5 Ramuan Secrets for Boosting Energy

Short of throwing back a couple energy drinks or running up your Starbucks card every day, what can you do to naturally keep your energy up Monday through Friday? Just ask yourself one simple question: WWMD (What Would the Malaysians Do)? Malaysians follow the ancient traditions of ramuan (which means “synergy), and it’s all about balance, moderation, a holistic approach and attuning the body’s energies with the rhythms of nature. Here are 5 natural ramuan secrets for boosting energy:

1. Exercise – Studies have shown that regular exercise plays a significant role in increasing energy levels, reducing fatigue and increasing sexual desire. The Malays have long practiced traditional exercise that is a series of bodily movements combined with breathing techniques known as senaman asak badan. Many of the postures resemble elements from the natural world (think yoga)--for example, bending tree, tiger, snake, warrior and blowing flute pose. Benefits include improved flexibility, agility, endurance, and strength. 

2. Detox – Herbal cleansing is a part of the Ramuan regimen. Biotropics Ramuan’ Men’s Detox and Women’s Detox offer a natural way to help purify and rejuvenate the body based on Malaysia’s centuries-old traditions and practices. The men’s formula includes seven plant extracts, plus a special herb coating as well as phyllanthus and ginger, which are traditionally used for cleansing, rejuvenation and digestive and liver health. The women’s formula helps promote a youthful complexion and support improved digestion and rejuvenation.

3. Massage – Massage has been known to improve energy levels. Traditional Malay massage or urut Melayu, a deep-tissue oil massage with long kneading strokes, focuses on the flow of blood in the urat or veins and arteries. Its aim is to stimulate energy points and loosen and warm up muscles among other things. If you can’t afford a trip to the spa, ask your partner to give you a hand! 

4. Herbal Supplements – Think it’s hard to pronounce herbs like Tongkat Ali or Kacip Fatimah? Try finding them in your neighborhood supermarket. Biotropics Ramuan makes it easy to harness the energy of these rare, potent Malaysian herbs with TenagaXX (men’s) and Asmara (women’s). Kacip Fatimah has been known to promote energy and vitality, postpartum firming and toning, and supports overall emotional well-being in women. The better known Tongkat Ali promotes male sexual vitality, overall energy, and well-being.

5. Foods – Most people know that greens pack a potent punch, but why not turn it up a notch? The Malaysians typically eat ulam, a fresh leafy herbal salad at lunch or dinner. They believe it has anti-aging properties (a recent study showed that it has significant antioxidant activity). For adventurous foodies, here's a recipe to try out. While finding actual ulam is not practical for most of us in the U.S., Biotropics Ramuan makes it easy for people around the world to enjoy the health benefits of ulam through its Ulam Antioxidant Blend, a unique composition that contains 7 herbal extracts. It’s where food meets medicine.

Does This Stuff Work?

A while back, one of our Facebook Fans posed this question to us and we have been waiting for the right time to address it in more detail.  While the fan didn’t specify which product he was asking about, we’re assuming he was interested in TenagaXX, our most popular herbal supplement. Naturally, the answer is complicated, so we asked Dr. Joerg Gruenwald, President of Analyze and Realize (a Berlin-based management consultancy and natural products research firm) to break it down.

LR: What is TenagaXX and how does it work?

JG: TenagaXX is a daily herbal supplement that features a pure, patented Tongkat Ali extract developed at the MIT Research Center, where it was found to include compounds that improve sexual health. Tongkat Ali is a plant found in the ancient rainforests of Malaysia. Tongkat Ali helps the body maintain healthy levels of testosterone, plus increase sexual energy.

LR: Any science behind it yet?

JG: Yes, there is already good science behind Tongkat Ali. Early studies conducted in Malaysia in 2000, 2001 and 2004 support that the standardized water-soluble extract of the herb increases the available level of testosterone and testosterone precursors. Subjects in these studies showed an improved body mass index, as well as increased muscle strength and free testosterone index after three weeks or more of consecutive use. Their SHIM scores (Sexual Health Inventory for Men) also showed improvement in sexual desire and performance. The complete results of these studies can be found on the Biotropics website.

