Our Story
Being herbalists owned & operated means Cedar Bear® is meticulous about the quality of its products and vigorously keeping to our mission to provide the most innovative, high quality, and alcohol-free-based constituent-integrity liquid herbal products available. We are also professionally oriented, with the founders and pivotal personnel having decades of prior experience being involved in other businesses prior to Cedar Bear®, some deeply within our industry, and as herbal practitioners. Rest assured, Cedar Bear Naturales® is a well-established decades old company that adheres to sound business principles, numerous quality standards (many of an independent certified nature), and understands the importance of good customer service. We are bold in our assertion that we are the 'original,’ and most experienced in our segment of the herbal products industry for what we do. We were the first to do so, and have been doing it longer than anyone else – for over 40+ years!
To learn more about the founders of a company and the company's background story, read on…Introducing our founders, Jhoane & Carl – Mama Bear & Papa Bear
– THE SHORT STORY –
Cedar Bear Naturales, Inc. was founded and co-founded by husband and wife team L. Carl Robinson, TT, CCHt, RH(AHG), and Jhoane Robinson, CKYI, CCHt. Cedar Bear® is a majority woman-owned and woman-run company. Jhoane is the President/COO, and Carl is the Chairman/CEO of the company.
THE FOUNDERS FIND EACH OTHER: Jhoane and Carl's coming together resulted in a large blended family that were all raised on alcohol-free TincTract® made liquid herbs. Upon fully acquiring Cedar Bear Naturales, LLC, they incorporated it, which later evolved into a majority woman-owned and woman-run company by Jhoane. Cedar Bear® has been at the forefront of numerous developments and industry introductions and firsts, and has come to be known for its potent, efficacious, and great tasting totally alcohol-free ‘Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products and its innovative alcohol-free Pureodine™ processed XODINE™ diiodine-molecular iodine, of which both are original industry firsts, and are just two of many other innovative developments and industry firsts that are part of Carl, Jhoane, and Cedar Bear®'s continuing story.
AN INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY FIRST – REINVENTING LIQUID HERBS™: Stepping back a bit in time, Carl was the first liquid herbal medicine maker to develop an across-the-board alcohol-free serialized multi-step approach to making potent liquid herbal glycerite concentrates utilizing his revolutionary alcohol-free glycerin-based process. It was so original and unique that he named it 'TincTract®' (a contraction of TINCture and exTRACT), that Cedar Bear® has continued to generationally enhance and improve. Carl led Cedar Bear® to be the first in the liquid herbal products industry to develop and offer full lines of liquid herbal formula blends – yes, the first! The first to do 'true' alcohol-free premium, children's, pet's, equine, and our women's formula line for women's specific needs – all totally alcohol-free! Carl totally reinvented liquid herbs.
MOST EXPERIENCED IN THE INDUSTRY: Experience means everything in the worlds of health, technology and business. Being the original and offering potent 'true' alcohol-free liquid herbal formula blends longer than anyone else, by decades, along with our innovative formula firsts, makes us more experienced at doing so. That's why Cedar Bear® 'Genuine TincTract® Made' herbal glycerite concentrates are not your typical tincture, percolate, or macerated weak glycerites, but are potent, efficacious, and taste remarkably good like no other liquid herbal products.
TINCTRACT® – NONE OF THE DENATURING OR INERT RENDERING EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL: One of the first things Carl became aware of when studying the differences between glycerin and alcohol as extractive solvents for herbs was that alcohol possesses a denaturing and inert rendering effect on many herbal constituents, while glycerin possesses no such effects. (He also found that fraction-isolate mono-constituent-based Standardized phytopharmaceuticals, due to the chemical solvents and harsh processing methods used in their making, also denatured and rendered inert those products in a way similar to alcohol's denaturing and inert rendering effects.) Carl learned through study and experimentation that glycerin was in fact also a very good and versatile extractive solvent, often exceeding that of alcohol, but to get there, he had to develop a totally new process for doing so – basically 'Reinventing Liquid Herbs™.' That was over four decades ago. The TincTract® process retains an herb's constituents ratio & synergy integrity intact. And, 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products don't have any added flavorings, preservatives, or additives because they don't need them and never have.
– THEIR DETAILED STORIES –
The Papa Bear – Carl's Story
Carl – The Papa Bear
The life journey of Carl has been varied and eventful, but always underscored by a providential trajectory that kept him involved with natural health and herbalism that eventually became a focused pursuit and career for him. He is a past member of and the first non-doctoral individual inducted into the International Society of Lymphology (ISL), and a current Registered Herbalist (RH) member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG), and current member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), and serves on numerous committees of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).
Back in the late 1970s, a few years prior to developing the serialized multi-step TincTract® process for making completely alcohol-free liquid herbal products, Cedar Bear Naturales® founder L. Carl Robinson had determined that liquid delivery of an herb's benefits was far more efficient than that for dried herbal products, because whole-based dried herb products keep an herb's constituents trapped in the cellulose matrix, and humans don't have the cellulose digesting enzyme, cellulase, to break down the herb and release its benefits, and he found that tableted, gel-capped, or encapsulated 'dry' preparation didn't digest well in people with weak digestive systems.
