Pondering Pau d' Arco

Pau d' arco



Pau d' arco has been chasing me around the health circles for some time now.  At first, I would see the it on the shelf shredded and in little bags and think to myself "hmpf, Pau d' arco, funny name I wonder what it's all about".  Then I'd get side tracked while in the store and forget to go back and do research on this funny named herb.  Eventually, after many visits to several of the nice health food stores around Atlanta, I came to realize this herb was calling out to me.   I know that sounds funny but I've always been one to look for the clues in nature and around me.  I've noticed this skill even more as I've shed the layers of weight.  I can tell if a food or supplement is "working" by the way I feel and other clues.  Of course, I do a lot of blood tests and work closely with my health team to make sure my "feelings" are accurate.  This all leads me to tell you of my experience with Pau d' arco. 

Recently I saw Pau d' arco in my local health food store for the umpteenth time and this time I decided to purchase a box of tea.  There are many forms of Pau d' arco.  Its available as raw bark, already sealed in tea bags, in pill form, or as a tincture.  For my first experience (or experiment lol) I thought the tea bags would be the easiest to use and test.  Once I'd purchased a box of tea, my hound dog research skills took over and I found out a lot of interesting facts about Pau d' arco that I'd like to share with you and then I'll share my personal experience upon trying it for myself.

Pau d' arco grows in Central & South America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, the islands of Hispaniola and north into Mexico.  It is possible for it to grow in areas of south Florida as well.  It grows from 16 to 160 ft depending on climate and location.  There are approximately 1,000 species of Tabebuia Avellanedle tree.  Pau d' arco has been used for many hundreds of years (if not longer) by south American tribes to include the Incas and Aztecs and other Indio tribes.  The herb Pau d' arco is retrieved from the inner bark of the TAHEEBO tree.  It can be made into a tea, tincture, or ground up and put into a glycerin capsule to swallow.

Below, I've listed are some of the supposed benefits of Pau d' arco.  Some of these have been tested and researched on animal subjects over the years.  Some of these conditions have been treated using Pau d' arco in clinical situations in south America and central America.  Some of these benefits are claims of the locals who have used Pau d' arco for many years and many generations.

Claimed Benefits of Pau d' arco: 

Relieves Inflammation, Anti-Fungal or Yeast (beneficial in candida treatments), Anti-Viral, Anti-Bacterial, Helps Lowers Blood sugar in diabetics, Anti-Parasitic, cancer & tumors, immunodeficiency, skin disorders, rheumatic conditions, liver boost, blood purifier, fever, and pain.  Please check with your doctor or health care advocate before using or trying any new supplements or herbs as they may counteract with medicines or existing conditions.

My personal experience with Pau d' arco was far from uneventful.  Since I've hopped on the holistic health train there are many foods and medicines I will not ingest anymore.  One of the things I've stopped taking is over the counter pain medicine.  Everybody has the choice of what they will and will not put inside their bodies and for me its chemically manufactured medicines.  Instead, I look for natural sources to alleviate the symptoms that i have which would typically require the use of over the counter meds.  For example, if i have an upset stomach I might drink water infused with ginger.  I didn't have a go to for pain as of yet but I was about to find out that for me Pau d' arco tea alleviates pain.  From time to time I have pain in my body from lifting heavy objects, which my work requires me to do.  I found that after a cup of Pau d' arco tea I was without pain for 3-4 hours.  I also noticed an enhanced feeling of well being.  So for now I plan on drinking a cup per day and continue monitoring how my body reacts to this herb with the funny name. 

How to make a Pau d' arco tincture at home:

For those advanced botanists, I'm including a recipe of how to make your own Pau d' arco tinctures to save money.  The key is to use high quality herbs and vodka but you will still save money as opposed to paying the health food store prices. 

*This recipe does include alcohol, but the dosages are so small that its not likely to have much of an effect. If you abstain from consuming any alcohol, however, you can substitute apple cider vinegar for the vodka. Vinegar tinctures have a shelf life of around one year when stored in a cool, dark place.

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 ounces dried pau d’arco bark
• Quart-sized glass jar
• 60 proof or higher vodka
• Dark glass bottles for storage

Directions:

1. Place the dried pau d’arco bark in the quart-sized glass jar, and then fill to the top with vodka (or apple cider vinegar).
2. Secure the lid on the jar and place in a cool, dark place. Allow the mixture to stand for three to six weeks, shaking the jar once each morning and once each night.
3. Strain the bark from the liquid, squeezing it out before discarding.
4. Store the resulting pau d’arco tincture in dark glass bottles.

*recipe courtesy of themodernherbal.com