The Zen of Health

Panax Ginseng Extract

Homer Liao — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:48:05 +0000

One of the most sought after Ginsengs is the Panax Ginseng, which is the wild form. Any herb given in extract or liquid form is considered to be more potent then a pill or capsule. Panax Ginseng Extract is the best way to take this herb. Panax Ginseng has been used for over five thousand years and has been found to be used throughout Asia even before written history. In the past two thousand years, it has more or less come into its own. In more times that are modern, many scientific studies have been made on this herb. The results show that it has a very real therapeutic and nutritional value. One forty grams of Panax Ginseng Extract should last abut a month. The ancient Chinese believed that the Panax Ginseng nourished five vital organs of the body and its value was sometimes placed along with gold or even above it. Western scientists are now beginning to recognize the value of this herb. The name Panax means to cure all. The Chinese version of Ginseng means man root. On rare occasions, the root grows into the shape of a human being and these of course had added value among the ancients. There is another form of closely related Panax Ginseng that grows in certain locations in North America, the wild form being the best for medical reasons is now endangered. Literally thousands of tests have been done for research studies to investigate Ginseng. A lot of the research has been done in Asia. Depending on the preparation, different results are obtained. Ginseng should be avoided by those with high blood pressure and during pregnancy. Its most often sold in the form of capsules, tablets and liquid extracts and comes in other forms but the Panax Ginseng Extract is the more effective form to take. Be careful how much you take and for how long. Researchers say its better not to take it for more than three months at a time then give it a rest or take the herb for one month and rest two months. You should use appropriate caution when taking anything including over the counter medications.

Ginseng is most often used to give better endurance, help cope with stress, resist the damage of stress and improve overall health and vitality. It plays a part in strengthen the immune system. Panax Ginseng Extract should be good for normalizing blood sugar and of course, the ginseng in the form of an extract is far better. Athletes take it to reduce fatigue. Even though Ginseng is known to give energy, it does not stimulate the way caffeine does. It sometimes gives the feeling of well being. It’s not good to take large doses of any kind of ginseng with stimulants.

Panax Ginseng Extract can be looked for in health food stores both online and off. Specialty stores and in stores selling Chinese herbs and medications. Herb shops and sometimes EBay carries name brands of herbs, vitamins or minerals in their auctions.

Ginseng Capsules

Homer Liao — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:42:17 +0000

How good the Ginseng capsules are is determined only by the quality of what goes into them. I have found that herbal companies do differ as far as quality goes. Unlike vitamins or minerals, there is no government standard that has to be abided by. Years ago, I went to a lecture on herbs at a well-known grocery store that carried only organic and holistic products. There was a side room where guests could speak. The guest speaker was from an herbal company that carried only herbs, a lot of them grow their own. He told about how his company decided to test various bottles of herbs from other companies to see how they stacked up quality wise to their company. What a Surprise! Some of the bottles did not have the right ingredient in them. People were paying for one thing and getting another. This is not true of all companies; there are some fine ones out there. However, if you know a certain brand name is good for a fact, stay with it. If you are buying ginseng capsules, you want ginseng to be in it and a good quality.

Ginseng simulates energy the active agent that enables this to happen is called Ginsenoside. The potency or quality of the ginseng root and what goes into your ginseng capsules depend on how much Ginsenoside is in it. How and where the ginseng is grown and its age determines the potency. The wild ginseng is considered much better than the cultivated. The roots are usually older and it’s living in a better environment. Ginseng roots should not be harvested until they are at least six years old. An eight-year-old root is better and a ten-year-old root is better yet. The older the root, the higher the percentage of Ginsenoside. Wild seed can be gathered and grown in semi-wild conditions to develop better quality roots. There is only species of American Ginseng, Panax quinquefolius; it has four categories in which it is marketed. Wild roots sell at roughly nine times the price of cultivated. Ginseng likes the mountains and this is the environment where the best quality is grown for a good ginseng capsule. The wild roots can grow to be thirty and forty years old and one that is fifty which is very rare is more precious than gold. It’s very hard to tell the difference between wild simulated ginseng and the true wild but the cultivated is larger with a smooth skin and little or no growth rings. The cultivated is highly fed so; it obtains a quick growth and is usually harvested at the age of three years. This is usually the type found in the ginseng capsules; try to find out how the ginseng has been grown before you buy a bottle. It’s easier to find out over the internet.

Ginseng capsules in bottles can be found in Health food stores, grocery stores, drug stores, department stores, specialty stores and over the internet.

Wild Ginseng

Homer Liao — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:01:28 +0000

What is Wild Ginseng? Wild Ginseng, also known as Panax Quinquefolium, is ginseng that is not grown or cultivated by people. Instead, it occurs naturally in the forests and is not maintained prior to harvesting. For thousands of years, Asia has used ginseng as the primary herb to prevent and cure most illnesses and afflictions. Ginseng is considered to be the ultimate herb. Ginseng is an herb that supports mental, physical and sexual health. At first, ginseng was only available to those who found it growing in the wild. Wild Ginseng is believed to be the ultimate species of ginseng. Because of its demand, Wild Ginseng is a rare commodity. In the United States, the state of Wisconsin imposed a law that controls the harvesting, sale and purchase of the plant. The United States is permitted to sell Wild Ginseng to international buyers only if the states that grow it can show that by exporting their product they are not depleting the resources.

In order to sell their harvest of Wild Ginseng, landowners must obtain a license. A license is not required for those who cultivate the plant on their own land but do not sell it. The license is free to those digging on their privately owned land. Those digging on another’s land must purchase a license. The fee is determined by whether or not the person is a resident of the state or not.