Additionally, he went on to consider two additional questions – One, given alcohol's intrinsic denaturing, inert-rendering, and oxidation-driving effects on many organic and biologically active components that early Eclectics were not yet aware of, why was it still the primary solvent used for liquid herbal tinctures/extracts in the liquid herbal products industry when modern updated chemistry shows that the denaturing, inert rendering, and oxidation-driving effects of alcohol upon constituents and biological components is a basic principle of alcohol chemistry? And, two, why were the typical process methodologies used for making liquid herbs so antiquated and lacking in more current fluid chemistry-based concepts and applications, especially regarding non-alcohol-based process methodologies?"
IT'S ABOUT THE CHEMISTRY: Going back to high school and college chemistry, Carl recalled that alcohol (i.e., diatomic ethanols, methanols, etc.) possesses the intrinsic effect of denaturing, rendering inert, and driving oxidation of many biological constituents and compounds, many in fact that are present and sought after in herbs, and he was also aware of the fact that different compounds, to remove and retain intrinsic biological integrity and nature of constituents, involved not only the particular extractive solvent utilized but also required different methodologies to extract different components from a raw material effectively. That is, after all, the fundamentals of extractive fluid chemistry as he had learned in his early studies and remembered observing in his youth, helping his mother in cooking and canning settings in the kitchen.
AND THERE'S MORE THAN JUST THE CHEMISTRY: Chemistry, in context of herbalism and processing methodologies, and its affiliate sciences, phytopharmacognosy, phytotherapeutics, biochemistry, and physiology, are essential to understanding the physical properties and actions of herbs. However, it doesn't stop there. The organoleptic factors, and the intrinsic 'energetic' and vibrational qualities of herbs are essential to know and understand. An example of this 'interactive factor' is taste. Taste is an essential part of organoleptic assessing. It is also essential to experiencing the full benefit of an herb. Taste interacts chemically, energetically, and vibrationally with the digestive system and the body systemically. For instance, a dry herbal preparation, such as dehydrated, powdered, or freeze-dried, that's encapsulated or in tablet form, bypasses the taste receptors, depriving the body of its oral taste responses that initiate chemical, energetic, and vibrational responses essential to the therapeutic, restorative, and regenerative properties of herbs. Carl realized this aspect of herbalism and nutrition early in his studies, as well as through his observations as a clinical herbalist and nutritional therapist.
CONCEIVING A REVOLUTIONARY APPROACH TO ALCOHOL-FREE: Out of these considerations, Carl conceived of and developed an innovative serialized multi-step process that utilizes the non-alcohol nutritive-based solvent glycerin for making liquid herbal concentrates. It's a process that goes way beyond tincturing, percolation, maceration, or typical fluid extraction methodologies commonly used for making herbal glycerites (or alcohol-based products for that matter), that results in 'weak' or denatured herbal glycerites, which all changed with the serialized multi-step, totally alcohol-free glycerin-based process Carl had developed. More than a TINCture and more than an exTRACT, Carl named this innovative development the TincTract® process. He had indeed 'Reinvented Liquid Herbs™'
RATIO-INTACT & SYNERGY INTEGRITY PRESERVING: Simply put, the proprietary TincTract® process is geared towards removing heat-sensitive compounds intact, and compounds requiring more dynamic methods for removal, all being done in a proprietary serialized multi-step process that preserves the ratio-intact nature and intrinsic synergy integrity of the extracted poly-constituent-based components. Due to its highly rarified, volatile, and potentially reactive nature alcohol cannot be utilized in a dynamic process setting, whereas glycerin is not volatile or potentially reactive, and is of a nature it possesses greater versatility for varying kinds of processing dynamics and methodologies. Also, not to be forgotten, glycerin does not chemically possess the denaturing, inert rendering, or oxidation-driving effects of alcohol. Carl also had first-hand experience with fraction-isolate mono-constituent-based 'Standardized' phytopharmaceuticals, where he was an 'Industry Insider' consultant to the then 2nd largest herbal products company in the Western hemisphere who introduced the Standardized phytopharmaceutical approach into the North American marketplace. In short, he found phytopharmaceuticals to not be all they are represented or were hoped to be, including their not being 'herbs' per se,' and from the chemical solvents used in their making and the harsh processing methods utilized, he learned that like alcohol-processed herbs, phytopharmaceuticals are also denatured and inert rendered products not suited for a holistic, bio-integrative, restorative and regenerative approach to our kind of herbal medicine and building health. Carl points out that calling a phytopharmaceutical extracts an 'herb' or the name of the herb extracted from, is akin to calling the ß Carotene or vitamin A extracted from a carrot a vegetable or carrot, which is absurd and scientifically inaccurate, and confusing to practitioners and consumers.
GENERATION ENHANCEMENTS & IMPROVEMENTS: A totally alcohol-free serialized multi-step liquid processing approach had never before been done in the liquid herbal products industry to the degree Carl had conceived of and created. The TincTract® process, as 'Liquid Herbs Reinvented™,' through its trade secret generational iterations of advances and refinements (now in its 12 generation), still holds the distinction of being the most thorough and efficient totally alcohol-free-based liquid herbal processing technology in the herbal products industry for producing potent herbal glycerite concentrates that don't have alcohol's denaturing, inert-rendering, and oxidation-driving effects.
