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

Posted by Beck Keogh on August 17, 2024

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^®.

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Why 86% of you come back (and the 2000-year-old secret)

A Note From Paul - medical herbalist, naturopath and founder of Core Botanicals®

I was recently looking at some data from our online store, and one number stopped me in my tracks: 86%.

That is our returning customer rate. In a world of "quick fixes" and endless supplement options, seeing that almost 9 out of 10 people come back to Core Botanicals  is the ultimate feedback. It tells me that what I set out to do - create potent, result-driven therapeutics - is actually working for you.

So, let me pull back the curtain on why Core Botanicals  formulas are different.

In the traditional world of herbal medicine (especially Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM), getting a therapeutic dose often meant boiling a large quantity of herbs on the kitchen stove.

This process is called decocting which in the end produces about 750 mL of dark, bitter, "smelly"liquid that you must choke down throughout the day. This system does work, but let’s be honest, it’s a lot of effort, and it doesn't exactly make your kitchen smell like a day spa.

At Core Botanicals, we’ve modernized this 2000 to 3000-year-old process.

For example, take our ALLERDEFEN medicine which was first formulated more than 1800 years ago. The basic seven herb formula has been used for generations to defend the spaces between the interior and the exterior of the body. In modern terms this function relates to the immune system defences and to “spaces” the likes of the eyes, nose and throat which can manifest
symptoms identified in Western medicine as allergic rhinitis or hayfever.

Core Botanicals takes the very same traditional herbal ingredients and extracts them using both the modern hydroethanolic system and the ancient aqueous decoction process to produce a high-potency medicine equivalent to at least 1.5g of dry herb per millilitre of extract.

Not only do we save people the inconvenience and trouble of preparing Chinese medicine the traditional way themselves, but we concentrate the daily dose of 750 mL of decoction into a convenient, reasonably palatable, high-potency daily dose of approximately 40 mL or a little over 5% of the decoction volume. No "smelly vapours" in the kitchen - just clinical-strength medicine in a highly absorbable liquid form that’s eliminated the hard work and inconvenience from taking Chinese herbal medicines.

When you see the statement "concentrate liquid herbal extracts" on our labels or “potency before profit” in our marketing, these are not buzz-phrases. They represent our unequivocal commitment to provide medicines that are consistent with traditional indications and dosages so you can experience the power of ancient Chinese medicine in a modern, convenient, liquid form.

Paul’s Clinical Tip: If you’ve tried dry herb preparations in decoction, capsule or tablet forms for the relief of the symptoms of hayfever (allergic rhinitis) including watery eyes, dripping nose, sneezing and itchy throat without satisfaction, maybe you’d like to try our high potency liquid ALLERDEFEN medicine. Many of my patients and customers not only report significant relief of symptom but also reduction of recurrence, which exemplifies an important TCM principle of
treating both the branch (symptoms) and the root (predisposition).

To your health,
Paul Keogh
Founder, Core Botanicals

Why you’re exhausted but can’t sleep

The "Tired but Wired" Trap

A Note From Paul - medical herbalist, naturopath and founder of Core Botanicals®

In my clinical experience, one of the most common complaints I’ve heard over the last three decades is some variation of: "Paul, I’m exhausted all day, but as soon as my head hits the pillow, my mind starts racing."

I call this the "Tired but Wired" trap. It’s a hallmark of our modern, fast-paced, goal-oriented world. Consequently, we’re living in a state of "sympathetic dominance" where our nervous system is stuck in "fight or flight" mode, even when we’re just sitting at our desks or trying to sleep. The thing that’s not well known about the "fight-or-flight" or sympathetic nervous system (SNS) mode is that it’s only half of the autonomic nervous system (ANS); the other half is called the “rest-and-repair” or parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which balances the sympathetic nervous system and together optimise the automatic functions of the ANS.

