptoms.

Paul explained, "It's about understanding the interaction between the herb and the patient. The concept of energetics pushes us to dig deeper, encouraging a more thorough investigation to better understand and facilitate the healing process."

Bridging Traditional and Modern Medicine:

Paul discussed how he blends traditional herbal wisdom with modern scientific approaches in his work. He highlighted the influence of Peter Holmes’s research on the energetics of Western and Eastern herbs, which deepened his understanding of herbs beyond just their pharmacological properties. By combining this traditional knowledge with scientific validation, Core Botanicals^® offers products that are both effective and rooted in time-tested wisdom.

Paul explained, "I still take an analytical approach to herbal medicine. While I value the concept of energetics, I use it as a tool to ensure that the different aspects of a formulation work together harmoniously. I make sure there are no conflicts and that nothing important is overlooked."

The Why Behind Core Botanicals^®:

When asked why he chose to create Core Botanicals^®, Paul highlighted his desire to make holistic health accessible to more people. His clinical experience showed him the limitations of treating only a few thousand patients a year. By developing high-quality herbal products, he could extend the benefits of holistic medicine to tens of thousands of people, promoting self-care and wellness on a larger scale. He said, "We realised that the only way to make the benefits of holistic medicine accessible to more people was to create products that they could use themselves, in their own homes. This way, we can help many more people than I ever could in my clinic."

Commitment to Quality and Efficacy:

Paul's commitment to quality and efficacy is evident in every aspect of Core Botanicals^®. He shared that our formulations are designed to provide not just symptomatic relief but also long-term health benefits. "Our goal is to offer products that don't just mask symptoms but truly support the body's natural healing processes," Paul stated and we believe this commitment will strengthen our relationships with both retail partners and customers.

Conclusion:

Our Q&A session with Paul Keogh was a testament to his profound knowledge and passion for herbal medicine. His insights into the art of formulation, the holistic approach to health, and the integration of traditional and modern practices offer a glimpse into the values that drive Core Botanicals^®. We are grateful to Paul for sharing his wisdom and to all participants for their engaging questions. Stay tuned for more such enlightening sessions and continue your journey towards holistic health with Core Botanicals^®.

RESPIDEFEN® - ‘Why these conditions' and 'why this formula'?

RESPIDEFEN^®Cough Medicine (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is our best-selling product here at Core Botanicals®. While we are proud of all of our herbal medicines, we are particularly blown away by the community response to this formula.

This product has sold out four times. Since our sourcing and manufacturing process is meticulous, it takes some time for us to meet our demand with supply. In the next three weeks, it’s possible that we will run out of this medicine again and have a gap of a few weeks before we can continue selling it.

Today we’d love to give a deeper insight into our Cough formula, so you can better understand what it can do for your health and how. RESPIDEFEN®Cough Medicine relieves coughing and dissolves and clears phlegm. It relives the symptoms of a sore throat and reduces bronchial mucous congestion.

It has over 90 five start reviews online and has helped thousands of Australians to relive coughing when they’re accessed RESPIDEFEN® by buying it online or through one of our Health Food Store partners in Australia.

Why this condition?

Cough is commonly caused by a mild viral infection such as common cold and flu.
Such viruses can infect your nose, nasal passages, throat, and voice box, which make up the area of your body called the 'upper respiratory tract'.
Symptoms associate with mild upper respiratory tract infection include sore throat (pharyngitis), mucous congestion, chest phlegm and mild bronchial cough (either dry or congested).
In healthy people with a strong immune system, cough and associated symptoms normally resolve within a few weeks (< 3 weeks), especially when taking Respidefen.
A persistent cough (lasting > 8 weeks) may indicate an underlying health problem requiring medical investigation by a qualified healthcare practitioner.

(refer https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cough)

Why this formula?

RESPIDEFEN ® is based on the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) called Stop Cough Power (Zhi Sou San), which provides medicinal effects to relieve cough.
The three main herbs in this formula (Aster, Cynanchi & Balloon Flower) are traditionally used in Chinese medicine as expectorants to clear upper respiratory tract and bronchial mucous congestion, as well as to relieve mild bronchial cough.
Pinellia and Mulberry root bark are traditionally added to resolve phlegm and settle cough, respectively.
Aster, Stemona and Licorice root traditionally act together as antitussives or cough suppressants to relieve a dry and irritable cough.
Core Botanicals ® extraction method takes the fuss out of preparing traditional Chinese medicines, so you get all the benefits without having to boil up (decoct) dried herbs and drink the resulting tea.
RESPIDEFEN ® is a convenient, pleasant tasting, concentrated, liquid herbal medicine with a divided daily dose of 30 mL; equivalent to 3 cups of the same TCM combination, prepared by the traditional method of boiling or decoction.