FOUNDING OF CEDAR BEAR®: With Carl being the first in the industry, and doing it longer than anyone else, and with Cedar Bear® carrying forth that pedigree, it means Cedar Bear® is more experienced and knows more about glycerin and 'true' alcohol-free glycerin-based extractions than anyone else. As Carl says, "We've never stopped our ongoing R&D on the TincTract® process and its generational advances, and refinements, which keeps us at the forefront of glycerin-based extraction technology for botanicals"
DECADES OF STUDIES & EXPERIENCE: Over the decades since obtaining his Phytotherapy degree (that emphasized phytopharmacognosy (i.e., the active constituent basis of botanicals), phytotherapeutics (i.e., clinical use of herbs), clinical-based herbal formulating, homeopathy theory & practices, and liquid herbal medicine making), and developing the TincTract® process, Carl has been involved with continuing education and expanded his herbal/botanical studies and acquired additional training, professional degrees, registrations, certifications, and memberships as primary and ancillary supports to his career as a clinical & formulary herbalist and CAM (Complimentary Alternative Medicine) practitioner in integrative therapies.
AND MORE STUDIES & EXPERIENCE: Primary and ancillary endeavors as an integrative CAM practitioner include: Colon Lavage/Hydrotherapy(Dierker variant system); member induction into the International Society of Lymphology (ISL) for his theoretical work on colon physiology dynamics (he was the first non-doctoral person to become a member of that world-wide physician's organization); Therapy Technician (T.T.) (accredited, licensed and multi-state license qualified); Certified Deep Tissue Therapist (Pfrimmer method); RBTI trained (Reams Biological Theory of Ionization); Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist & Instructor (C.C.Ht.) (State certified & National accredited/certified); Vibrational 'Dynamize' Instrument trained (operator, practitioner & technician level); American Chemical Society (ACS) member; and being a Registered Herbalist (R.H.) with the American Herbalists Guild (AHG). [Being an AHG Registered Herbalist is analogous to professional membership in Britain's National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH).
CULMINATING IN INNOVATIVE REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENTS: All of the afore-described primary and ancillary studies and endeavors to Carl's continuing herbal studies and research, and ongoing clinical therapy experiences, have contributed to both his unique integrated approach to integrative healthcare and to Cedar Bear Naturales® innovative and proprietary technologies, processes, and innovative herbal formulations, mineral preparations, and vibrational-dynamized products, including the alcohol-free single-element-based diiodine-molecular iodine product, that are all innovative firsts in the industry and marketplace.
THE RISE OF A THE 'MULTIPLEX' FORMULARY APPROACH: Carl quickly realized that a 'one pony' approach to formulating herbal formula blends didn't take into consideration other important aspects relative to formulating liquid herbal blends. He ascertained that a simplistic differentiated approach would not be enough either. He had learned that when assessing a person's conditions or needs, the more inputs and kinds of inquiry he utilized, called 'differential diagnoses,' the more accurate an assessment was, and Carl used, and continues to use multiple diagnostic tools and protocols in his clinical assessments. It was from this perspective he realized that the more inputs he could utilize in formulary herbalism the better the formula blends would be, hence his calling his formulary approach 'Multiplex' formulating. Numerous private label accounts Carl has formulated for, along with numerous of his patrons he has done clinical-based formulas for have observed that Carl's multiplex approach to formulating herbal formula blends is one of the most involved and complex of formulary approaches there is, which may explain why his formulary work results in such consistently efficacious formula blends.
TINCTRACT® – AN APEX TECHNOLOGY – 'LIQUID HERBS REINVENTED!™': In the mid-1990s, Carl co-founded Cedar Bear Naturales, LLC from a previous iteration he had been involved with in the 1980s, and incorporated the company after he and his wife and business partner, Jhoane, acquired full ownership of. As a result of the founding of Cedar Bear®, the numerous iterations of generational advnces, improvements, and refinements to the proprietary IP-driven serialized multi-step TincTract® process have continued to its current 12th generation iteration. Carl's decades-long experience as a CAM practitioner, and a clinical & formulary herbalist specializing in multiplex formulation blending, has been the basis for one of the largest and most successful commercially available lines of liquid herbal formula blends in the industry and marketplace. Carl has also developed and teaches a series of courses on integrative Herbal Alchemy. He is the Chairman/CEO of Cedar Bear Naturales®, and still continues with clinical-based consultations when called upon to do so.
The Mama Bear – Jhoane's Story
Jhoane – The Mama Bear
Let's introduce you to the co-founder, majority owner, and president/COO of Cedar Bear Naturales®, Jhoane Robinson,
A MOTHER: Jhoane, as a mother of 5 children, first met Carl, who has six children, in 1992. One of her young children had a health problem that medical science was not able to deal with, and out of urgency, she spoke to someone who knew Carl and had experienced their own health miracle with him. They told Jhoane about Carl and gave her his phone number.
MEETS CARL: Shortly thereafter, Jhoane gave Carl a phone call to arrange a health consult for her child. When they first met for that consult, it was all business. When the consultation was over, Jhoane and Carl had a small chat and decided to get together on a more social basis. Over time, it became obvious to the two of them that they had a lot in common, had experienced similar life experiences both event-wise and spiritually, and they really liked each other. Jhoane and Carl were married on New Year's Day 1993. As for the young child's health problems, he experienced some remarkable improvements under Carl's recommendations, driven largely by dietary adjustments and being put on the custom formulated herbal blends Carl had formulated for him using TincTract® processed herbs.
