{"title":"Immune Support","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"sweet-gum-ball-extract","title":"Sweet Gum Ball Extract","description":"\u003cp\u003eSweet gum trees grow all over the South. Most folks know them only for the spiky brown balls that drop every fall and make a mess of the yard. What almost nobody knows is that those same balls hold one of the richest natural sources of \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shikimic-acid\"\u003eshikimic acid\u003c\/a\u003e in North America. The same compound the pharmaceutical industry extracts from star anise grows wild right here in Alabama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe harvest the green sweet gum balls by hand from our land in Opp, Alabama, then slow-extract them in small batches. The result is a full-spectrum, whole-plant tincture. You get shikimic acid plus the full range of the tree's natural compounds, the way Southern and Native American herbalists have used it for generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTraditional Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSweet gum has a long history of traditional use in Southern and Native American herbal medicine. Shikimic acid has been studied for decades and is used as a starting compound in the pharmaceutical industry. Our extract is a whole-plant herbal tincture, not a drug. Traditionally used as part of a wellness routine, especially through the colder months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake 1 to 2 dropperfuls (30 to 60 drops) in water up to three times daily as part of a wellness routine. Shake well before use. New to herbal tinctures? Start with a lower dose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat's in It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreen sweet gum ball (\u003cem\u003eLiquidambar styraciflua\u003c\/em\u003e) extract in alcohol. Hand-harvested from our land in southern Alabama. We add nothing else, and no water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"page-width page-content\"\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is shikimic acid?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShikimic acid is a natural plant compound found in sweet gum trees, star anise, and a few other plants. It has been studied for years as a plant compound of interest in the pharmaceutical industry. We bottle it in whole-plant form, not as an isolated chemical. We make no medical claims.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs this the same as the pharmaceutical version?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. Drug manufacturers take shikimic acid as a raw material and chemically modify it into something else entirely. What is in this bottle is the whole plant, extracted and left alone. It is not a drug, and we do not mean it as a stand-in for one. We make no medical claims.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhere are the sweet gum balls harvested?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom our land and the woods around us in southern Alabama. We pick them green and by hand. We work in small batches. We do not buy from outside suppliers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy green sweet gum balls instead of dried?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShikimic acid runs highest in the green, unripe seed pods. Dried brown balls have lower concentrations. We pick at the green stage to get the most out of each ball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is this one made in a higher proof alcohol?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the balls come off the tree green and hold a lot of their own water. A lower proof alcohol would end up watered down by the pods themselves, so this one gets a high proof alcohol. Our mushroom extracts use the same high proof for their own reasons. The rest of what we make starts from dried material and does not need it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich size should I choose?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1 oz is a good starting point for anyone new to this tincture. The 2 oz is the better value for ongoing use, roughly 5 to 6 weeks at twice-daily dosing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAre these statements FDA-evaluated?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We make no medical claims. Consult your healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/sweet-gum-tree\"\u003eRead the full sweet gum tree story\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/what-is-shikimic-acid-and-where-does-it-come-from-naturally\"\u003elearn more about natural sources of shikimic acid\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mayim Farm","offers":[{"title":"1oz","offer_id":29633775304803,"sku":"MF0023A","price":14.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2oz","offer_id":29633776844899,"sku":"MF0024A","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0260\/9469\/8595\/files\/sweet-gum-ball-extract-8050113.png?v=1784920566"},{"product_id":"poke-root-extract","title":"Poke Root Extract","description":"\u003cp\u003ePoke root (\u003cem\u003ePhytolacca americana\u003c\/em\u003e) has been used in Southern and Appalachian folk practice for generations, and it was a cornerstone remedy for the 19th-century Eclectic physicians. It grows wild across this land. We dig the roots ourselves in Opp, Alabama and tincture them by hand in small batches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is an herb for people who already know what they are doing with it. Read the whole page before you order.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eIs poke root safe?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePoke root is toxic in quantity, and that is not a marketing line. Too much causes vomiting and worse. It has a long record of traditional use in small doses and in trained hands, and no record at all of being safe to guess at. If you are new to herbs, buy something else from us and come back to this in a few years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow is poke root traditionally used?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePoke root tincture is used in drops, not dropperfuls, typically 1 to 5 drops. It was used in the Eclectic and Southern folk traditions in low doses, taken carefully and watched closely. Start at the lowest dose and move up slowly, and do it under the guidance of a qualified herbalist or your doctor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is in it?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePoke root (\u003cem\u003ePhytolacca americana\u003c\/em\u003e) wild harvested from our land in southern Alabama, extracted in alcohol. No water, no additives and no fillers. Bottled by hand on the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is the difference between poke root and poke berry?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell both. The root is the stronger of the two and it is the form the old tincture recipes call for. The berries are used differently and at different doses. Neither one is a beginner herb, and neither one should be dosed on a hunch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhich size should I buy?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1 oz. At the doses poke root is taken, a 1 oz bottle lasts a very long time, and most people will never finish one. The 2 oz is for practitioners who use it regularly in a clinical setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy do you sell it?