The Core of Core Botanicals: Sourcing and Manufacturing Spotlight

Harnessing Nature’s Wisdom

Welcome to our latest Core Botanicals® blog. In the Core of Core Botanicals series, we want to dive a little deeper into our business practises to help you understand what makes us different and how this will help you on your wellness journey.

At Core Botanicals®, we are driven by a profound passion for herbal medicine, inspired by our founder, Paul Keogh.

With over 36 years of experience in the field, Paul’s dedication to creating powerful and effective herbal formulas has always been rooted in a deep respect for nature's healing potential.

Core Botanicals is proudly an Australian family owned and operated business. Paul and our entire team here are passionate about our herbal medicines, prioritising potency over profit.

When Paul established Core Botanicals, his goal was to develop the best possible formulas for our customers.

We’d like to share with our Core Botanical family how this vision has become a reality in the way that we make our medicine.

Committed to Quality and Innovation

Our herbs are sourced from traditional locations around the world. These herbs are rigorously tested at Southern Cross University, guaranteeing their purity and potency.

If they do not meet our rigorous analytical standards, they are excluded from our production process.

This meticulous approach ensures that only the finest, high-potency ingredients make it into our products. This isn’t a process that is mandated by the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA), it’s a process that we have chosen so that you can trust our medicines will deliver you the best results.

This is the first step in our unique and specially designed two-phase extraction process, which concentrates and stabilises the active compounds.

Regulatory Excellence

All our products are TGA listed, ensuring they meet the highest safety standards.

This approval process involves rigorous substantiation of evidence, providing our customers with confidence in the quality and reliability of our herbal medicines.

Superior Potency

Unlike many competitor products that use dried concentrates, our herbs are real and potent.

Leading brands of consumer liquid extracts offer a potency equivalent to 500mg of dry herbs per ml.
Core Botanicals liquid extracts, however, provide a potency equivalent to 1500mg of dry herbs per ml.

This means our medicines are far more potent than most other liquids on the market, allowing you to take less for the same amount of benefit.

Proudly Australian Manufacturing

Our manufacturing partner, based near beautiful Lake Macquarie, has worked closely with Paul to perfect our herbal extraction process.

By integrating the ancient wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine with modern, cutting-edge techniques, we ensure that our products are not only potent but also convenient and accessible.

Our two-phase extraction process combines different extraction techniques for optimal potency.

A Holistic Approach

At Core Botanicals®, we believe in a holistic approach to health.

We’re dedicated to helping you achieve wellness through the pure, potent and powerful medicines we create. Each product is a testament to our commitment to quality and our passion for helping you harness the healing power of nature.

Your health journey is important to us and we’re so proud of the reviews that are coming in and the number of customers who are returning time and time again.

Thank you for being a part of the Core Botanicals family. We are excited to continue supporting your health journey with our herbal medicines.

Stay tuned for more insights and updates on our new products to be released later in the year.

ASTRADEFEN® Immune Tonic: 'Why These Conditions' and 'Why This Formula'

The continuing development of ASTRADEFEN® Immune Tonic was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Core Botanicals® brand.

Our founder, Paul Keogh has over 35 years of clinical and commercial experience as a medical herbalist, naturopath and industry expert. He has significantly contributed to and deeply understands the storied history that this respected immune tonifying formula represents.

At Core Botanicals® our mission is to assist our customers in their wellness journey, by providing the most potent and meticulously crafted, liquid herbal medicines. All our medicines are manufactured in Australia from traditional Chinese herbs, laboratory tested for purity and potency.

ASTRADEFEN® is the foundation of our product range developed to support our customers’ immune health and improve their overall well-being in the process.

In this article, we dive a little deeper in the history of the ASTRADEFEN® formula and its ingredients.