SUPER-PARENTING A BLENDED FAMILY: Their marriage resulted in a blended family of 11 children. Jhoane recals that in the early years of their marriage there typically was no less than 5 to 8 of the children present in their household at any time. Her and Carl's experience with raising a blended family is where Jhoane came up with the term "Super Parenting.' That super parenting experience involved the use of TincTract® herbs and herbal formulas. All of the 11 children were raised on the 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal glycerite concentrates, and now their grandchildren are being raised on TincTract® products. Many of their expanded family members, friends, and work associates have also raised their children on TincTract® herbs and their grandchildren. TincTract® herbal glycerite concentrates and formulas have a multi-generational loyalty with many users and their families.
A MEDICALLY ORIENTED FAMILY UPBRINGING: Going back further for Jhoane, she was the daughter of a medical internist who graduated from the first graduating class of medicine at the University of Washington and was the co-founder of the largest medical clinic in the Northwest United States based out of Seattle, Washington. It was a strictly medical, orthodox household she grew up in. Herbs and herbalism were never discussed, let alone recognized, in her own household. Jhoane was aware of herbs but, due to her upbringing, never gave them great thought – that is, until Carl came along.
DRIVEN TO BE THE BEST: It would be an understatement to say that Jhoane is a driven person. She has always had her eye on being the best, but also knew she couldn't do it alone and that to get to the top takes a dedicated support team.
A SKILLED & PROFESSIONAL PERFORMER: Going back to her youth and younger years, some of her accomplishments included: being the first amateur in both U.S. National and Canadian National Championship Arabian Horse competitions to win against seasoned professional competitors in her first two years of competition; being one of the youngest of competitive skiers in the Northwest at the time to be invited as a professional ski instructor; extensive university and private music (vocal), acting, and voice-over training for film, television, radio and theater under some of Hollywood's most famous and sought after music and acting coaches, to which she entered the world of acting and became a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) member; was herself a sought after acting and voice-over coach for one of the largest talent agencies in Salt Lake City, Utah; became the first person in Utah state to be certified (both alliance and independent) as a Reiki Master Instructor (CRMI); certified instructor in Kriya yoga (CKYI) and meditation; became an authorized instructor of the Shun Chun martial healing art (an ancillary branch of the Shaolin tradition). These accomplishments were punctuated by Jhaone periodically experiencing health crashes of an unknown cause. All of this happened before Jhoane met Carl.
THE TRANSITION TO NATURAL HEALTH: A short time after being married to Carl, Jhoane got more professionally involved in writing. Literature and writing were part of her university curriculum, She was already an accomplished children's poet and story teller when she took up writing about natural health and herbs. With Carl, she also obtained certifications in court-mandated mediation & conflict resolution, and became a certified clinical hypnotherapist, with both being ancillary contributors to their CAM therapy consultations. Over the next decade of being a contributing writer and an editor for a nationally distributed health & herbal journal, she would also become an accomplished literary research and traditional herbalist, which, of course, included children's health and herbal needs, and women's health and herbal needs.
ENTERING THE WORLD OF HERBALISM & COUNTRY LIVING: Jhoane also became an accomplished pet care herbalist as she and Carl eventually moved their family and business to rural Northeast Utah, where they acquired a 35-acre property they turned into a gardens farm with livestock (cows, sheep, and goats), fowl (chicken, ducks, and turkeys), their herding/watchdogs, and a plethora of ever-present cats, all of which needed health care. Jhoane became the resident holistic herbal pet care specialist. In those ensuing years she become an accomplished traditional herbalist, master herbal tea blender, and proficient writer/editor of herbalism and natural health.
FIGURING OUT REOCCURING HEALTH PROBLEMS: When Jhoane is asked, 'What is the biggest thing that brought you to the attention of herbs for health?' Her typical response is, "My years of recurring health crashes that could not be figured out until after Carl and I were married, and a few years later, during another health crash, he identified that I was experiencing an autoimmune condition, for which he custom formulated a TincTract® remedy for me to 'build' my immune system. I had seen how good his TincTract® herbs were with our kids but never seriously considered my own use of TincTract® herbs until then. It was like a miracle that I had never experienced before and one I have never forgotten."
COMMITTED TO THE MISSION OF HEALTH VIA HERBS: Since then, Jhoane has recognized that many people, both women, and men, who get involved in the holistic natural healthcare arena are often individuals who have come through their own grave, sometimes life-threatening health crises. It's like a badge of honor to have done so, so to speak. There's more to Jhoane's story, but space doesn't permit further detailing except to say that she has been a support and bulwark to Carl's work, Cedar Bear Naturales®, and all that implies. Carl has often said that Cedar Bear Naturales® has largely continued to exist through difficulty and personal family losses because of Jhoane's unwavering support of him and Cedar Bear®. When asked how they do it, she replies, "We do impossible well."
Cedar Bear® – A Majority Woman-Owned & Woman-Run Business
Jhoane had been involved in Cedar Bear® from its beginnings, so when She and Carl determined it was time for Cedar Bear® to become a majority woman-owned and women-run business, Jhoane was the natural choice for doing so. Along with Jhoane's other accomplishments, she is also involved in Chambers of Commerce and Women-in-Business organizations. She continues to dispense herbal advice and recommendations when called upon to do so.
What are the benefits and differentiations of a TincTract® processed liquid herbal concentrate?
There Are Many:
• The Chemistry! – No alcohol, with its denaturing, inert rendering, or oxidative-driving effects is used at any time in the making of a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' or Pureodine™ processed product. None! Ever!
