Description Ginseng is a perennial plant that belongs to the genus Panax of the Araliaceae family. About ten species of ginseng are cultivated around the world, the best-known species are Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, native to Northeast Asia, and Panax quinquefolius.
This plant sacralized in Asia has become the mercantile toy of sellers of natural miracles. And it works! Today, ginseng-derived products reach a worldwide turnover of $2.7 billion. The small root represents a sure value of lucrative herbal medicine... However, there is something to be wary of!
The craze around ginseng is global, with derivatives wackier than each other! Its virtues? Treating colds, improving sports performance, filling memory loss and chronic fatigue... A miracle plant cultivated intensively in Asia and the United States and which today is directly threatened with extinction. Intensive production leads to the use of chemicals and therefore significantly reduced efficiency.
On the menu: a cocktail of insecticides and fungicides
Many pharmaceutical institutes have found the presence of toxic substances in most commercially available ginsengs. In the majority of cases, they have pesticide residues including organochlorines that are eliminated extremely slowly from the body, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a fungicide banned in agriculture in Western countries, but also LINDANE, the insecticide that replaced DDT.
Undeniable efficiency.
'Natural' ginseng still deserves its name as a great healer. It is popular for maintaining natural energy, increasing mental and physical abilities, improving mood, and promoting overall health. It has a complex and effective action on diseases of the central nervous system: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression, and many other neurological disorders. It is a regulator of the immune system and is beneficial in inflammatory and infectious diseases. It fights against cardiovascular diseases by its antioxidant action, acts in lipid metabolism (it is, therefore, anti-obesity), the regulation of blood pressure, and on the reduction of platelet adhesion
But be careful, it may not be good for you!
Healthy people do not need the tonic-stimulating effect of ginseng! It is also not recommended in case of exhaustion. It is adapted to our stressed contemporary lives, but should not endorse individual performance as a rule of life. It is also contraindicated in cases of cardiovascular disorders, insomnia, schizophrenia, diabetes, hypertension, or low blood pressure, not to mention the traditional interactions recognized with anticoagulants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and triptans.
Professionals recommend it only to the following people:
Elderly people with decreased metabolic and cognitive functions (intermittent treatment).Sedentary insulin-resistant recurrent infections.
People in times of major stress, overwork, mood, and memory disorders.
How to make a ginseng cure?
Usually, it is advisable to do ginseng cures for 1 to 3 months. The cure can be renewed up to 2 times a year, to strengthen the body before winter, or at the arrival of spring for example.
As the dosage to be respected may vary depending on the concentration of active ingredients, it is preferable to consult the manufacturer's leaflet. Most often, the recommended dosage is 2 capsules per day, to be distributed in the morning and noon. Be careful, however, taking ginseng is not recommended after 4 p.m.: its energizing properties could lead to insomnia. Even if ginseng is very well tolerated, it is better to start the cure gradually, before increasing the daily dosage.
In addition, ginseng is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people who suffer from heart problems. This herb can also interact with other medications, so it is essential to check with your doctor.
To fully enjoy the benefits of ginseng, it is of course essential to maintain a balanced diet during your treatment. Food supplements do not replace a healthy lifestyle, they only give a boost to feel better!
As the dosage to be respected may vary depending on the concentration of active ingredients, it is preferable to consult the manufacturer's leaflet. Most often, the recommended dosage is 2 capsules per day, to be distributed in the morning and noon. Be careful, however, taking ginseng is not recommended after 4 p.m.: its energizing properties could lead to insomnia. Even if ginseng is very well tolerated, it is better to start the cure gradually, before increasing the daily dosage.
In addition, ginseng is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people who suffer from heart problems. This herb can also interact with other medications, so it is essential to check with your doctor.
To fully enjoy the benefits of ginseng, it is of course essential to maintain a balanced diet during your treatment. Food supplements do not replace a healthy lifestyle, they only give a boost to feel better!