LR: Ok, so bottom line… does it work?

JG: The ingredients in TenagaXX are supported by centuries of traditional use. Tongkat Ali is not a quick fix, but a slow build up. Individual physiologies will always vary, as will results. We recommend consulting with your physician.

Catch Tongkat Ali on The Dr. Oz Show Last Week?

In case you missed The Dr. Oz Show* last week, Dr. Oz and Chris Kilham (The Medicine Hunter) discussed traditional plant-based medicine and several herbs, including Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali), a root found in the ancient rainforests in Malaysia and neighboring countries that has been traditionally used to enhance sexual vigor and energy.** You can watch a clip from the show here.

More information about the sexual health benefits of Tongkat Ali can also be found here and here. Guys... are your engines starting to rev up yet?

* The Dr. Oz Show doesn't recommend or endorse any specific products that may contain Eurycoma longifolia. 

**Statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

A Ramuan Fan Speaks: Highlights from Expo West 2010

Expo West might be about natural products--but it's really the people who make the trade show so much fun each year. Meet Ron McCormick, owner/founder of PureForm Labs in Las Vegas. We happened to catch him on camera talking about what he liked about Biotropics Ramuan vitality products, TenagaXX and Asmara.  Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Ron. We're fans of you too.

Take a look:

Ramuan Trends, Tales and Tips from Expo West 2010

Summing up Natural Products Expo West 2010 is kind of like trying to define Ramuan in one sentence. It’s a difficulty level of 10, but we are going to attempt to put the world’s largest natural and organic tradeshow in perspective with our blend of trends, tales and tips:

Trends

Pamela Bond, Managing Editor of Natural Foods Merchandiser, has already identified several interesting trends from Natural Products Expo West 2010—including antioxidants, herbal combinations and anti-aging personal care products (“boomers spend $2.3 trillion annually on goods and services,” she noted). We find her trend watch list encouraging for a few reasons. 

First, Biotropics Ramuan is launching two antioxidants this year: Mangis and Ulam, both of which offer a powerful blend of antioxidant herbal extracts. Mangis offers a proprietary blend of seven superfruits—including the Malaysian rainforest fruit mangosteen, plus vitamin C, E and the digestive enzyme papain from real papaya—in a chewable phytonutrient-rich daily supplement.* Ulam also contains seven natural extracts, including King’s Ulam and vitamins C and E to help promote heart and immune health.* 

 

We are excited that our products reflect the present and future wants and needs of today’s health-minded consumers.

Tales

Our Biotropics team from Malaysia and Germany (plus the Team Tenaga girls) met and spoke with hundreds of retailers, natural products buyers, and regular health-conscious consumers who were very intrigued with our vitality products. There was Peter, a documentary filmmaker from Santa Monica, who was interested in finding out more about the clinical trials currently underway for Tongkat Ali, the ancient Malaysian herbal extract found in TenagaXX. And there was Ron, owner of Pure Form Labs in Las Vegas, who particularly liked the hormonal balancing effects of both the TenagaXX and Asmara products. (We’ll hear more from Ron later this week). Many women—both young and mature—also asked great questions about Asmara and took informational handouts. Energy, sexual health and vitality seem to be a priority for many people… so we are proud to bring Malaysia’s ancient traditions right into their medicine cabinet.

Tips

Whether you are an Expo West veteran, virgin or simply want to learn more about what it means to “Live Ramuan,” here are three simple tips we’d like to leave you with:

Tip #1: Do your research. History, tradition and personal testimonials can speak volumes if clinical trials aren’t available yet.

Tip #2: It’s less about the products and more about the people. Remember to thank the mix of friends in your life who help keep you balanced everyday.

Tip #3: Focus on the inside and work your way out. True outer beauty isn’t possible without inner health.  