DETAILED ANSWER: This means the components extracted from a botanical are not subjected to alcohol's denaturing and inert rendering effects, or to alcohol's proclivity to be more oxidation-driving of certain constituents and micro-nutrient factors in an herb, which can have negative ramifications regarding overall product integrity, and where clinical considerations for alcohol-based herb use are concerned. We're not talking 'off-the-wall' suppositions here. We're talking about the most fundamental principles of contemporary chemistry, especially fluid chemistry, regarding alcohol's intrinsic denaturing, inert rendering, and oxidative-driving effects on many biological components.
As an example, let's look at aromatic compounds, especially highly complex ones. Though alcohol is good at removing aromatics and volatiles, such compounds are also denatured (de-complexified/deconstructed into simpler components), with many rendered inert, and some highly susceptible to oxidation when in solution with alcohol, especially water/alcohol solutions, resulting in diminishing or potentially losing their efficacy, or at the least their therapeutic potential. But, such is not the case with glycerin, where the compounds remain whole, ratio-intact, synergy-retained, microencapsulated from oxidation and fully effectual. And yes! glycerin does extract resins, high molar mass polysaccharides, and lipid-based constituents when utilized in the TincTract® process.
Another example are many polysaccharides, especially the high molar mass ones, and linked and cross-linked ones, which are denatured (crystalized or agglutinated) and rendered inert by alcohol – as seen, for example, in the chitin matrix of mushrooms and mycelium, when alcohol is used in their attempted extraction. However, these same mushrooms and mycelium can be TincTract® extracted with glycerin and not be denatured, or rendered inert, thus allowing for the removal of important constituents and compounds from mushrooms and mycelium, as verified by third party lab analysis of polysaccharides content for TincTract® processed mycelium of cordyceps for instance.
These are just two examples of botanical constituents and components negatively affected by alcohol's intrinsic denaturing, inert rendering, and oxidative-driving effects on constituents. Interestingly, though alcohol is chemically known to possess denaturing, inert rendering, and oxidative-driving effects on many biological components, little focused research has been done to ascertain exactly what that denaturing involves and to what degree, aside from the observation, and chemistry-based understanding of alcohol's intrinsic disinfecting, antiseptic, deconstructing effects on biological components, that a denaturing and inert rendering effect on certain constituents does, in fact, exist.
To be clear, this does not mean that alcohol-based tinctures don't work. They do work. But, chemically speaking, would do so at a diminished level with mixed results as to therapeutic potential and efficacy. And, do they possess the complete therapeutic, restorative, and regenerative integrity and potential that an alcohol-free TincTract® liquid herb is believed to possess, especially when the denaturing, inert rendering, and oxidative-driving effects of alcohol are factored in?
From a clinical and efficacy perspective, these are all serious considerations, and not to be lightly shrugged off or ignored. Again, we're talking about well-proven and elucidated fundamentals of chemistry science here, particularly fluid chemistry, not suppositions or off-the-wall notions. Check it out, and you'll see we're correct on the intrinsic denaturing, inert rendering, and oxidative-driving effects of alcohol on a botanical's constituents and components that are sought for and extracted from herbs.
• A serialized multi-step process for making TincTract® products means far greater extractive efficiencies and outcomes than were previously possible for glycerin processed herbals, resulting in potent, concentrated, and consistent liquid herbal concentrates.
DETAILED ANSWER: A TincTract® processed liquid herb is not like typical 'weak' herbal glycerites that are made using common tincturing, percolation, or maceration methods that many glycerite-making competitors continue using for their 'weak' herbal glycerites, which often require additional preservatives being added to their finished product. And, we don't do straight herbal glycerite decoctions like some others do, that utilize sustained high heat, with denaturing and inert rendering effects on constituents similar to when alcohol is used,
TincTracts® are very potent and concentrated, and often only require as much of, or even less per dose than may be the case for a quality alcohol-based tincture. How is this possible? It's all in the serialized multi-step TincTract® process technology. To underscore this, the 1st generation iteration of the kitchen-based TincTract® made products recommended a full teaspoon per dose. The current 12th generation iteration only recommends 1/4 teaspoon (1/8 teaspoon for children) per dose.
There are botanical constituents and components that should not be subjected to heat due to their heat-sensitive nature. This is especially true for top and middle note volatiles, certain alkaloids and glycosides, enzymes, vitamins, flavonoids & polyphenols, organic-bound tannins, saponins, and certain micro-nutrient factors & co-factors. There are also many botanical components that require being subjected to a more dynamic process to remove them from the cellulosic matrix of an herb than a passive process, such as tincturing, macerating, or percolating, can remove. There are very few herbal product makers who utilize an actual complex multi-tiered approach to extracting herbs, except maybe for Spagyric-based or Spagyric-variant producers, provided they are ashing the herbal marc into a mineral ash. However, even then, they are held to a 'passive' tincture-based cold process for obtaining the 'organics,' which still limits broad-spectrum constituent extractive potential.
On the whole, other companies utilize simple alcohol-based 'passive' cold process-based methodologies, or variations on tincturing (such as percolates and macerations), or single-step high-heat water or glycerin/water extraction processes that denature, deconstruct, or render inert heat-sensitive constituents and components that were not taken into consideration, then post-add alcohol or glycerin to the finished product. The marketplace's non-alcoholic 'weak' herbal glycerites typically add preservatives such as potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate, depending on the product's makeup. 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products do not contain any added preservatives and don't need any. Our products don't need to be refrigerated after opening; they're very stable and possess remarkably long shelf life stability.
