Paul likes to be on the cutting edge.  President of Herbal Products & Development, he has studied herbs and formulated innovative herbal products and whole food concentrates for over 30 years. Through his extensive travels, he has become knowledgeable in both native and foreign herbs. Having studied medicinal plants in many countries, Paul created the concept of a Natural First Aid Kit for travelers. The kit he went on to develop was the first one marketed in the U.S. Seeing the need for high-energy nutrition for highly active people, he also formulated and brought to the market a green superfood Plant Power, only the second person in the country to do so. Plant Power has now evolved to Supremely Green. Other well-known products of his are Power Plus food enzymes, Vita Power, Macro-Night, Flex-Connect Plus, Liver Restore, and Supreme 7, a popular seven-oil blend. Herbal Products & Development is listed in various trade publications, such as the Green Business Association, Natural Foods Merchandiser, and Herbal Green Pages, and is now represented by the website centralcoastnutrition.com. His involvement in new product development in the U.S. has also taken him to projects in Canada, Mexico, South America, and Asia.

The range of nutritional and natural products that Paul has helped bring to the market includes hemp seed oil, his seven oil blend, enzymes, antioxidants, liquid vitamin and mineral drink concentrates, probiotics, and topicals, in addition to various nutritional green foods. Paul has also been instrumental in introducing new foods and food preparation techniques to the market, including dietary programs. He has worked with associates on a number of these projects, and has been a consultant for many nutritional, skin care, and food bar products. As founder of Herbal Products & Development, he is accomplished in all phases of bringing product ideas to market--formulating, sourcing, production, and marketing. His company also does private labeling for other companies. As much as possible, he actively sources out organic ingredients. He is also strong on educating people on nutritional and medicinal topics through his company's catalogue and profile sheets, and through other forms of sharing information, including a warm willingness to confer with people directly. He himself is an active reader and researcher on the leading edge of herbal and health frontiers.

Clinical trials continue to be underway (2009) at medical centers with a variety of selected HP&D products. Results on nine trials done so far have been overwhelmingly positive. (See Clinical Trials for those currently posted.) Write-ups on the trials are projected to be published in different medical journals.

Paul has gone public on freedom of health choice issues and on issues of water quality, the environment, and public health. He has assumed many leadership and independent project coordinating roles. Over the years, he has also participated in numerous conferences, and has developed fruitful networking skills that he is constantly putting into practice. He continues to bring these skills to local and regional organizations for events and outreach, and also remains active with social justice issues.

Paul is also skilled in different trades, such as carpentry, house design and construction, including a variety of innovative techniques. He has also done landscaping, both wood and stone sculpture, and photography. He is an avid user of recycled materials. He loves nature walks, and has broad experience with wildcrafted herbs. 

Permaculture is the design of sustainable human habitats while conserving natural resources. Paul has planted his own permaculture gardens utilizing land contouring, natural drainage and mulching systems. He participated in a two-week permaculture intensive with David Blume of the International Institute for Ecological Agriculture, and has gone on to assist Dave in seeing through the publication of his over 600-page book Alcohol Can Be A Gas, Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century. The book's permaculture concept deals with local fuel production, infrastructure, and processing.

A major project directed by Paul in the spring of 1998 was the Santa Cruz Industrial Hemp Expo, the largest event of its kind in the country (6500 attending). It was very successful, bringing together businesses and individuals on the cutting edge of the expanding hemp market. Out of that event emerged a one-hour documentary video on the expo and the enormous potential of industrial hemp. Paul is contributing partner and co-director with the fine videographer L.B. Johnson on the video, titled Hemp Hemp Hooray! The Growing Industrial Hemp Market. It's premiere showing took place on September 25, 1999 at Vets Hall in Santa Cruz, and is now found in many libraries and video stores. Paul is also a consultant and board member of C.A.I.R. (Coalition for Agricultural and Industrial Renewal). Paul helped organize an industrial hemp reception in Santa Cruz in 2001, hosted by C.A.I.R., as a benefit to help raise funds for a California assembly bill that would renew the legal status of industrial hemp for commercial purposes. The intent of all of these efforts has been to bring greater attention to the future of hemp and its connection to ecological sustainability, natural health, and global change. Paul maintains membership in an organic-oriented grange in Santa Cruz, CA, a longtime farming organization, now revitalized for community events.

In addition to serving as moderator on three expo panels, Paul organized a panel on organic food and fiber processing for the Eco Farm Conference in January 2000 in Pacific Grove. In 2002, he participated in Gaia Song, a Sustainable Living and Ecological Building Conference held in Santa Cruz. Also in 2002 Paul co-directed events for Synergy Party, a forum combining music and an informal networking party where diverse local non-profit groups were able to present the vision behind their projects. These highly successful events would bring in over 150 people to a local coffeehouse venue. They promoted green building and business, biofuels, and independent media. These events are archived for community TV and independent producers. Paul has also been a reviewer for a number of manuscripts, proposals, and books, and has contributed evaluations in the natural food, hemp, and environmental communities.

Paul has been working with biodiesel and ethanol fuel conversion and bioproduct utilization in the U.S. and Asia. In India, he has visited different appropriate technology and co-generation facilities. His travels allowed him to also visit with traditional ayurvedic practitioners, both traditional and modern herbal facilities, and farms, gardens, and production crop areas.

Other recent projects include Unifiedcommunity.info, a website conceived as a union of communities, offering a networking hub of links to approx. 1,000 other websites around the world that are dedicated to a sustainable, environmentally responsible world. This ties in with Paul's work with FOSL (Foundation of Sustainable Living). He is also currently working on a botanical photo collection which is projected to be developed as another website using all original photos taken by him, locally and from his international travels. Also see his recent (2008) Tonic Bar concept and event by going to the Central Coast Nutrition website.

Paul is dedicated to implementing new concepts in health, nutrition, and herbology. Herbal Products & Development is well-known regionally, but also offers products nationally to individuals, practitioners, and stores. Paul is a firm advocate of empowering people through education and in giving them a choice in deciding what is best for them. His support has ranged from projects for disadvantaged and disabled children in Southeast Asia and India to small, grassroots organizations in California and Oregon dedicated to environmental sustainability. Forward looking, he also wants to support the building of more multidisciplinary healing retreats and health centers.

The Herbal Products & Development website, under the name of centralcoastnutrition.com, offers a compendium of Paul's writings on formulas as well as on single nutrients and bulk items.

Paul Gaylon / Herbal Products & Development
PO Box 1084, Aptos, CA 95001   (831) 688-8706
herbalproducts@wholeherbpro.com • www.centralcoastnutrition.com