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it grows here, because people in this part of the country have used it for two hundred years, and because taking a plant off the shelf does not make anyone safer. We would rather sell it with a page like this attached to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDisclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We make no medical claims. Consult your healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mayim Farm","offers":[{"title":"1oz","offer_id":39403695276206,"sku":"MF0029B","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2oz","offer_id":39403695308974,"sku":"MF0030A","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0260\/9469\/8595\/products\/poke-root-extract-6175045.webp?v=1771859887"},{"product_id":"red-reishi-mushroom-extract","title":"Red Reishi Mushroom Extract","description":"\u003cp\u003eRed Reishi (\u003cem\u003eGanoderma lucidum\u003c\/em\u003e) has been called the mushroom of immortality in Chinese tradition for over two thousand years, which tells you more about how long people have valued it than about what it does. The mushroom we use is wild harvested, or it comes from growers we trust. We do the double extraction here in Opp, Alabama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere does your reishi come from?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur red reishi is wild harvested, and when we run short we buy from growers we know. We do not grow reishi here in Opp. What happens on our farm is the extraction, alcohol first and then hot water, in small batches. We would rather tell you exactly where the line between those two things falls than let a label blur it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is reishi traditionally used for?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReishi is treated as a tonic mushroom, taken steadily over long stretches rather than reached for in a moment. In the Chinese tradition it sits in the top rank of herbs, the ones taken daily by people who are not sick. It is bitter, it is woody, and it has been taken in the evening for a very long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy is reishi double extracted?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReishi holds triterpenoids including the ganoderic acids, which are not water soluble, and beta-glucans, which are. Alcohol alone will not pull the beta-glucans, and water alone will not pull the ganoderic acids. We run a high proof alcohol first, then hot water, and combine the two. A single extraction leaves half the mushroom behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow do I take reishi extract?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShake well. Take 1 to 2 dropperfuls of reishi extract in water, up to three times a day. Many people take it in the evening. It is a tonic by tradition, which means it is taken steadily over weeks rather than judged on a single dose. It is bitter, so most people put it in something.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is in it?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRed Reishi mushroom (\u003cem\u003eGanoderma lucidum\u003c\/em\u003e), double extracted in alcohol and hot water. Fruiting body. No fillers and no mycelium grown on grain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFruiting body or mycelium?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFruiting body, and it matters. A lot of mushroom products on the market are mycelium grown on grain, which means what you are buying is mostly grain starch with a little mushroom in it. We use the actual mushroom. If a label does not say fruiting body, there is usually a reason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDisclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We make no medical claims. Consult your healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mayim Farm","offers":[{"title":"1oz","offer_id":29634067923043,"sku":"MF0031A","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2oz","offer_id":29634067955811,"sku":"MF0032A","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0260\/9469\/8595\/products\/IMG_4588-4-sw.JPG?v=1658145732"},{"product_id":"star-anise-extract","title":"Star Anise Extract","description":"\u003cp\u003eStar anise (\u003cem\u003eIllicium verum\u003c\/em\u003e) is one of the most concentrated natural sources of shikimic acid outside of sweet gum trees. Star anise is also the primary botanical source used industrially as a starting material for shikimic acid. Our tincture is made from the whole seed pods of the star anise plant, slow-extracted to capture the plant's full compound profile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're drawn to shikimic acid and prefer the flavor and profile of star anise over sweet gum, or want to rotate between sources, this is the companion to our Sweet Gum Ball Extract.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTraditional Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStar anise has been used for centuries in traditional herbal medicine across Asia, both as a culinary spice and as a wellness support. Traditionally used in herbal medicine as a warming, aromatic herb. The flavor is distinctly anise, warm, slightly sweet, licorice-like. We make no medical claims.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake 1 to 2 dropperfuls in water up to three times daily as part of a wellness routine. Shake well before use. The flavor is pleasant enough to take straight, or add to warm water or herbal tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat's In It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStar anise (\u003cem\u003eIllicium verum\u003c\/em\u003e) sourced from a trusted supplier, since it does not grow in Alabama, extracted in alcohol. No water, no additives, no fillers. Available in 1 oz (in stock) and 2 oz (currently out of stock).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"page-width page-content\"\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow does this compare to your Sweet Gum Ball Extract?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth are rich in shikimic acid. Sweet gum is our wild-harvested Alabama source, picked by hand from our own land. Star anise is the classic botanical source used worldwide, and we source it from a trusted supplier. The profiles are similar; the flavors are different. Some people rotate between both.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs this the same as the pharmaceutical version?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The pharmaceutical route takes shikimic acid as a raw material and chemically modifies it into a finished drug. Ours is a whole-plant tincture, not a drug and not a substitute for one. We make no medical claims.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs star anise safe?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, culinary star anise (\u003cem\u003eIllicium verum\u003c\/em\u003e) is a food-safe spice with a long history of use in cooking and traditional herbal medicine. Note: Japanese star anise (\u003cem\u003eIllicium anisatum\u003c\/em\u003e) is toxic. Our product is culinary star anise, not the Japanese variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAre these statements FDA-evaluated?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We make no medical claims. Consult your healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Mayim Farm","offers":[{"title":"1oz","offer_id":40427178590382,"sku":"MF0136A","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2oz","offer_id":40427178623150,"sku":"MF0137A","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0260\/9469\/8595\/files\/star-anise-extract-8415871.jpg?v=1784920566"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0260\/9469\/8595\/collections\/immune-antiviral-support-9153493.jpg?v=1779476447","url":"https:\/\/mayimfarm.com\/collections\/immune-support.oembed","provider":"Mayim Farm","version":"1.0","type":"link"}