The TincTract® process involves serialized-based complex multi-steps in which no heat is used initially, then moving to and through more dynamic process steps to remove components that a passive cold process does not remove. It's a proprietary 'serialized' process unique to Cedar Bear®. This is why 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are so potent and complete, retain the intrinsic integrity and synergy of all removed components, taste remarkably good, and make for the highest quality, totally alcohol-free liquid herbal concentrates available in the marketplace. We're very experienced and meticulous at what we do.
This is underscored by our having cracked-the-code of being able to break down mushroom mycelium chitin matrix and release the constituents using glycerin utilizing the TincTract® process. This is a first ever in the liquid herbal-mycelium products industry, that is still unmatched by any others for an herbal glycerite. Of note – mycelium chitin matrix is made up of the same material as a crab or lobster shell, and is one of the most highly-binding cross-linked compounds for holding mushroom constituents, and one of the most difficult to break down and release mycelium constituents from. Chemically speaking, alcohol cannot be used because alcohol's inert rendering effects has a hard crystalizing effect on chitin making it even harder to extract constituents from, whereas glycerin, used with the TincTract® process, dissociates and breaks down the chitin matrix with the constituents being released therefrom.
• All 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are held to multi quality standards.
DETAILED ANSWER: All products are made in an FDA-registered facility, with our operations and products being FDA inspected.
We are also:
- NSF GMP Certified.
- KOSHER Certified (by Scroll K, an OU affiliated Kashrus certifying organization, and approved for Passover production) – the first liquid herbal products company to be Kosher certified!.
- HALAL Certified (by ISA (Islamic Services of America), an internationally recognized Halal certifying agency) – the first and only liquid herbal products company to be Halal certified!
- Vegan-Certified.
- Third party lab testing (for identity, purity, safety, and stability).
- Many ingredients used have been scientifically studied and clinically tested.
- FDA Title 21 label compliant – have taken none of the exemptions.
- ECO-Friendly compliant
- Carbon Neutral compliant
- Zero Waste compliant
- Bioengineered-Free (i.e., non-GMO).
- Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Sesame-Free.
- No added flavoring ingredients or preservatives are used in a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product, because none are needed.
There are more quality standards not listed here that we adhere to, making us one of the most quality standards-driven of companies in our industry segment.
Not only are our own Cedar Bear® retail brand product lines subjected to these multi quality standards, but our Cedar Bear Private Label and Bulk Ingredient contract-manufactured products are subjected to the exact same multi quality standards.
• Numerous innovative industry firsts and marketplace introductions. Possibly more than any other in our industry segment.
DETAILED ANSWER: The following is a list of some of our many innovative introductory firsts into the industry and marketplace:
- First totally alcohol-free serialized multi-step processing technology for potent herbal glycerite concentrates.
- First liquid herbs to be KOSHER Certified and approved for Passover production.
- First and only liquid herbs to be HALAL Certified.
- First to introduce lines of complex liquid herbal formula blends in the industry.
- First Children's line of 'true' alcohol-free liquid herbal formula blends concentrates.
- First Premium line of 'true' alcohol-free liquid herbal formula blends concentrates.
- First Pets line of 'true' alcohol-free liquid herbal formula blends concentrates.
- First Equine line of 'true' alcohol-free liquid herbal formula blends concentrates.
- First Women's line of 'true' alcohol-free liquid herbal formula blends concentrates.
- First to effectively extract complex polysaccharide actives from Echinacea and Kava using glycerin.
- First to crack-the-code for effectively extracting mushroom mycelium polysaccharide actives from chitin complex using glycerin.
- First 'micro-fractionated' pico-colloidal ionic liquid trace minerals.
- Forst in the industry to prove and introduce spray bottles for Liquid herbal products into the marketplace.
- First anodyne/soothing liquid herbal formula blend throat spray.
- First of numerous liquid herbal formula blends for varying conditions, needs, and body systems.
- First, and most stable 'energetic blank' available for imprinting vibrational signatures.
- First 'true' alcohol-free glycerites of vibrational & flower essence products.
- First totally alcohol-free glycerite of single-element-based diiodine-molecular (I₂) iodine.
- First glycerite of caged Zeolites matrix complex concentrate.
- First to introduce body systems listings on liquid herbal products labels.
- First to introduce color differentiated labels for different product type categories.
- First to list notice/warning listings on liquid herbal product labels.
- First to list lab-verified 4 year expiry on product labels, and now the first to list lab-verified 6 year expiry on liquid herbal products labels.
There are more firsts that space doesn't permit further listing. The point being, Cedar Bear® is one of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the herbal products industry generally, and liquid herbal products industry segment specifically, being at the forefront of innovation and standards-setting introductory firsts. That's why we are more experienced at what we do than anyone else, because we've been doing it longer than anyone else!
• We utilize a high percentage of glycerin in the process solvent, and the glycerin used in a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product, and Pureodine™ processed diiodine-molecular (I₂) iodine, possesses enhanced micro-encapsulating (i.e., 'protective caging') properties (that alcohol does not impart!), and astounding stability.
