Health Benefits of Ginseng

Ginseng is the root of plants in the genus Panax (meaning "all-healing" in Greek), there are many kinds of Ginseng. Korean ginseng, South China ginseng and American ginseng. Also there are many types of Ginseng, Fr​​esh ginseng also called “green ginseng”, White Ginseng is fresh ginseng which has been dried without being heated. It is peeled and dried to reduce the water content to 12% or less. Red ginseng is steamed and dried ginseng, which has reddish colour. Red ginseng is less vulnerable to decay than white ginseng.] It is ginseng that has been peeled, heated through steaming at standard boiling temperatures of 100 °C (212 °F), and then dried or sun-dried.

Benefits:
 According to Compendium of Materia Medica written by the uncrowned king of Chinese naturalists, published in 1593. Ginseng has “Qi enhancement” effect (Qi is thought to be a vital energy, a concept closely linked to immunity). It can calm the mind, tiredness, soothe the nerves, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, convul​​sions, forgetfulness, dizziness, headache, frequent urination, thirst, women uterine bleeding, and all the evidence of qi and blood is insufficient. In addition to the benefits below:
1. Regulating the central nervous system: Ginseng regulates the central nervous system, improves the process of excitation and inhibition of the brain, and makes it more balanced; it can improve mental and physical labor, improve work efficiency, and have anti-fatigue effects.
2. Enhances learning and memory ability:Promote the brain's use of energy substances, can improve learning and memory ability.
3. Improve heart function: Ginseng can increase myocardial contractility, slow heart rate, increase cardiac output and coronary blood flow, and can resist myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia. It has a certain influence on heart function, cardiovascular and blood flow.
4. Hypoglycemic effect: Ginseng contains ginsenosides and ginseng polysaccharides. In particular, ginsenoside Rb2 has obvious hypoglycemic effect, and ginseng polysaccharide (or glycopeptide) is another type of hypoglycemic component in ginseng.
5. Enhance the body's immune function: ginsenosides and ginseng polysaccharides are the active components of ginseng to regulate immune function, not only for normal people, but also for people with low immune function to improve immune function.
6. Improve the ability to resist harmful stimuli, can enhance the body's ability to stress and adaptability, ginseng contains ginseng glycosides, can improve anti-stress effects. It can resist the ability of hypoxia, high temperature and low temperature.
7. Anti-tumor effect: ginsenosides, ginseng polysaccharides, panaxenols, panaxatriol and volatile oils in ginseng. These substances have a certain inhibitory effect on tumors, but the mechanism is very complicated.
8. Antioxidant effect: Ginseng contains various antioxidant substances, ginsenosides, ginseng polyacetylene compounds and ginseng glycol saponins. These compounds have anti-lipid peroxidation and are the basis of anti-aging effects. In addition to anti-aging effects, it has a  regulating effect on physiological functions such as nerves, endocrine, immune function and substance metabolism.
9.In addition, ginseng also has anti-viral, anti-shock, weight loss and other aspects.
Ginseng also has the effect of improving vision and enhancing visual dark adaptation.
 combined with other drugs, can also treat a variety of diseases.

Caution:
Although ginseng is a tonic with higher value, it is not suitable for everyone. The protein factor in ginseng can inhibit the decomposition of fat and aggravate the lipid deposition in the blood vessel wall. Therefore, coronary heart disease, hypertension, cerebral arteriosclerosis, diabetes , and vasculitis shouldn't be treated with ginseng. Increased blood viscosity will make blood flow poor, and Chinese medicine calls it blood stasis. Ginseng has the effect of promoting red blood cell growth, increased red blood cells, and higher blood station consistency.

