Oiling The Gates: How ginseng works in the body

We know that secretions from various glands (hormones are some of these) control the bodys systems, (ie the adrenal glands control the output of the hormone adrenaline which regulates energy levels).

When these glands are in "perfect health", they control the function of the rest of the organs in a balanced and therefore "healthy" way.

So, imagine that all these secretions are flowing out of gates from the glands that produce them. For the first years of our lives the gates work as they should opening when needed and shutting down when not to give the body these valuable substances needed for balance and preventing Dis-ease. However, as you go through the stresses and strains of modern living and aging, these gates rust or lose their ability to function, thus causing Hormonal Imbalance and its many mostly negative side effects!

The active ingredients in ginseng, especially in the case of American Ginseng for Women and men dealing with stress, seem to Oil the Gates and help the body once again function in a more balanced and healthy way. The body is then better equipped to handle states of DisHarmony.

Therefore ginseng works on the whole person, helping to Oil the Gates and allowing one to find and maintain a new balance within the body. In the many thousands of documented studies of ginseng world wide the overwhelming agreement is that prolonged use of the right type of ginseng can be a major factor in countering the effects of Fatigue, Aging, Hormonal Imbalance and Stress as a short list

Better performance physically and mentally, hormonal re-balancing, stronger immune systems, better sleep cycles, quicker recovery from both physical and stress issues are the more common testimonials heard on a regular basis from those who have been using American Ginseng as part of their wellness program.

While most will notice the short- term benefits of more energy, taking Ginseng is really about the longer term LifeStyle changes that many have experienced.

Ginseng is classified as an Adaptogen by pharmacologists and the most noted say it is the best of this class of active plant medicines.

Here is a good definition of Adaptogen for those who want a little background:

Adaptogen

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) (edited)

The term adaptogen is used by herbalists to refer to natural herb products that increase the body's resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. In the past, they have been called rejuvenating herbs, qi tonics, rasayanas, or restoratives. All adaptogens contain antioxidants, but antioxidants are not necessarily adaptogens and that is not proposed to be their primary mode of action.

The concept of adaptogens dates back thousands of years to ancient India and China, but modern study did not begin until the late 1940s. In 1947, Nikolai Lazarev defined an adaptogen as an agent that allows the body to counter adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by raising nonspecific resistance toward such stress, thus allowing the organism to "adapt" to the stressful circumstances.

In 1968, Israel I. Brekhman, PhD, and I. V. Dardymov formally gave adaptogens a functional definition, as follows:

- An adaptogen is nontoxic to the recipient.

- An adaptogen produces a nonspecific response in the body and an increase in the power of resistance against multiple stressors including physical, chemical, or biological agents.

- An adaptogen has a normalizing influence on physiology, irrespective of the direction of change from physiological norms caused by the stressor.

Under this definition, adaptogens would be nontoxic in normal doses, produce a general defensive response against stress, and have a normalizing influence on the body.

Adaptogenic herbs are unique from other substances in their ability to balance endocrine hormones and the immune system, and they help the body to maintain optimal homeostasis. Adaptogens are proposed to have a normalizing effect on the body and to be capable of either toning down the activity of hyperfunctioning systems or strengthening the activity of hypofunctioning systems. However, they are also proposed to be functional at the level of allostasis, which is a more dynamic reaction to long term stress

What is really GINSENG and what does real Ginseng do?

The Ginseng plant family (araleace) is one of the oldest on the planet. It can be traced back millions of years to when (Pangaea) or the single land mass of earth existed. As the continents drifted apart over the millennia the plant found itself adapting to growing in different conditions and in this process evolved into primarily two ginseng cousins, which have been identified as different medicines, each having its place in todays modern pharmacopeia of medicinal herbs.

Science is in agreement that balance and stress reduction are a major keys to a healthful body and long life. 5,000 years of Chinese medicine shows that the use of Ginseng can be part of a way to reduce stress and reach that balanced, healthier, longer life.

