5 Natural Mother’s Day Tips From Ramuan Health

Mother’s Day is just a few days away, but there’s still time to put together a plan for honoring the mindful moms out there. Here are Ramuan’s tips for making this Mother’s Day a natural and healthy one:


1. Treat mom to a massage. You don’t have to buy an expensive spa package...treat her to a wellness massage at home. For example, the traditional Ramuan massage urutan sentuhan (for post-natal women) lasts for about 15-20 minutes, and starts from the feet and gradually moves up the legs with upward strokes to the upper thighs, abdomen, lower back, and finally the hands, shoulders, neck and face before finishing with the head and scalp. It is thought to relieve cramps, loosen tense muscles and overcome fatigue. Other traditional massages include urut melayu (notice the movements in the video) and urutan sengkak. (Regardless of which massage you choose, don’t forget to use a natural herbal oil such as Ramuan Spa’s Green Coffee Moisturizing Body Oil…)


2. Cook a natural dish for her. She cooked for you all those years—now it’s your turn to return the favor. Experiment with something totally out of the box—maybe chicken curry, ulam salad or a traditional Malay dish made of rice with lemuni, ginger, turmeric and pegaga (member of the parsley family).


3. Do an activity together. Sometimes the greatest Mother’s Day gift is the gift of quality time. Can you imagine anything cooler than shopping with your mom at your local farmer’s market for an organic meal or seeing your mom in warrior pose right next to you in your yoga class? Spend the day sharing your favorite activities with each other.


4. Educate her about new traditions. There is a Chinese Proverb, “A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.” Give your mom a garden this Mother’s Day with “Health & Beauty From The Rainforest: Malaysian Traditions Of Ramuan” by Gerard Bodeker. She will learn everything there is to know about the practices and ancient herbal traditions of living Ramuan.


5. Give her the resources to take her health into her own hands. Hormonal imbalances are a part of many women’s lives, and many women today are searching for natural remedies. Asmara and Asmara Total Woman are two Ramuan women’s products (enjoy 15% off when you enter "MOTHER" at checkout) that are specifically formulated with labisia pumila (kacip fatimah) extract to enhance vitality, sensuality, balance and youthful beauty.


Do you have any natural Mother's Day tips you'd like to add to our list?   

First Ramuan Rewards: Mother's Day Specials on All Women's Herbal Supplements

Healthy things come to those who wait! Ramuan Rewards are finally here! 

From now until May 9, we are offering our very first Ramuan Mother's Day Special: our Facebook Fans (or fellow "likees") will receive 15% off any of our women's herbal supplements: Asmara (sensual vitality), Asmara Total Woman (hormonal balance and wellness), and Women's Detox. These products are a great way to treat mindful moms to the gift of natural health, vitality and wellness this Mother's Day. Please fan (or "like") us here for the online coupon code...and join the Ramuan Health conversations!  

Happy Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day, a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth and the environment. According to earthday.org, there have been 31,466,162 billion acts of green this year. Here is one green act we would like to highlight today: responsible harvesting. Biotropics Malaysia Berhad, the parent company of Biotropics US Inc., prides itself on its responsible harvesting practices that help protect and sustain Malaysia’s 130 million-year-old rainforests. How do they do it? 

1. Choosing the Right Suppliers. They start by sourcing raw botanicals only from carefully selected suppliers for optimum handling practices and sustainable consistency of raw herbal materials.

2. Less is More. Agronomic research and in-house small scale-cultivation help produce only the best high-yield plant species—which means people like you can enjoy the traditional benefits of only the purest herbal extracts with minimum impact on the environment.

What will YOU do to honor the earth today? All it takes is one simple act…and each of us doing our part. 

Beauty and the Feast Gives Away 4 Relaxing Face Masks

Nice! Our friends at Beauty and the Feast are giving away four Biotropics Ramuan's Relaxing Face Masks today! Here's your chance to win a free sample... trust us... your skin will thank you for it. :)

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.