Ginseng tonic secret to long life

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-18 11:28

Ginseng, or insam as the Koreans call it, is believed to be a medicine and tonic for long life.

The medicinal plant was first listed in the earliest Chinese pharmacopoeia - Shen Nong's Chinese Materia Medica (Shennong Bencaojing), which was compiled during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). The ancient work described the quality and production areas of ginseng, and its medicinal effects.

Of the ginseng plant, it is the root that is used for medicinal purposes. Dry roots can also be ground into powder, or sliced. They can also be used to make liquor.

Due to different types of processing, there are three main types of ginseng: fresh, red and white.

While the taste of ginseng is initially sweet, there is a bitter aftertaste.

Ginseng exists naturally in three regions located between 33 to 48 degrees north latitude - the Korean peninsula, Northeast China and Siberia.

The Korean peninsula is considered one of the best places to grow ginseng because it has the ideal temperature zone, plenty of rain in the summer, and the right amount of cold weather in the winter.

Today, there are also cultivated ginseng fields in the United States and Canada.

Ginseng can be taken to treat a number of ailments. It is commonly known to help improve the glandular and immune systems. It also stimulates the formation of blood vessels and improves blood circulation in the brain, thereby improving cognitive and memory abilities.

Ginseng is also used to treat diabetes, migraines, infections, radiation, and used in conjunction with chemotherapy.

Ginseng is also used for sleep, as it helps reduce stress and nervousness. In contrast, ginseng also helps combat fatigue.

Ginseng is also known to help women in menopause. Evidence also suggests ginseng helps improve erectile dysfunction.

(China Daily 06/18/2008 page19)