Tonic herbs are used to nourish and restore the the body.
Tonic herbs were first mentioned in the Emperor Shen Nong's Classic of Herbal Medicine around 2,000 years ago and fall into the “superior herb” category. Superior herbs are the herbs collectively known to be safe, gentle, well-tolerated and effective. The most extraordinary of the tonic herbs were used by the wisest and wealthiest people in China because they were believed to possess profound health and performance-enhancing benefits. These Superior Herbs are not considered to be “medicinal” in the usual sense of the word.
Tonic herbs (superior herbs) do not force the body to change, but rather work with it to adapt, allowing a measured, nourishing and normalising effect to unfold within the body and its systems. Traditionally tonic herbs are consumed daily to promote longevity and prevent illness, offering nourishment to the vital organs without negative side effects.
Only herbs that meet specific qualifications are considered “tonic” in nature. For an herb to be recognized as a tonic (a Superior Herb), it must have been found over many centuries to have profound general health-promoting actions that result in a long and healthy life.
Secondly, the tonics must have no negative side-effects when used reasonably, so they may be taken continuously over a long period of time if desired, yielding cumulative, long-term benefits. This emphasis on safety is in accordance with the first law of Chinese herbalism — “Do no harm.”
Thirdly, a tonic must be believed to affect the psyche so as to help improve one’s state of spiritual and emotional wellbeing and happiness.
Fourthly, most of the herbs in this category taste just fine. In fact, many of these tonic herbs are routinely used in healthy Chinese cooking. The tonic herbs are considered to be the fifth food group in the Chinese diet. They are “superfoods.” The fact that they are broadly used in Chinese cuisine is testimony to their safety.
Some tonic herbs are adaptogens, but not all adaptogens are tonic herbs.
Adaptogens are densely nutritious botanical substances that help the body normalize out-of-balance systems and adapt to environmental, physical and emotional stress. They are called adaptogens because they 'adapt' their function to your body's unique needs. They are used to improve the health of your adrenal system, the system that’s in charge of managing your body’s hormonal response to stress. They help strengthen the body’s ability to cope with anxiety and fight fatigue – slowly and gently, without jolts or crashes. Think of adaptogens like a thermostat. The keep your body’s responses at a desirable level, much like the way a thermostat keeps the temperature from becoming too high or too low.
Adaptogens are safe to take on a daily basis. Depending on your individual constitution, you could notice a change in as little as two weeks. However, the longer you use an adaptogen, the more benefits you’re likely to experience.
Before there was “Certified Organic”, herbs and plants that were gathered free of herbicides, pesticides, detergents and other harmful chemicals were referred to as “Wild Crafted”. Wild Crafted botanicals are not farmed or sprayed with any kind of pesticide. They are wild, native and organic by their own nature and retain the positive attributes of plants grown in their normal habitat. Certified Organic herbs and plants are usually grown under ideal conditions on a farm and produced according to standards which translate into no harmful pesticides, fertilizers or GMO plants (genetically modified organisms) to enhance their growth. They are healthy, but because they are grown under the best conditions and not necessarily in their natural habitat, they may not retain all the attributes of their wild crafted counterpart. Both Wild Crafted and Certified Organic products are free of harmful chemical additives and are much better and safer than their commercial grade counterparts. However, one isn’t necessarily better than the other.Just because a product(particularly herbs and mushrooms) are “organic” doesn’t mean they are better than wildcrafted herbs, it just means they were cultivated under organic conditions. Organic herbs grown in non Di Tao locations are not used by Root&Bones.
Caring for your herbs can be a process from proper storage to regular use (with a dry measuring spoon). For specifics, please reference this blog on proper care instruction.
Di Dao doesn't translate easily into English, like many of the great Chinese concepts (e.g., Jing, Qi, and Shen!) The word Tao, in this case, refers to the district in which the herb is grown, and Di is more to do with the soil and land in which the herb is grown. In other words, sourced from its spiritual homeland. Di Dao herbs must be high quality, medicinally dense herbs that have been grown in their natural habitat. This provides the herbs with the healing properties that allow them to be effective in fulfilling their purpose as medicinal herbs and tonics.
Ron Teeguarden, founder of Dragon Herbs and legendary tonic herbalist, translates Di Dao to "Earth Tao," or "the Way of the Earth." He says,
"Every plant has its perfect habitat where the plant flourishes, and in the case of a herb or food, becomes the most phytochemically rich and balanced."
Chaga grown on birch trees in a forest in Siberia and Chaga grown indoors in a lab in a temperature controlled, light controlled environment are different. Medicinal Mushrooms impart a lot of their benefits from the wood that they grow on. (In comparison, most indoor grown mushrooms are grown on starch or oats).
Wild herbs possess more power and potency than cultivated herbs. Wild herbs must survive naturally even in extremely harsh climates. Cultivated herbs can sometimes be weak and fragile, and therefore lack inner power. That will be reflected in the price of an herb, in its flavor, and most importantly in its efficacy. Cheaper brands always use weaker cultivated herbs, often from non-Di Tao growing sites.
China has one of the longest-standing herbal traditions in the world, and one of the oldest books on medicinal substances (also known as a "materia medica") in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, which was compiled in the 1st century AD during the Han dynasty. Di Tao is acknowledged by the Chinese government and recognized by modern TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) practitioners too.
Root + Bones uses the highest quality, closest to nature, rooted in history and lore items possible. Herbs and mushrooms impart some of their incredible benefits from how they are grown. Whenever possible, I choose wildcrafted items, those which have survived the elements, struggled to protect itself and survived.