ASTRADEFEN ®

Historical background

The original inspiration for this medicine was a dry herb combination called Astragalus Eight Herb Formula, outlined by Dr Subhuti Dharmananda in a paper titled, “A New Herbal Combination for the Treatment of Immunodeficiency Syndromes”, published by The Pacific Journal of Oriental Medicine, Vol. 3., No.1 (1986): pp. 20-29.
Laurence Badgley mentions this formula in his book, Healing AIDS Naturally, published in 1987.
In the early 1990’s, Assoc. Professor Denis Stewart (clinical herbalist and naturopath https://denis-stewart.com/biography/) and his associate Noel Rigby (herbalist) extracted the active components of the dry herb preparation of Astragalus Eight Herb Formula to produce a one-to-one (1:1), full-strength fluid extract and released it to health professionals for clinical applications.
Paul Keogh (medical herbalist & naturopath), who studied under Assoc. Professor Denis Stewart from 1981-1986, helped develop the clinical applications for what became known as Astragalus 8.
In 1999, Paul Keogh and his business partners, Geoff Teasel and Bob & John Power, took over the manufacturing and distribution of Astragalus 8 under the Oriental Botanicals^Ò brand for practitioners, and released Astra 8 Immune Tonic under the Fusion Health^Ò brand for health food stores to provide direct access for consumers.
In 2016, Blackmores Australia purchased both Fusion Health^Ò and Oriental Botanicals^Ò brands; ultimately discontinuing the manufacture of Astragalus 8 and reducing the potency of Astra 8 to one-in-two (1:2), a half-strength fluid extract prepared from dry concentrate (powdered) herbal extracts instead of the dry herbs as it was originally.
In 2020, Blackmores sold both Fusion Health^Ò and Oriental Botanicals^Ò brands to McPherson’s Consumer Products.
In 2021, in accordance with official TCM dosages, Core Botanicals developed a higher potency version of the eight-herb formula equivalent to three times the dry herb strength of Astra 8 i.e., one-&-one-half-to-one (1.5:1), called ASTRADEFEN ®.
ASTRADEFEN ® is now available for consumers to purchase from health food stores, health professionals and online.

Why these conditions?

ASTRADEFEN ® combines two restorative tonic herb, Astragalus and Siberian Ginseng, with six other traditional Chinese tonic herbs, working together to tonify the immune system.
In Chinese medicine there are specialised tonic herbs for each system of the body.
For example, Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) is traditionally taken to support the immune system to fight illness, promote immune defences and improve immunity.
Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is evidenced to relieve fatigue, tiredness, and feeling of weakness, as well as assist with recovery from illnesse., during convalescence.

Why this formula?

ASTRADEFEN ® is an East-West formula, which is classified in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as an Immune Tonic, providing a range of therapeutic effects known collectively as immune tonification.
ASTRADEFEN ® contains two principle restorative tonic herbs: Astragalus and Siberian Ginseng, together with six other traditional Chinese tonic herbs working together.
This combination of eight Chinese tonic herbs exemplifies the synergistic relationship between different yet complementary effects on the immune system i.e., Astragalus supports the immune system to fight illness, while Siberian Ginseng assists with recovery from illness.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), combining immune tonics with complementary effects is called Fu Zheng
In Western herbal medicine (WHM), immune tonics are frequently classified as adaptogens e.g., Astragalus, Reishi Mushroom, Schisandra, and Siberian Ginseng, which help the body adapt to stress.
Energetically, immune tonics strengthen the body’s ‘vital energy’ or Qi especially the body’s protective Qi, and nourish the Blood e.g., Astragalus and Reishi Mushroom.

Complementing these primary energetic effects are organ tonics which support the Lungs (Astragalus, Codonopsis, Reishi Mushroom), the Spleen (Astragalus, Codonopsis, Licorice Root, White Atractylodes), and the Kidneys (Ligustrum, Schisandra, Siberian Ginseng).

IMMUDEFEN® Cold and Flu Medicine: 'Why these conditions' and 'why this formula'?

Welcome back to our 'why this condition' and 'why this formula' blog series. In these articles, we dive into each of our products in a little more depth.

In this article, we will be exploring Core Botanicals® IMMUDEFEN® Cold and Flu Medicine.

Why this condition?

Everyone has had a cold or flu, so we don’t need to explain how this affects the body and disrupts your everyday life, we know you’ve lived it!

Below are some interesting facts about colds and flu, according to the Australian government’s health direct website.

Colds and flu are very contagious viral infections, and you can catch a cold or flu at any time of the year, not just in winter. Although they are more common during the winter months.
Colds are very common and affect the lining of the nose, throat and upper airways causing symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion with mucus, and mild bronchial cough.
In Australia, children may get between five and ten colds every single year and adults may get two to four colds each year.
There are more than 200 different viruses can cause a cold, mostly rhinoviruses and coronaviruses.
It’s possible to have several colds, one after the other, because a different virus causes each one.
Flu symptoms are also caused by a viral infection – mostly type A, type B or rarely type C influenza virus.
Flu symptoms include mild fever, sore throat, and mild bronchial cough.
Since cold and flu are caused by viruses, antibiotics cannot help you get better faster or stop you from spreading a virus to other people.
This is where our medicine comes in.