Wild Ginseng is harvested from September through November. The digging and sales of Wild Ginseng during any other time frame is considered illegal. The plant can only be harvested on privately owned land. Any state owned land is not to be used for Wild Ginseng harvesting. The same applies to Indian reservations. Only members of the Indian tribes living on the land are able to harvest the Wild Ginseng found on their land.

Prior to harvesting Wild Ginseng it is important to take a visual inventory of how many plants are present. Young plants are not allowed to be harvested as their seeds are necessary to produce future plants. Mature plants with three to five leaves can be harvested. Younger plants harvested prematurely do not produce an adequate amount of seeds to be marketable. A marketable Wild Ginseng plant takes about six to ten years to produce marketable produce.

Ron Teeguarden is the founder of Dragon Herbs along with his wife, Yanlin. Ron has been practicing and teaching the healing powers of Asian herbs for over thirty-five years. Ron focuses on Asian tonic herbs such as Wild Ginseng. He has written a few books on the holistic healing powers of Chinese herbs and promotes the sale of his tonic herbal remedies on his website.

Siberian Ginseng

Homer Liao — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:00:39 +0000

Siberian Ginseng is also called Eleuthero. It has been used for thousands of years in the Eastern cultures such as China and Russian. Though it has some similar qualities to American and Asian Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng is a unique plant with unique chemical substances. Siberian Ginseng is used to promote energy, improve overall health, motivate a healthy appetite and promote memory function and capacity. Siberian Ginseng is widely used in Russia to help the population acclimate themselves to the stresses of Russian living conditions.

Like American and Asian Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng is known to be an adaptogen. Adaptogens are cited to balance out stress levels and either raise or lower blood pressure accordingly in patients who consume it. Eleutherosides increase energy and endurance and activate the immune system.

Research on Siberian Ginseng was conducted primarily in Russia. The studies were performed to show the effects of Siberian Ginseng on treating physical and mental stress and illness due to the extreme weather, lifestyle and working conditions commonly found in Russia. In Russia, a study of Siberian Ginseng’s affect on the immune system was conducted. During a four week study, Russian test subjects were given Siberian Ginseng. Studies show that the ginseng extract, when given to test subjects suffering from a cold or the flu, showed improved levels of immunity to these illnesses. Another research program showed that over the course of three months, test subjects that were given Siberian Ginseng showed an increase in memory capabilities and alertness. Tests also show that when administered and taken regularly, Siberian Ginseng was shown to decrease tiredness and increase muscle stamina. Siberian Ginseng has also been tested to learn the impacts of the herb on male and female sexual desire, performance and fertility. In a study performed on elderly subjects over a four week session, the elderly test subjects showed an increase in mental health, memory function and social interactions. When the ginseng therapy was stopped, mental capacity and performance decreased. A study of ninety-three people suffering from herpes type two which is known as genital herpes took the Siberian Ginseng extract and showed signs of decrease in outbreaks as well as a decrease in the length of time that an outbreak remained. Siberian Ginseng is now used as a treatment of herpes simplex two.

Siberian Ginseng products are made from the root of the plant. The root contains eleutherosides and polysaccharides which decrease blood sugar levels and is used to treat diabetic patients. Siberian Ginseng can be taken as a liquid, solid, powder, caplet, or consumed in tea. Adults are recommended to take about five hundred to three thousand milligrams daily either in tea or capsules. Those taking the extract should alternate a few weeks on the extract and then a few weeks off for maximum results. It is not recommended for use in children. Before taking Siberian Ginseng, consult with a physician. It has been known to react with those diagnosed with high blood pressure or pregnant or nursing women.

Red Panax Ginseng

Homer Liao — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:59:44 +0000

Ginseng itself is widely known as the most perfect herb. There are three different species of ginseng, one of which is Red Panax Ginseng. Red Panax Ginseng is a natural ginseng product first used in Asia to prevent and treat a variety of illnesses and dysfunctions. This form of ginseng is regarded as the best and most effective form of ginseng. Red Panax Ginseng or Hong Ren Shen is red in color resulting from a customary steaming process. Because this type of ginseng is steamed, it provides a warming effect of the body when taken.

All three ginseng types are comprised of ginsenosides. The composition of ginsenosides varies according to the type of ginseng and therefore varies the effects of the ginseng. Red Panax Ginseng has three times the amount of ginsenosides that the other species of ginseng for a total of twenty-four ginsenosides. Some ginsenosides are known for activating the nervous system while others work to calm it. Certain ginsenosides increase metobolic rates while others decrease it. Because of Red Panax Ginseng’s warming effect, it is known to stimulate both the nervous system and the body’s ability to metabolize nutrients. Asian Ginseng is available in its natural form as White Ginseng or in its steam treated form of Red Ginseng. Red Panax Ginseng is naturally warm and henceforth prescribed to people who have cold sensations in their body.

In China, Red Panax Ginseng is said to support the Yuan Qi, or Original Qi. In Chinese culture, each person is born with the energy of Yuan Qi. Red Panax Ginseng works to maintain the level of Yuan Qi in the body because the Chinese believe that once the body’s Yuan Qi is depleted, life ends. Red Panax Ginseng provides overall physical and mental well being by strengthening the body enough to react to stress or overexertion in a balanced manner. By maintaining proper levels of Yuan Qi, the nervous system is more at ease.

Red Panax Ginseng is a natural ginseng product used in Asia to treat sexual dysfunctions. Red Ginseng is considered to be an aphrodisiac. It works to prevent and treat impotence, infertility, low sperm count, and early ejaculation. It also stimulates blood flow to the extremities such as the brain and the penis. Many choose to take Red Panax Ginseng, a natural remedy, over the chemical products available because it is less costly, more readily available and has fewer side effects. The recommended dosage of five hundred milligrams of Red Panax Ginseng costs less than ten cents as compared to one tablet of Viagra which runs about ten dollars.