Traditional Chinese Medicine

Posts Tagged ‘Tea’

Three plants have been revered in ancient and modern China for their healing properties: ginseng, green tea, and the Ningxia wolfberry. Ancient China is renowned for its rich tradition of natural medicine. Dozens of herbs and spices play a part in the Chinese lexicon, for cooking and for healing. In modern China, three of the most revered plants are ginseng, green tea, and wolfberry. Ginseng was revered in historical China because the root’s forked shape resembled “a little man.” In fact, its name is derived from the Chinese renshen meaning “man root.” It is used as a general tonic and to boost energy and vitality, and is especially good for men. Chinese and Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) is said to carry “yang” or masculine energy, and promotes circulation and warmth; American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), however, has “yin” or feminine energy.
Many people are surprised to learn that green tea is brewed from the same plant as black tea (Camellia sinensis). Only the processing of the leaves differs. Green tea is higher in antioxidants and polyphenols than other teas, and has been promoted to boost the immune system, fight cancer, improve heart health and more. Although the benefits of the polyphenols, catechins and other compounds in green tea have been shown to be helpful, human testing is still ambiguous about whether green tea has the health benefits that sellers claim. No effects of green tea have been scientifically established, perhaps because the caffeine content outweighs potential benefits. However, it remains one of the primary exports of Chinese culture – tea is still of noted ritual importance in China and Japan. Read the rest of this entry »

Ma Huang, the native-Chinese herb used in fat-burning supplements and also known as Ephedra, has been used as a natural treatment for a variety of illnesses spanning the past five thousand years. Early ailments treated by products of the Ma Huang plant include allergies, asthma, and related wheezing, coughing, fevers and colds. Although more prevalent in China, several species of Ma Huang are also found in North America, particularly in Utah.

The Ma Huang plant is an evergreen shrub that grows to an average of 50 cm tall and is native to desert regions in the countries where it can be found. Characterized by its variety of colors, the shrub has tiny leaves that remain green only briefly and tough yet flexible stems. Dependant upon the particular species, Ma Huang shrubs can display colors including green, yellow, red, or brown-gray. more

Ma Huang works as a stimulant. Biologically similar to methamphetamines, the substance derived from this plant has an effect similar to Epinephrine, only far stronger. A variety of stories concerning the use of Ma Huang exist in folklore, including its use by guards of Genghis Khan as a way to remain awake while on duty, and the consumption by early Mormons in Utah as a replacement for caffeine-loaded coffee and tea.

Because of the highly powerful stimulant reaction caused by derivatives of Ma Huang, herbal practitioners recommend use of the entire stem rather than extracts. Ephedrine extracted from Ma Huang is known to cause elevations to blood pressure and heart rate, while the effects of consumption of the entire stem are far milder. Beyond use as a stimulant, Ma Huang is also known for its mood elevating properties as well as its potential to speed weight loss by affecting the body’s metabolic rate through appetite suppression.

Ephedra is most popular is modern-day herbal medicine as a dietary supplement used by patients seeking mild to extreme weight loss. Most effective in individuals who already experience lower basal metabolic rates, Ephedra stimulates the body’s fat burning ability while taking away feelings of hunger. The resulting weight loss is often very welcome, but care should be taken to limit the rate of lost weight to a healthy level.

Although usage in moderation can have a positive impact on your health, Ma Huang is not without side effects. Because of its primary purpose as a stimulant, Ma Huang can cause sleeplessness and insomnia, although these symptoms will clear quickly after discontinuing use or adjusting dosage. Anyone suffering from problems related to blood pressure and heart disease should use with great caution, as Ma Huang can lead to dangerously high blood pressure and heart rates. Finally, because of its interaction with the body’s metabolic process, Ma Huang can lead to feelings of nervousness and anxiety and lead to dry mouth, headache and tremors.

The use of Ephedra or Ephedrine was banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States in 2004 due to an increase in adverse reactions and even several deaths reportedly caused by its ingestion. Following additional research into both the benefits and detriments of the use of Ma Huang, a Federal District Court overruled the ban in 2005, but set into place a provision that limits dosage to 10 mg or less. As with any drug or dietary supplement, use Ma Huang carefully and upon consultation with your doctor.