(Source for medical information https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/colds-and-flu)

Why this formula?

For hundreds of years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has used various combinations of the herbs in IMMUDEFEN® to relieve the symptoms of wind-heat and wind-cold conditions, which are known in the West as cold, flu, mild tonsillitis, and boils.

Echinacea is traditionally used in Western herbal medicine (WHM) as an Alterative, blood cleanser or purifier to support the immune system to fight illness and reduce the symptoms of cold and flu, as well as mild tonsillitis and boils.
Core Botanicals ® extraction method concentrates and stabilises the active compounds to take the fuss out of preparing traditional Chinese medicines. This means you get all the benefits of powerful Chinese herbs without having to boil up (decoct) dried herbs and drink the resulting tea.
IMMUDEFEN ® is a convenient, concentrated, liquid herbal medicine with a divided daily dose of 36 mL; equivalent to 3 cups of the same TCM combination, prepared by decoction.

What are the benefits of IMMUDEFEN ®Cold and Flu Medicine?

An East-West formula of Echinacea and Chinese herbs.
In traditional Western herbal medicine, Echinacea supports the body’s immune system to fight illness to:

Relieve symptoms of common cold and flu
Reduce the severity of symptoms of mild
upper respiratory tract infections
Relieve symptoms of mild tonsillitis

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM):

Honeysuckle and Japanese Catnip relieve symptoms of common cold and flu
(described in TCM as externally contracted wind-heat patterns)
Forsythia also relieves symptoms of common cold (in an externally contracted wind-heat pattern)
Balloon Flower relieves symptoms of pharyngitis (sore throat), resolves phlegm and clears respiratory tract mucous
Lily Magnolia relieves nasal congestion
Isatis relieves symptoms of mild tonsillitis
Platycodon grandiflorum and/or Glycyrrhiza uralensis is traditionally used in Chinese Medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve mild bronchial cough.

If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

Visit the product page to see reviews from our customers.

New Year, New Wellness Goals: Boosting Your Immune System with Herbal Medicine

The festive season leaves many of us feeling depleted; from too many social engagements, too little sleep or difficulty sticking to our regular wellness routines.

As we usher in the new year, many of us embark on a journey of self-improvement, setting resolutions to enhance our overall well-being. If you’re on this journey, herbal medicine can play a role in supporting your goals.

There are also other areas that can support these goals like getting enough sleep, taking time for activities that foster mindfulness and a sense of presence in the moment and exercise.

In this post, we'll delve into how incorporating herbal remedies into your daily routine can help achieve common New Year's resolutions, with a particular focus on the crucial need for immune system support post-holiday festivities.

The Importance of Immune System Support:

After the holiday season, our bodies may feel the aftermath of festive indulgence and changes in routine. Strengthening our immune system becomes as important as ever as we set ourselves up for a successful year. At Core Botanicals®, we recognize the significance of immune health, and we have a specially crafted liquid herbal formula to help – ASTRADEFEN® Immune Tonic.

ASTRADEFEN Immune Tonic:

Our ASTRADEFEN Immune Tonic is an East-West fusion of two powerful restorative tonic herbs: Astragalus and Siberian Ginseng. Rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, Astragalus is renowned for its immune-boosting properties, aiding the body in the fight against illnesses and promoting overall immune defence.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine Astragalus is known to:

Support the immune system to fight illness
Promote immune defence and improve immunity
Help reduce the occurrence of common colds
Relieve fatigue, tiredness, and feelings of weakness
Assist the body in adapting to stress (as an adaptogen)
Enhance lung health (as a lung tonic)

Siberian Ginseng complements Astragalus by:

Relieving fatigue, tiredness, and feelings of weakness
Assisting with recovery from illness, especially during convalescence

In addition to these primary ingredients, ASTRADEFEN® Immune Tonic includes six other herbs carefully selected to enhance the effectiveness of this powerful formula.

Potency Matters:

When it comes to herbal remedies, potency is key. Core Botanicals® liquid extracts stand out by providing potency equivalent to 1500 mg of dry herbs per millilitre – that's three times more than leading brands of consumer liquid extracts, ensuring you get the maximum benefits from every drop.