Ginseng generally has a good safety profile and the incidence of adverse effects are minor when used over the short-term The common ginsengs (P. ginseng and P. quinquefolia) are generally considered to be relatively safe even in large amounts. Concerns exist when ginseng is used chronically, potentially causing side effects such as headaches, insomnia, and digestive problems.
 One of the most common and characteristic symptoms of an acute overdose of P. ginseng is bleeding. Symptoms of mild overdose may include dry mouth and lips, excitation, fidgeting, irritability, tremor, palpitations, blurred vision, headache, insomnia, increased body temperature , increased blood pressure, edema, decreased appetite, dizziness, itching, eczema, early morning diarrhea, bleeding, and fatigue.
Symptoms of gross overdose with P. ginseng may include nausea, vomiting, irritability, restlessness, urinary and bowel incontinence, fever, increased blood pressure, increased respiration, decreased sensitivity and reaction to light, decreased heart rate, cyanotic (blue) facial complexion, red facial complexion, seizures, convul​​sions, and delirium.

So it is very important to see a traditional Chinese medicine practitioners or herbalist before you consume.

Health Benefits of Milkvetch Root (Astragalus mongholicus root) (“Huangqi”)

  Astragalus mongholicus root, the most commonly used Astragalus species in Chinese medicine. The dried root of Astragalus mongholicus is called “Huangqi” in Chinese.  Polysaccharides, saponins, isoflavonoids, and flavonoids are the main constituents of milk vetch

Benefits:

Astragalus is believed to have a “Qi tonifying” effect (Qi is thought to be a vital energy, a concept closely linked to immunity). According to Compendium of Materia Medica written by the uncrowned king of Chinese naturalists, published in 1593. milk vetch is used to treat symptoms allegedly caused by affections of the spleen, which are claimed to be diarrhoea, fatigue, spontaneous sweating, and lack of appetite. it could also be used to treat colds and shortness of breath because it tonifies the lungs.

TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) practitioners often administer it as a tea infusion or shredded in soup.

In addition to the benefits follows:

1.      Besides cancer, other possible indications are wasting disorders, night sweats, chronic ulcerations and sores, numbness and paralysis of the limbs, and oedema

2.      Therapeutic effect on problems such as sweating, spleen function and metabolic function caused by low immunity.

3.      Rejuvenate strength, symptoms such as the lack of energy, tongue weakness and fatigue, pale face, spleen deficiency and weakness of lung.

4.      Reduce the probability of thrombosis, lower blood pressure, protect the heart, resist free radical damage, and enhance the body's immunity.

5.      Expand blood vessels, improve blood circulation, and strength muscle.

6.      Detoxification, diuresis, swelling.

7.      Regulate blood sugar, effective on high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

8.      Protecting the liver, eliminating proteinuria, and preventing the reduction of liver glycogen.

9.      Healing effect on poor sleep, nightmares, and night sweats

Caution:

if the used improperly, it will also have certain side effects.

·         Symptoms such as flushing and dry mouth appear.

·         people with kidney disease can not use “Huangqi”

·         “Huangqi” Milk vetch is generally administered in combination with other Chinese herbs. The combination depends on the diagnosis. So it is very important to see a Chinese doctor or herbalist before you consume.

Health Benefits of Licorice

Liquorice or Licorice is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a sweet flavour can be extracted.

It grows to 1 metre (39 in) in heigh, flowers are purple to pale whitish blue, the fruit is an oblong pod, containing several seeds.  The roots are stoloniferous, and much of the sweetness in liquorice comes from glycyrrhizin, which has a sweet taste that 30 to 50 times the sweetness of sugar, but has a very different taste than sugar.

Benefits:

Liquorice extracts have been used in herbalism and traditional medicine for thousands of years. According to Compendium of Materia Medica written by the uncrowned king of Chinese naturalists LeeShiZhen, published in 1593.

Clean your internal organ, strengthen your bone and muscles, disinfection and detoxification.  shortness of breath, bruises and coughs, thirst quenching, Cold pain in the main abdomen, cure epilepsy, relief abdominal fullness, tonic five internal organs, nourishing kidney gas, back pain, forgetfulness, diarrhea, to sore throat, vomiting child's fetal poisoning epilepsy, relieve pain.

Cautions:

Foods containing liquorice and its derivatives (including glycyrrhizin) are safe if not consumed excessively. Licorice should not be used during pregnancy.

An increase in intake of licorice can cause many toxic effects. Like increase blood pressure, weight gain, heart problems and weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, renal failure and paralysis, so it is important to monitor the amount of licorice consumed in order to prevent toxicity.