During the last few decades the health industry has boomed and supposed wonder drugs are getting explored every now and then. We have explored genetically modified crops, wholly organic cultivation and ever improved health supplements. But there are a few incredibly beneficial and completely natural ways of health enhancement waiting to be explored.
Goji juice is one of the most notable among them. Offering the unbelievable benefits of Lycium Barbarum berries, Goji juice is one of the best kept secrets of the Himalayas. Though unknown to the outside world, Goji has been held in esteem in the ancient wisdom of China, India and Tibet. The natives had benefited from the alkaline berry for over 3,000 years before its fame drew researchers and medical practitioners from outside. more
Goji juice is made from Goji berry which is also known as Chinese Wolfberry or Tibetan Goji berry. Goji vines are grown in valleys of Himalaya, Tibet, parts of China and Mongolia. The alkaline berry is very tender and is locally known as “happy berry” because of the positive state it induces. The berry has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries now.
In China the berries are eaten raw, drunk as tea and is cooked too. The natives consider Goji as a miracle drug but that depends on what one means by miracle. However, scientific research has proved that Goji is incredibly rich in vital elements that the human body requires. Goji supplies the body with 19 amino acids including eight essential ones, 21 trace minerals, Betaine, Physlin and high amounts of vitamin B and E and fatty acids. Vitamin B is essential for converting food into energy.
The berry is remarkable for providing elements that are normally not found in fruits and berries. Vitamin E is one such element. Even if they are the quantities are never so high. There is 11 mg of iron per 100 gm of Goji berry. It also has a protein content which is higher that of many cereals. Goji contains complex phytonutrients and bio flavinoids. A full range of antioxidant carotenoids are present in the berry. Antioxidants are instrumental in neutralizing the free radical with the body and are thus essential to keeping the body young and revitalized. The berry is also rich in polysaccharides which are necessary for fortification of the immune system.
The immense benefits of Goji berries are made widely available in the form of Goji juice. While dried or dehydrated berries are also available in the market, the benefits of Goji are best availed in the form of juice. Goji juice is available either in pure form which can be mixed with other natural juices according to taste or it comes pr-mixed with other fruit juices to neutralize the mildly bitter taste. However, post mixing it tastes great.
Goji juice is a completely natural way of enhancing health and ensuring a continued sense of well being. However, one has to be careful while selecting a brand of Goji juice as it is being extensively marketed across the world as a miracle drug and that has given rise to many fraudulent marketers. That is why you will have to source it only from a well established and reputed company.

Surprised aren’t you? Believe it or not but you will find green tea or green tea extract included as an ingredient in some much popular weight loss supplements. Green tea is gaining popularity as a weight loss supplement. It’s being used as a digestive aid for quite sometime but now experts agree that green tea can also induce weight loss, the Chinese have touted its benefits for centuries. But nowadays due to global access to virtually any product, the rest of the world has also discovered about the benefits of green tea with regards weight loss. But have you ever wondered why the supplement makers are so hastily including green tea in their weight loss products? Well there are numerous benefits. more

Benefits of Green Tea Most importantly green tea extract often replaces the caffeine component of the standard ephedrine caffeine -salicin (aspirin) fat burning batch. That makes green tea a great fat burner. That’s not all what green tea does! It also provides additional benefits far and beyond what caffeine does. Firstly it’s a powerful anti-oxidant like vitamin C and beta-carotene. But the researchers suggest that the active ingredient called epigallocatechin gallate may be up to 200 times more powerful than vitamin E as an oxidant.

Increases metabolism and thermogenesis

Green tea’s component catechin polyphenol speeds up fat oxidation and thermogeneis (heat generated when the body burns up the fat). Alabama scientist Christopher Freville specifies that this compound increases the body metabolism and enhances the effects of protein diets and exercise. Traditional green tea contains caffeine but nowadays you can get caffeine free varieties in the market. Reduces Cholesterol Green tea also aids in reducing bad cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins. Majority of obesity related problems and cardiovascular diseases are caused by this bad cholesterol. LDL can also leave deposits on the arteries, which can interfere with the blood circulation, and this interference causes stroke, heart attacks and other serious health issues. Green tea can also washes out LDL the bad cholesterol and slows down the conversion to the dietary fats into cholesterol.

Regulates Glucose Level

Unused sugar and carbohydrates are stored in the body in the form of fat cells, which appears as excess weight. Green tea prevents this formation by blocking amylase enzyme that helps in breaking down starches to be absorbed by the body. Green tea catechin prevents obesity by regulating the movement of glucose in fat cells. It also prevents the formation of blood clots that is thrombosis that causes heart attack, thus reducing the risk of stroke.

By drinking about 2-4 cups if green tea per day you can shed about some weight. But while preparing green tea do not use boiling water, as this will make the tea bitter as the longer the tea steeps in the more bitter it will taste.

Green tea can be used for weight loss as well as it can be used as another tool towards good health. Most importantly you must carve out a healthy lifestyle which includes balanced died and daily physical activity.