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Say Hello to the Newest Line of Ramuan Health Products

In just a few days, we will unveil the newest Ramuan Health products at Natural Products Expo West 2010 in Anaheim, Calif., Mar. 11-14. This is an important milestone for us, but more importantly for YOU! Here is a look at our latest Ramuan Health products: 

·       TenagaXX™ – TenagaXX is the second generation of Tenaga, which already ranks among the fastest selling men's herbal sexual vitality products. This daily supplement’s patented Tongkat Ali extract helps support healthy testosterone levels, vitality and sexual well-being for men.* What guy wouldn’t want a pit crew in a pill? You can buy it here.

·       Asmara™ – This daily supplement is perfect for any woman who woke up one day and wondered, “What happened to the vibrant and alive woman I used to be?” Asmara has a pure measure of Labisia pumila extract (Kacip Fatimah), a traditional herb used by generations of Malaysian women to enhance feminine vitality and promote hormonal balance.* You can discover your inner goddess here.

·       Asmara™ Total Woman – Think of it as a natural daily supplement harvested for a woman like you. It includes Labisia Pumila extract and Ficus deltoidea to help maintain healthy balance and promote healthy aging.*

·       Tenaga™ Men’s Health Complex – It's like the mini-me version of TenagaXX. A daily supplement patented Tongkat Ali extract helps support healthy testosterone levels when taken daily.*

·       Men’s Detox™ – This daily supplement is perfect for any guys who have ever found themselves living out a scene from “The Hangover.” Our Men’s Detox is a blend of 7 plant extracts, including Phyllanthus and Ginger traditionally used for cleansing and rejuvenation, to promote digestive and liver health.*

·       Women’s Detox™ – The average home today contains 62 toxic chemicals, while the average woman uses 12 personal care products containing 168 chemical ingredients each day. It’s not easy living toxin-free today, but Women’s Detox can help purify and rejuvenate the body with a proprietary blend of 7 plant extracts including Ginger and Papaya traditionally used for digestive health.*

·       Mangis™ - Mangis boldly goes where no superfruit has gone before: chewable. This powerful phytonutrient blend combines the benefits of 7 superfruits, including mangosteen in a convenient chewable tablet.*

·       Ulam™ - Remember when you were a kid and you secretly wished there was a pill that combined all of the nutrients of a salad into a convenient tablet? Well, you finally got your wish. Ulam offers a proprietary Ramuan antioxidant formula containing natural extracts of 7 herbs and vitamins C and E.*

We’ll keep you updated on when and where you can buy the newest Ramuan Health products. Keep checking our new website (launching this week – you gotta check it out!), Twitter page or Facebook page. And if you happen to be at Expo West this week, come blend with us at booth #1464. 

A Case of the (Balance) Monday’s

Last Monday, we implemented something called “Balance Monday” on Twitter—which is essentially our version of Follow Friday (the popular weekly international event where Twitterers recommend people they follow to others). We figured: “What better way to start the beginning of a new work week than to support those who keep us balanced every day?”

Balance is an important concept for people who practice Ramuan. The Malays believe that the universe is composed of four major elements (earth, fire air and water). It is thought that these elements exist and function within the body and in interaction with the social and physical environment. An imbalance of these elements leads to ill health.

According to Malay belief, each individual is made up of four humors, the properties of which are hot and moist (blood), cold and moist (phlegm), hot and dry (black bile), and cold and dry (yellow bile). Groups of foods are also classified as having hot or cold properties. For example, watermelon is considered ‘hot and moist’; milk is considered ‘cold and moist’; lemongrass is ‘hot and dry’; long beans are ‘cold and windy’; and the much-loved durian (a fruit found in Southeast Asia) is ‘hot and gassy.’ These foods should be mixed carefully, and sometimes not at all—as is the case with watermelon and milk. (It’s thought that the milk will curdle, resulting in colic, indigestion, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.)

The hot-cold concept of balance is not just a matter of food or medicine—it’s also about a larger, holistic worldview. Wouldn’t we all be healthier people for remembering the bigger picture the next time we find ourselves suffering from a “Case of the Monday’s”? How do YOU stay balanced Monday through Friday? Do you have a Monday ritual that helps you stay on track for the week? Please share it with us!