All mushrooms are wood grown, except for Cordyceps which is grown via liquid ferment.
We only use fruiting body. No grain, starch or filler.
Please note: Jars are filled by weight, not volume.
It's normal for the jar to appear partially empty due to settling. Rest assured, the number of servings inside matches the amount listed on the label.
We extract our herbs using either spring water (‘water extraction’), or spring water and organic rice alcohol - a process known as ‘dual extraction’.
Our processing facility in China adheres to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. GMP is a strict code of conduct governing how products are handled. Our processing facility is GMP certified. The facility uses technology like High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and UV fingerprints to ensure our herbs are of the highest quality possible.
Our co-packing facility in CA is also GMP certified.
Absolutely. In fact, many people take multiple products at the same time for a super elixir! Find what feels right for you. For example, for boosting energy in the morning you could take Rhodiola, Pine Pollen and Cordyceps, and in the evening you could take Pearl, HeShouWu and Reishi.
One of the trademarks about adaptogens and longevity herbs is that they are very safe to take daily for extended periods of time. The longer you take them, the more benefits you will see.Though they can be beneficial for short term use, it is important to keep in mind, prevention of disease comes from consistent daily choices.
No, herbal supplements are not registered by the FDA. However, the FDA does regulate the manufacturing and label guidelines of herbal supplements, and we are in accordance with these guidelines.
One of the trademarks of herbs/mushrooms that are beneficial for the immune system is that they contain polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are compounds that are traditionally bitter. This bitter flavor aspect of the polysaccharides provide the immune regulating and anti-inflammatory effects. Our herbs have an earthy, slightly bitter flavor. We believe that we are fortunate to be able to taste the herbs in their unadulterated state. That being said, you are more than welcome to adjust the flavor by adding it to teas, coffee, smoothies or other beverages that help mask the flavor. Please see each product's description page to understand each herb's level of flavor intensity.
Products may vary from batch to batch. This is because of the nature of the raw starting material, time of year, exposure to sunlight..etc This can show up as slightly different tastes, textures or smells. If you receive a product that feels slightly different than your previous products, this is why.
Yes. Each of our herbs is tested for yeasts, molds, heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides. Most herb companies will only show you their Manufacturer Data Sheet with very basic information. Look for a third party lab report, not a basic one page form! For more information on exactly what we screen for, feel free to check out of COA page on our sourcing page
Orders will ship within 2-3 business days, and that we use usps ground shipping, unless an expedited service has been chosen.
You will receive an email with your shipping notification along with a tracking number. If you have not received this number 4 days after making an order please email customersupport@rootandbones.com
After orders have been placed, package scans from our carriers may be delayed. As a result, orders may not show tracking for a few days – even when your order is already on the way. Please allow extra time for tracking updates and final delivery.
In rare cases, you may not have tracking visibility – orders may arrive before tracking becomes available.
Once your order ships, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information. If your order is lost by the carrier we will refund or resend. Once the package is delivered however, we cannot be responsible for it's contents. We are NOT responsible for stolen items.
If your package is stolen, you can use this link to submit a claim: https://about.usps.com/publications/pub122/pub122_v07_revision_092016_007.h
To manage your subscriptions, you can follow the link to our subscription page.
*Please note, changes to subscriptions must be made 48 hours prior to ship date. Once your order is fulfilled, it will be shipped from our warehouse. Should you wish to return it, all items must remain unopened. Restocking fees may apply.
We hold sales a few times a year. Please sign up for the newsletter to know when these sales happen. There are no ongoing discount codes.
Discounts are not automatically applied, and must be entered on the payment screen at check out. Simply enter and apply your promo code or online gift card at checkout.
Please note that promo code discounts don't apply to already discounted items or subscription orders.
Our system only allows one discount code per order.
Please note, promotional codes cannot be used on already discounted items or subscription purchases.
Credit card charges remain pending from 5-7 business days for purchases, returns, and voided charges.
If a charge remains pending for longer than 7 business days, please contact customer support.
We do offer international shipping. However, customers are fully responsible for all customs fees, duties, taxes, and any additional import charges. These fees are not included at checkout and are due upon delivery.
If a package is refused or unclaimed and returned to us, we will not refund the original shipping cost.
Because of the nature of the product, we only accept returns of products that are unopened and sealed. We are unable to refund the initial order’s shipping cost and the shipping of your return is at your own cost.
Please send your unopened product back to us within 14 days of receiving your order. If your product arrives damaged, please send a photo along with an email and we will gladly replace your item.
All returns are subject to a $10 restocking fee.
Note: We are not able to accept returns or exchanges on tools. Please carefully consider this prior to purchasing.
Once orders are placed, we cannot guarantee changes can be made. We will do our best to reach our packing team, however most often, customers must wait to receive the item and return the unopened merchandise.
No. We rarely offer sales and have only one planned sale a year, for Black Friday.
We very seldom offer additional sales, but when we do, we do not make price adjustments for store credit or refunds.
We accept returns on all unopened merchandise, with a $10 restocking fee. Customers are responsible for their own return postage and should reach out to customer service prior to returning, so our warehouse can be made aware.
Once a product is opened, we cannot accept it back into our facility, as we also handle dietary supplements.
Our skincare is made with gentle, skin-supportive ingredients — but everyone’s skin is different, and reactions can happen. We encourage reviewing the full ingredient list to decide if a product feels right for you. We are not responsible for any irritation or breakouts that may occur.
Send us an email to tell us what's up and someone from our Customer Service team will get back to you as soon as possible. Be sure to include your order number (if you have one).
Please email us at customersupport@rootandbones.com
