DAAN Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

Ginseng is an integral part of the indigenous culture of the Vietnam central highlands. In the past, the method for preparing and using it was closely guarded by village elders, but now its cultivation and use is being promoted throughout the region:

Residents and governments of the Central Highlands have gone to great lengths to protect the Vietnamese ginseng that ethnic minorities once used like a cure-all without knowing that it was ginseng.

Locally, the plant was later named Ngoc Linh ginseng after the mountain where it grows.

The Sedang people live at the foot of the mountain. Every time a woman gets pregnant, or someone is bitten by a snake or attacked by wild animals, they would be brought to the village heads who were the only ones who knew how to process the plant and use it to treat ailments.

The secret became more widely known when the village heads showed French resistance soldiers in the area how to use the plant for curing malaria and gaining vigor, recalled war veteran Phan Quyet who stayed in the area from 1952-1953.

Nam, a veteran from the northern province of Ha Tay, has been living as a member of the ethnic community after his life was saved by the juice of the plant.

He had been unconscious for several days when he was fed the juice by a local woman is now his wife.

“The juice helped me gain consciousness,” Nam recalled. “My comrades were so surprised and happy to see me again. They thought I was dead.”

The perennial Ngoc Linh ginseng provides its most nutritious rhizomes, or root stems, after five years. The ginseng rhizome is believed to improve the immune system, prevent some cancers and extend the lifespan of cells.

Ginseng, in addition to its energy boosting properties, is also good for inflammation:

Researchers have shown that ginseng has anti-inflammatory properties in human cells. This finding has the potential to benefit millions of people who suffer with inflammatory conditions ranging from arthritis to heart disease and fibromyalgia.

What is ginseng?
Ginseng is one of the most ancient herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. For more than 2000 years, the roots of the perennial herb have been used to enhance the immune system, improve vitality, and promote overall health. In the past few years, ginseng has shown promise in improving the quality of life of cancer patients.

Ginseng and inflammation
Several previous laboratory studies indicated that ginseng extract has anti-inflammatory abilities. One conducted in mice in 2008 found that ginseng reduced inflammation in rodents that had ulcerative colitis.

In a more recent study, a team of scientists from the University of Hong Kong treated human immune cells with various extracts of ginseng. Ginseng contains chemicals called ginsenosides, which scientists have previously shown to have immune-suppressive and more specifically, anti-cancer fighting properties.

DAAN carries many different kinds of ginseng.

A study shows that ginseng may be good for ADHD:

Ginseng shows promise as an herbal treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), suggests a small study. Researchers investigated the use of Panax ginseng among three 14- to 17-year-old males diagnosed with ADHD, concluding that the herb “may be a slightly effective treatment for ADHD.”

Past studies have shown that Panax ginseng may strengthen immunity, aid in the management of diabetes, and enhance mood. Meanwhile, another form of the herb (American ginseng) has been found to benefit children with ADHD when combined with ginkgo biloba.

The University of Chicago Medical School will study whether ginseng can fight cancer:

Researchers at the new center will apply scientific techniques to the study of herbal medicine. They will study the anti-tumor effects of different preparations of the herbs American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, and notoginseng, Panax notoginseng, which are widely used but little-studied herbal therapies for a variety of ailments, including prevention and treatment of colon cancer.

“At least one-third of adults in the United States use some sort of dietary supplement and many of them take herbal remedies, such as ginseng, to supplement or substitute for conventional pharmacotherapy,” said center director Chun-Su Yuan, M.D., Ph.D., the Cyrus Tang Professor of anesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago, “yet we know very little about how, when or even if these products are beneficial.”

Scientific investigation of herbs is “still in its infancy,” he said, lagging far behind current trends in biomedical research. “Considering their widespread use, the time has come to apply contemporary research principles and techniques to the study of botanical medications.”

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. If detected early, it can be successfully treated, but patients with advanced colon cancer have a poor prognosis.

Good information about ginseng, in this case about Siberian ginseng:

For some reason, lately, Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng) has almost vanished from becoming a subject when health tonics for energy and stress issues are discussed. It used to be so common place and for a very good reason; It works!

Why have we almost forgotten about this truly amazing, fast acting, totally safe, and extremely powerful energy booster? I believe a lot of the reason for this is that the FDA had once forced all marketing of this amazing tonic herb to be labeled as “Eleuthero” and to avoid the name of “Siberian Ginseng” on any labels (Siberian Ginseng is much less expensive than Panax Ginseng) Technically this “law” is still in the books.

Many people don’t relate to the name “Eleuthero” as a powerful tonic for energy and stress without the word “Ginseng” on the label so its use was successfully “swept under the rug” as a popular energy tonic, see photos of Siberian Ginseng here: (http://plantcures.com/sibgin.html) . Chalk one up for the FDA on this one; however the purpose of this article is to help undo the harm the FDA has done to healthy energy seeking consumers.

An interesting article about how ginseng can help keep you healthy:

Historically, ginseng has been considered a cure-all by herbalists and said to perform as a medicinal tonic for everything from baby gripe to impotence. Today, the white root is increasingly being used as an energy booster, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant due to its saponin content and capacity to increase circulation and balance the system — plus it enhances sexual function in both men and women.

Ginseng grows wild in China and other East Asian countries and has been used for well over 5,000 years for its legendary physical restorative properties. The North American species was first found growing wild in 1716 near Montreal by a French Jesuit priest. Native Indians of the time used ginseng (gisens) for digestive, bronchial and pain problems.

Ginsengs are classified as adaptogens — agents that help the body adjust to negative stress levels. And there is a difference between the various species. North American ginseng is used when a yin (cooling or neutral) effect is desired for the body, whereas the Asian ginseng is said to have a yang (warming) effect on the body and is used for shorter time periods. North American ginseng is said to act as a restorative tonic for fatigue, while Siberian ginseng works on the adrenals to pump up the body’s immune system. The leaf is used to regulate blood sugar levels.

“Asian ginseng is more stimulating than North American ginseng,” says Danette Steele, who has been a clinical herbalist for 20 years. “For a person who is depleted or has been ill for a long time,” she adds, “an Asian ginseng wouldn’t be my first choice in terms of boosting their energy levels. It may be too stimulating.” Instead, she recommends a more gentle adaptogen, such as an Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera), which is gentle enough for children and can help people sleep.

Check out DAAN’s ginseng products and some more information we’ve put together about ginseng here.