By Claire Kruesel, Wellness Staff

When I'm looking for an herbal supplement, Eclectic Institute is usually my first choice. Their products are unique in that the plant matter is fresh freeze-dried, which preserves activity of enzymes and other active constituents. It also qualifies Eclectic's products as “raw”. Freeze drying removes water from plant matter, thus halting biological processes such as decomposition that would naturally occur once the plant has been picked. Although of course nothing is the same as fresh herbs, freeze dried herbs are the next best thing in terms of maintaining the highest possible levels of beneficial enzymatic activity.

Besides this unique processing, Eclectic strives to use organic or chemical-free raw material, uses amber glass bottles to avoid BPA and light damage, and has created many unique herb combinations. Consider White Willow Feverfew, a popular item in our 'headache' section. It contains traditional headache easers such as Feverfew and White Willow (from which aspirin was originally derived), well-known anti-inflammatory and digestive aid Ginger, muscle relaxant Kava Kava (used traditionally in Vanuatu), and hormone balancer Black Cohosh. It can be a headache in itself to swallow a bunch of different pills, so having an intelligent formulation in one capsule is very convenient!

Another innovative herbal combination is Infla-Prin, which is a great example of the fresh, freeze-dried powders that Eclectic Institute offers. Powders can be used mixed in water or juice (and they dissolve easily, since the only difference between the freeze-dried powder and the original plants is water), or added to smoothies or even salad dressings. Infla-Prin contains a combination of plants intended to support a healthy inflammation response.