Ginseng is one of the most complex plants studied in relation to stress and balance and its unique active ingredients known as ginsenosides appear in different balances depending on the plants growing conditions and age.

There are over twenty plants often called GINSENG, with only two; Asian Ginseng (panax ginseng) and American Ginseng (panax quinquefolium) recognized by plant and pharmacological experts to be the real ginsengs that are studied as such and their medicinal benefits have been documented for over 5,000 years. Asian Ginseng is revered as The King of Herbs in the Chinese pharmacopeia. Its once lesser-known American cousin, panax quinquifolium is now the number one Ginseng of Choice for women and stress reduction in China.

These two cousin plants have basically 14 different ginsenosides and they can be roughly split in half in the reactions they have when introduced in the human body.

Half of these ginsenosides are what the Chinese call heating or yang.They are the stimulating ones that have been often prescribed for men and those wanting that ginseng rush often identified with the plant in modern marketing materials. This stimulating ginsenoside balance is found in mostly in Asian ginseng that has been grown under cultivation and is the most common type of Ginseng found in todays marketplace.

The other half of the ginsenosides are what are identified as cooling or yin in the Chinese traditional medicinal model. They are the key active ingredients in balancing todays overheated lifestyles and recent research shows can be an important rebalancing agent for women during their hormonal change of life. These yin ginsenosides are the type found in American Ginseng with the best ginseng containing them now being cultivated in areas like Wisconsin, then trough the midwest to New York and then south down the Appalachian Mountains.

c 2009Ginseng Strategies/Steve Rose

Sounds Great, But How do I Take Ginseng?

Ginseng is a gentle tonic herb that works over a period of time. Traditionally, Chinese herbalists give tonics, such as ginseng, in cycles or courses, with a rest period. A typical cycle usually lasts for three-four months with one month of rest.

Courses usually begin before the change of seasons, both the seasonal changes of the weather, summer/heat, winter/cold as well as the seasons brought on by the changes in ones life environment, such as a job change, a new relationship, aging milestones, children or anything else that might be a stress on the bodys systems.

In order for Ginseng to work appropriately, it is important to build a baseline level of ginseng. To reach baseline levels, a course consisting of ginseng in a whole root or powdered capsule form is suggested. This allows the gentle action of the active ingredients found in ginseng, primarily ginsenosides, to run their course throughout the body and realize their benefits and Oil the gates.

Although extracts and teas do not contain the full spectrum of ginsengs active ingredients, they are often used for more immediate and complimentary benefits due to the faster sublingual absorption, so these can be taken in conjunction with a course of roots or capsules.

Since ginseng seems to work on a cellular level, the load-in time for ginseng is anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the individual, although some results are noticed by most users within days.

Anywhere from 500-1500 mg. of roots or capsules should be taken daily for the initial load-in period. The amount of ginseng used varies depending on the sex, age and body weight of the user. Usually, older and larger persons may start with larger amounts of ginseng. Doubling the amount of ginseng taken during the first 7 to 10 days of the load-in period may speed up the process.

Once the cells are saturated with sufficient levels of ginsenosides, one needs to maintain steady-state levels of the active ingredients to continue to achieve the desired tonic benefits of ginseng. Additional ginseng intake after saturation tends to pass through unused.

To maintain steady-state levels, one needs to have enough ginseng coming into the cells to replace what is being used up. What determines how much ginsenosides get used up is the level of hormonal activity and the stress levels one is subject to, which will vary from time to time and from person to person.

The best way to determine optimum intake of ginseng to maintain steady-state levels, is to stop taking ginseng for a trial period after the initial load-in. During this time, you will tend to revert back to pre-load-in state of health. At this time start the second course, lasting one to two months. After the second course, stop taking ginseng for another off-cycle. Repeat this cycle one more time. During your third off-cycle, increased awareness of body changes will signal an imbalance of steady-state levels and should prompt you to start the next course of ginseng. You now will know your bodys signals of increased stress and can best determine your own baseline ginseng needs.

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