Editor's Weekly Ramblings 17

Friday 11th July 2003

Note - The following is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor. Do not take ginseng if you are pregnant, and don't give it to children as some of the ginsenosides are chemically similar to some steroidal hormones that may affect the child's growth or development. It is always best to consult your doctor before taking anything. Ginseng - Stress Slayer Supreme!

People normally think of Ginseng as a herbal Pro-Plus tablet, and yet in fact taking ginseng is as likely to soothe you as it is to stimulate. This is because it is one of the herbs that have been coined an "adaptogen", a term invented by Russian Scientist L.L Brekhman in 1947, to describe Siberian ginseng's ability to help the body adapt to a wide variety of stressful situations. Meaning that when taken over a period of time it has the ability to strengthen your ability to deal with stress. Other herbs that fall into the same camp are Gotu Kola (Fo-ti Tieng), astralagus and the three plant combination triphala. But of these ginseng is the most useful. It acts to balance out the energies of the different organs and systems in the human body. So that, if you take it for several weeks and for example your blood pressure is too high, then it will act to lower it. But conversely if your blood pressure is too low, then it will act to raise it. This is an amazing power because literally it is able to normalize and strengthen your body. No man made drug can lay claim to the same abilities.

There are many varieties of Ginseng, but the most popular are panax, american and siberian. Siberian Ginseng is not in fact truly a ginseng at all, but rather a different plant entirely, Eleutheroccus senticosus, that just happens to have similar adaptogenic properties to 'normal' ginseng that helps to build strength and enhance immunity. Of these three Panax (literally meaning 'cure all') is generally reckoned to be the most potent. Carl Anton Meyer, a Russian botanist, named it Panax ginseng in 1843, (take a look at the back of many Ginseng packets in your health food shop and you will see his preparation for the standardised herb as "Panax Ginseng C A Meyer") but it has been used in China and Korea for thousands of years prior to its 'official' classification. Some interesting studies have illustrated its effects with high blood sugar, indicating that ginseng could be a good supplement for diabetics to take. However, naturally this should be approached with great caution as typically people who are aware they have diabetes are already being treated for it by their doctors, and taking ginseng as well may cause problems.