A great way to appreciate the differences is to imagine you’re picnicking under the iconic African “tree of life” (Baobab Tree) after a tiring safari on the savanna. You relax as you take in the scenery and recover as you enjoy some nourishing provisions. In this context, your parasympathetic mode is dominant. There you are feeling high on life when suddenly your sympathetic mode kicks in as a pride of lions approach. As they do, your appetite is replaced by fear and anxiety, and your bliss is banished by stress hormones surging through your body to raise your blood pressure and heart rate in readiness to fight for your survival or run for your life. All this happen below conscious control as part of our evolutionary responses governed by the ANS. So, although we’re no longer on the savanna, our modern cities can still feel like the jungle.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, the ANS is primarily understood through the lens of Yin-Yang balance, where the SNS is associated with Yang (activity, growth, defence, exertion) and the parasympathetic system with Yin (passivity, digestion, rest, repair). Chinese herbs and acupuncture act as dynamic regulators that harmonize these systems and correct imbalances associated with sympathetic dominance such as mild anxiety, irritability, restlessness, excess nervous energy and poor sleep.

In contract to the use of sedative drugs that "knock you out" to reduce anxiety, Western Herbal Medicine seeks to correct sympathetic dominance with Adaptogens.

Adaptogens are a unique class of herbs that help your body adapt to stress. They don't just control symptoms; they work on the primary mechanisms that govern your body’s response to stress including the ANS and the command and control, hormonal system called the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA). The HPA and ANS act as complementary, highly coordinated, and physically interconnected systems that calibrate your body’s response to stress.

In summary, the ANS provides a rapid, immediate response (within seconds) through sympathetic ("fight-or-flight") activation and parasympathetic (“rest-and-repair”) withdrawal, while the HPA axis provides a slower, sustained, hormonal response (over minutes and beyond) via cortisol release from the adrenal glands. However, prolonged activation of the “stress response” can lead to a "disconnection" or "disequilibrium" between these two dynamic, interrelated systems leading to many conditions modern humans experience in today’s version of “life in the jungle”.

For this very common "Tired but Wired" state, I rely heavily on two of my favourite Adaptogens: Ashwagandha (Withania) and Sacred Basil (Holy Basil). In our STRESDEFEN formula, we use these highly respected Ayurvedic Rejuvenating tonics herbs which help the body “adapt to stress” through more efficient and effective responses, together with two powerful Chinese herbs China Root and Chinese Senega that "soothe the spirit" (Shen) to calm the mind, aid mental relaxation, ease restlessness and reduce excess nervous energy.

In a nutshell, the goal of this dynamic approach is to calm the "wired" nervous energy while simultaneously rejuvenate the "tired" energy reserves.

What sets our formulas apart is the potency. Most liquid medicines you find on the shelf are tinctures (1:2 or 1:5) not extracts (1:1 or 1.5:1) with their strengths varying widely. Core Botanicals has developed a special dual-phase extraction system to produce a 1.5:1 extract strength that’s three times the potency of a 1:2 tincture. This means you’re getting three times the dry herb equivalence per mL, compared to many leading brands of 1:2 strength liquid medicines.

So, when you’re stuck in a stress cycle, it’s important to take the right herbs at a dose that can actually “move the needle”. I've also found that fresh air, moderate exercise and meditation support herbal medicines that regulate and rejuvenate your nervous system. A simple approach is to get outside and breath in a dose Nature’s most effective tonic combination: fresh air and sunshine. Research demonstrates this can have positive effects on moods and wellbeing by boosting blood oxygen and Vitamin D levels.

Paul’s Clinical Tip: If you find yourself "spiralling" in the mid-afternoon, that’s usually when your cortisol is fluctuating. Try a dose of STRESDEFEN around 3 PM instead of drinking coffee or coke (both caffeine hits) to help reduce that afternoon brain fog and energy slump. Also, try another dose around 9 PM to get you ready for sleep and prevent the "second wind" that keeps you awake.

To your health,
Paul Keogh
Founder, Core Botanicals