DETAILED ANSWER: This means TincTract® and Pureodine™ made products, due to the process and high glycerin-to-water ratio used, possess astounding intrinsic preservability. And, the actives and constituents are less affected by oxidative activity than products made with water, alcohol, water & alcohol, or too low a glycerin-to-water ratio when glycerin is utilized. Also, unlike tincture, percolate, or macerate 'weak' glycerites that may require added preservatives, the higher glycerin content of a TincTract® processed or Pureodine™ processed product does not require any added preservatives, and needs no refrigeration after opening, with the TincTract® made products listing an independent third party lab verified 6-year expiry on the product, the longest listed shelf-life expiration date for any liquid herbal products in the industry and in the marketplace. Our products' longer product expiration date is further verification of the astounding stability, quality, and safety of Cedar Bear® 100% alcohol-free 'Genuine TincTract® Made' and Pureodine™ processed products.
Though TincTract® processed herbs utilize a proprietary glycerin-to-water ratio that may vary from herb to herb during processing, all TincTract® made liquid herbal products are finished ingredient-standardized at 70% glycerin-to-30% water (+/-). This contributes to the long shelf life and astounding stability that a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product is known for. For instance, due to the higher glycerin percentage in the ‘Genuine TincTract® Made' finished product and the TincTract® enhancing effect on glycerin’s micro-encapsulating properties of herbs constituents and components, there is little to no unwanted complexing of actives or constituents or oxidative activity during the shelf life of our products, and, as previously stated, once opened for use, do not require refrigeration. The same aspects apply to the proprietary Pureodine™ processed XODINE™ Molecular Iodine, and Zeolites matrix products.
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products taste good by retaining the intrinsic true-to-taste quality of an herb, in many instances, even that of the raw, freshly harvested herb.
DETAILED ANSWER: This true-to-taste 'genuine' taste factor is indicative that the intrinsic biological ratio-intact and synergy-driven poly-constituent basis of our botanical and mycelium derived products remains intact, so much so that a finished 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product possesses a taste quality remarkably similar to the freshly harvested botanical or mycelium itself. No other liquid processing technology in our industry results in this unique taste quality, and it has become a hallmark of our 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products.
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are not gel-capped or encapsulated but are intended to work, organoleptically, with the oral taste receptors of the body, because the taste receptors are key to the chemistry, energetics, and vibrational triggering of digestive and systemic processes for recieving the full benefit of TincTract® made products.
DETAILED ANSWER: Taste is an organoleptic-driven bio-interactive phenomenon that includes chemical, energetic, and vibrational interactions with the digestive system and the body systemically. Dry-based consumable preparations, such as dehydrated, powdered, freeze-dried, that are encapsulated, or tableted products, bypass the taste receptors of the body and, in doing so, diminish or negate (i.e., 'short-circuit') the bio-interactive chemical, energetic, and vibrational responses the oral taste receptors initiate with the digestive system and other systems throughout the body.
From both a consumable and clinical perspective, taste is essential to benefitting from the full therapeutic, restorative, and regenerative potential of herbs. Traditional medicine systems throughout the world, many of which are millennia old, that utilize herbs, place great emphasis on the organoleptic factor of taste to fully benefit from the virtues of herbs both medicinally and nutritionally.
• We don't make fraction-isolate mono-constituent-based 'Standardized' phytopharmaceuticals, and we do not use them in making TincTract® made products. We make 'whole' ratio-intact, synergy-retained broad spectrum poly-constituent-based liquid herbs – as nature intended, and has provided.
DETAILED ANSWER: A fraction-isolate botanically-derived phytopharmaceutical, is based on concentrating, often to a high, unnatural, drug-like potency, only a singular 'primary' constituent or singular constituent group, while ignoring the other secondary and tertiary constituents, and micro-nutrients essential to the ratio-intactness and interactive synergy inherent between all the constituents in the whole unprocessed botanical. Fact is, the 'phytopharmaceutical' approach is not 'herbalism,' but is a pharma-drug approach, that often includes the downsides associated with drugs.
Also, fraction-isolate derived phytopharmaceuticals are not 'herbs' or the botanical they are removed from. To claim otherwise would be like someone calling the ß Carotene derived from the vegetable Carrot a vegetable or a Carrot. That would be absurd and highly unscientific, but it is exactly what producers and sellers of fraction-isolate-based Standardized phytopharmaceuticals do in calling their products 'herbs' or the name of the botanical derived from, instead of by the constituent name itself, like is done with Carrot-derived ß Carotene for instance, being called ß Carotene!
An example of this absurdity is what is called 'Standardized Golden Seal.' Well, it's not Golden Seal per se.' It's the 'Standardized' extract of 'Hydrastine' (or Berberine), the active primary constituent in Golden Seal, which should be called 'Standardized Hydrastine!' Not Golden Seal, Standardized Golden Seal extract, or even an herb, just like the Vitamin C derived from an Orange is called 'Vitamin C,' not an Orange, a Standardized Orange extract, or even a fruit.
TincTract® made liquid herbs, that are also derived from botanicals, take a 'whole' poly-constituent-based approach by not targeting for just one constituent or one constituent group, but instead remove the broad spectrum of constituents, in the ratio-intact and synergy retained state of the 'whole' herb extracted from. That's why this form of botanical preparation can be called an 'herb,' and even the name of the herb it is derived from, because of its 'whole' based extractive nature, just like the whole-based expressed juice from a tomato or orange can be called 'tomato' juice or 'orange' juice. This is the basis of real 'herbal' medicine and herbalism. Traditional medicine systems that are herbal based, approach herbalism on the basis of 'whole' based herb preparations. Some traditional medicine systems that rely on 'whole' based herbal preparations are millennia old and have stood the test of time and application, and simply work!