Summary:

As you embark on your journey towards better health in the new year, consider the role of herbal medicine in supporting your resolutions. With ASTRADEFEN Immune Tonic, you can prioritize immune system support, setting the foundation for a healthier and more resilient you.

Remember, if symptoms persist, it's always a good idea to consult with your health professional. Here's to a year of well-being and vitality in 2024! We’re looking forward to taking the journey with you.

ALLERDEFEN® Allergy Medicine: 'Why these conditions' and 'why this formula'?

Welcome to our new blog series, where we will cover each of our products in a little more depth.

In these posts, we aim to provide visibility on the conditions that the medicine treats and the way in which the formula addresses these.

Our founder, Paul Keogh, who has over 30 years of experience as a Naturopath and Medical Herbalist has shared his insights into the formulas.

The first formula we'd like to dive into is ALLERDEFEN® Allergy Medicine. Did you know that around 20% of Australians suffer from Hayfever, eczema and dermatitis or hives?

Why these conditions?

Hayfever (allergic rhinitis) affects up to 4.9 million Australians each year and approximately 1.6 million Australians suffer from atopic or allergic skin conditions like mild eczema and dermatitis, or hives.
The combined prevalence of these conditions in Australia is around 20 percent, with suffers commonly experiencing multiple conditions, especially as they age.
Studies suggest that the incidence of these conditions will increase over the coming decades.
Although most children grow out of their mild eczema and dermatitis, a few may experience it throughout their life, and some will go on to develop allergic rhinitis in adulthood.
Inflammation is a common characteristic of allergic rhinitis, mild eczema and dermatitis, and hives.

Why this formula?

For more than 1,800 years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has used the same combination of herbs (known as Xiao Chai Hu) to relieve the symptoms of what is known in the West as hayfever, mild eczema and dermatitis, and hives.
Most ingredients in ALLERDEFEN ®are anti-inflammatory and Ginseng improves immunity.
Core Botanicals ® extraction methods takes the fuss out of preparing traditional Chinese medicines, so you get all the benefits without having to boil up (decoct) dried herbs and drink the resulting tea.
ALLERDEFEN ® is a convenient, pleasant tasting, concentrated, liquid herbal medicine with a divided daily dose of 40 mL; equivalent to 3 cups of the same TCM combination, prepared by decoction.

Here is a summary of the therapeutic benefits of ALLERDEFEN® Allergy Medicine as listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. All these statements are permissible in marketing for adults and children over 2 years of age. Not to be used for children under 2 years of age without medical advice.

A traditional Chinese medicine called Minor Bupleurum Combination, used for the management of hayfever (allergic rhinitis), mild eczema and dermatitis, and skin hives (urticaria).

Baical Skullcap is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis commonly called hayfever:

Decrease/reduce/relieve post nasal drip
Decongestant/relieve nasal congestion
Decrease/reduce/relieve sneezing
Relieve runny/dripping nose
Relieve itchy throat
Relieve itchy eyes
Relieve eye redness
Decrease/reduce/relieve watery eyes or excessive lacrimation

Pinellia and Baical Skullcap are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve symptoms of mild eczema and dermatitis:

Decrease/reduce/relieve skin dryness
Soothe/relieve skin inflammation
Antipruritic/Relieves itchy skin
Decrease/reduce/relieve skin redness

Red Date and Baical Skullcap are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve symptoms of skin hives including itching, redness and swollen welts.

Korean Ginseng is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to help stimulate a healthy immune response and promote immune defence.

Herbs with supporting energetic properties*:

Bupleurum and Baical Skullcap are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to clear/expel damp-heat from the gallbladder and large intestines
Bupleurum is traditionally used in Chinese Medicine to sooth Liver Qi
Pinellia and Ginger are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to harmonise the middle-burner (spleen and stomach)
Red Date, Korean Ginseng and Liquorice are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to tonify/nourish/strengthen/replenish Qi

* Herbal energetic properties are included here for reference only and do not imply a TCM diagnosis. If a consumer is unsure whether this medicine is right for them, they should talk to a TCM practitioner or healthcare professional.

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Meet Paul Keogh: Founder of Core Botanicals®

Welcome to the Core Botanicals® blog.

Here we will explore a range of topics that we hope our community will enjoy for information, entertainment and to assist you on your health journey.

In our very first post, we’d love to tell you more about our brand and our founder, Paul Keogh.

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