Ginseng: The Key To Wellness?
With all that it is said to treat, is ginseng really the all around wellness miracle herb that it claims to be? The Chinese have been using it for centuries to increase energy, but today it has been known to help in treating stress, increasing alertness and mental clarity as well as reducing fatigue, increasing memory and boosting our immune systems to help fight colds and treat infections. What exactly is it and how does it work?
What we generally call ginseng, is actually a combination of compounds in this specific plant. The two most common sources of ginseng are Asian and American ginseng. While there is another plant native to Siberia with similar active ingredients, it has not proven to be as effective in treating these many ailments. Ginseng works by affecting the adrenal glands that secrete hormones having to do with fighting both physical and emotional stress.
Besides anxiety stress and increasing energy, ginseng has been known to benefit patients who suffer from heart conditions, high blood sugar or glucose intolerance, and even chronic fatigue syndrome (fibromyalgia).
With such a wide variety of health benefits, it makes sense that different doses and forms of ginseng are available. Let’s take ginseng to lower cholesterol as an example of how the herb can be used: Ginseng to lower cholesterol can be taken either in a capsule or as tea. Take it once every two days. Ginseng tea is easy to make: just poor boiling water over 3 to 5 slices of ginseng and let it steep for a few minutes. Ginseng tea can also be made from ginseng extract. Mix one cup of extract with one cup of boiling water. Of course, always consult with a doctor before starting a new herbal remedy including ginseng as it can interact with certain medications. Your doctor may recommend that you use ginseng in combination with a cholesterol drug such as Zocor or Lipitor.
So distress and relax with some tasty Ginseng tea…and let me know how it goes!
Tags: ginseng