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products are concentrated, and marc particulate-free, clean glycerin-based herbal concentrates of a 'whole' herb-based nature.
DETAILED ANSWER: The generational iterations of advancements, improvements, and refinements (now in its 12th generation) to the proprietary trade secret serialized TincTract® process have resulted in the recommended per-dose amount going from generation one's one teaspoon down to the current 12th generation's ¼ teaspoon (1/8 teaspoon for children) dose. This means that on a per-dose basis, 'Genuine TincTract® Made' herbal concentrate products are one of the most economical liquid herbal product values for day-to-day use in the market today.
And, 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are 'clean,' meaning they are particulate-free of any rough or coarse herbal marc (i.e., the extracted spent raw herb material) that is filtered and separated from the finished liquid herb (called the menstruum). This higher QC standard assures a cleaner and safer product that will not be subjected to diminishing product stability and long-term safety to the consumer. Cedar Bear's own in-house QC standards consider residual rough or coarse spent herbal marc beyond an allowed QC residual factor in a finished liquid herbal product an adulterant because of the problems it can cause for product stability over time.
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products are gluten-free!
DETAILED ANSWER: There has been some controversy in the liquid herbal products industry concerning the fact that single-pass distilled alcohol (the most inexpensive to acquire) being made from grains also contains light mole-weight pass-through gluten particulates that can set off gluten sensitivity issues. To many, even second-pass distilled alcohol is not considered totally free of any detectable gluten tags. What is known is that only grain alcohol that has been triple distilled can, as grain-based alcohol, be deemed to be completely free of pass-through gluten factors. Even better is for companies utilizing alcohol to use a cane or root sugar-sourced alcohol. Sugar cane and roots (such as sugar beets, potatoes, etc.) contain no gluten factors. Many reputable alcohol-based liquid herbal product manufacturers use triple-distilled varieties of grain alcohol, and more are now using sugar cane/roots-sourced alcohol, which would be the better choice for a gluten-sensitive individual.
Because no alcohol is ever used in the TincTract® process, all the resulting products are 'absolutely' gluten-free!
• Our management team are experts in their respective positions.
DETAILED ANSWER: The core management team of Cedar Bear® consists of individuals who are experienced and expert in their particular positions which brings an intrinsic value to maintaining stellar quality control, and market/sales and customer service.
Along with the founder and co-founder's almost 75 years of combined experience, our operations director came to us with a military nuclear and heavy electrical/systems technology background that over the years has contributed to many of our processing technologies improvements and refinements, and continuing manufacture standardized approach to making our products.
Our sales & marketing director came to us with prior decades of experience in our segment of the industry both from a medicine-making and sales/marketing background, who is also a certified professional nutritional therapist and herbalist who is a member of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), who intimately understands the liquid herbal products industry and its wholesaler/retailers, and consumer needs and desires. Her team includes an astute and successful marketing/advertising expert who holds extensive studies and background experience in 'consumer psychology' oriented marketing, along with her interfacing and overseeing our affiliate team of distributors, brokers, and reps.
Our FDA and Kosher certified quality control protocols and documentary standards were first broght together by an in-house macro-testing lab associate/data entry-programmer (who is now our integrated-departments data base specialist), then taken over by a career QC inspection manager, who came to us with 35 years doing QC inspections with a large corporation and was the lead interface with government regulatory agency inspectors, who steered us through the stringent NSF certification process that got us NSF certified, and further standardized our documentary processes, who also initiated the lengthy journey towards being Halal certified.
Our executive core and departments management team consists of qualified and experienced personnel – assuring that quality is first and foremost with Cedar Bear Naturales®.
'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal concentrates are the first and original of their type of product in our industry, making them the most experienced and well-proven in the industry and marketplace. 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are the industry standard for potent, good-tasting, efficacious, and the most stable 'true' alcohol-free herbal glycerite concentrates available. The same is true for our industry first ever Pureodine™ processed single-element-based diiodine-molecular (I₂) iodine for dietary supplement use.
So, if Cedar Bear®'s 'Genuine TrincTract® Made' herbal concentrates and diiodine-molecular (I₂) iodine products have so many firsts and positives and are that good, and they are... why choose anything less?
Are the Founders Still Involved Today?
Absolutely!
Carl, a decades-long CAM practitioner and clinical & formulary herbalist – the 'Herbal Alchemist,' as Cedar Bear Naturales® originating Founder and our in-house R&D administrator and senior Formulary Herbalist, holds the position of Chairman/CEO, while his wife and business partner, Jhoane, is the majority owner and President/COO of the company.
Though a family-owned business, we nevertheless take an inclusive approach towards all our employees and management positions, with said positions filled by the most qualified person, whether family member or not. It's part of our 'inclusiveness' philosophy.
In all of this, what makes Cedar Bear® especially outstanding is that it is an innovative, majority woman owned, top-tier quality herbal products manufacturing endeavor founded by real herbalists and continuing to be administered and managed by real herbalists and inclusively tasked by a team of qualified, dedicated, and passionate employees, free-lancers, distributors, brokers, and reps.
Cedar Bear® – a company founded by herbalists,
still owned by herbalists, administered and managed by herbalists,
and carrying on the tradition of real traditional herbalism.
Cedar Bear Naturales® is one of the very few companies in the
greater herbal products industry to hold all those distinctions.
