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Herbs > Ginseng (panax ginseng)
Also kn0wn as schinsent, jintsam, five-fingers and tartar root, Ginseng has long been used as a
medicinal herb in Asia. Its names, which translates
from Chinese as "man" (gin)
"essence" (seng) indicates the esteem in
which is it held. While it has gained immense
popularity in the West recently, it has been used in
Britain as far back as the reign of Charles II, when
it was worth three times its weight in silver.
Healing uses:
Ginseng improves the general well being of
individuals. Specifically, it is crediting with
boosting the appetite, decreasing stress levels,
increasing stamina, improving concentration,
enhancing physical and mental performance and aiding
general healing. To obtain these benefits, a dosage
of 1/2-2g of dried ginseng root or 200-600mg of
ginseng extract daily is recommended. While the
extract is widely available at health stores, it may
be necessary to visit a specialist Asian supplies
store for the unprocessed root.
Ginseng is recommended to
improve the general condition of frail elderly people
in a milder dose of 0.4-0.8g of root or 150-250mg of
extract.
Ginseng tea makes an excellent
pick-me-up when one is stressed or depressed. It can
be made from scratch by grinding 1 teaspoon of dried
root in a coffee grinder (thoroughly cleaned, or kept
expressly for this purpose as coffee and ginseng do
not mix well). Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the
ground root and leave to steep for 15 minutes. Strain
and sweeten with honey if necessary. An easier way is
to make the tea with ginseng teabags, available from
health stores. These are usually less effective,
however, as they are often adulterated with other
herbs. Ginseng tea makes an excellent aphrodisiac,
too!
Ginseng can also be effective
for diabetics and to ease liver problems. For these
matters it is recommended that you see a qualified
herbalist.
Cautions: Ginseng
should never be mixed with caffeine or alcohol, as
this can cause headaches and high blood pressure.
A qualified herbalist should be
consulted before taking ginseng while using steroids,
medication which lowers blood sugar, or some
anti-depressants.
Ginseng should be avoided
during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
It should also be noted that
some commercially available ginseng extracts contain
very little active herb. Check the potency before
buying.
Growing Ginseng: Ginseng takes
5-6 years to mature, so it is recommended only to the
most patient gardeners! It can be grown from seeds,
which are sown in autumn with a spacing of 15cm if
growing multiple plants. It requires plenty of shade
and grows best in a rich, loamy soil. While ginseng
is fairly tough, it requires protection from frost in
winter and humidity in summer. Once mature, the roots
are harvested and allowed to dry slowly, preferably
outside. |
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