In Traditional Chinese Medicine, red herbs are deeply connected to the Heart, Liver and Blood— the systems that govern vitality, circulation, emotion, and spirit. Blood is not just physical nourishment; it is what anchors our energy, calms the mind, supports hormones, and gives the skin its glow and the eyes their light. When Blood is strong, we feel warm, present, emotionally resilient, and connected. Red herbs have long been used to build, move, and protect Blood, helping restore what stress, overwork, poor sleep, and emotional strain quietly deplete over time. This is why red herbs are associated with love, longevity, and deep nourishment— not in a fleeting way, but in a way that supports the heart of who we are, from the inside out.
Goji berries are a red fruit produced by the wolfberry plant, native to China. All of the plants fruits, leaves, flowers and even the root bark are used and treasured as a superior food. They have a mild "sweet and sour" taste and are slightly tart.
*In TCM goji berries enter the meridians of the Liver, Kidney, and Lung as the taste correspond with the organ activated. Goji berries have long been used to treat the deficiency of Liver and Kidney, light-headedness, blurred vision, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, erectile dysfunction, consumptive cough, extreme thirst and the damage of one's essence. Goji berries contain notable amounts of vitamin c, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, selenium and protein.
* Promotes skin health; diminishes indication of aging; Boosts energy levels; Supports heart health; Enhances digestive health; Boosts immunity; Strengthens Qi and Blood; Postpartum recovery.
Schisandra was written about in China's first herbal dictionary, in the first century BC. It was described as a superior and elite herb to be to promote longevity and wellbeing. Schisandra is a powerful adaptogen and is beloved in Traditional Chinese medicine partly due to the fact that it features all five of the taste senses at once, each denoting its own medicinal application. According to Chinese medicine, each flavor offers support to the body:
Salty: provides minerals and nourishes the Blood
Sour: detoxes and promotes digestion
Bitter: stimulates digestion, supports inflammation and detox
Pungent: stimulates Blood circulation, especially beneficial to the Lungs and colon
Sweet: restores energy and immune system
*Schisandra supports the Liver, balance the adrenals, protects enzyme production, antioxidant activity and promotes circulation in the digestive tract, which supports waste removal.
*Hawthorn Tonic acts like a prebiotic when ingested which feed healthy gut bacteria in order to maintain healthy digestion. They are also a great source of fiber which helps normal bowel movements. The nature of this berry helps indigestion when having overeaten heavy foods like meat and greasy types of meals. Also helps irregular heart beat.
The therapeutic actions of hawthorn fruit manifest in the Spleen, Stomach and Liver meridians but greatly help the Heart because of their ability to circulate Blood and Qi through the Liver. When the Liver is healthy, the Heart is healthy, too.