Forums > Social Chat > Ginseng
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HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
So I'm not sure if this post is in the right place, but if not, I invite any moderator to move it to a more appropriate place.
Ok, so as many of you know I'm a medical student. What you may not know is that I'm pretty heavily into Complimentary and
Alternative Medicine (CAM), herbs, homeopathy, that sort of stuff.
So today we actually had some naturopaths lecturing to us and I asked one of them about ginseng. I'm going to share it here because I'd bet that some people here might use it. Here's what I learned:
*There are two major types of Ginseng, Eluthro and Panax . Eluthro is commonly known as Siberian Ginseng. Panax is a genus that comes in two varieties, American and Asian, a.k.a. Korean, a.k.a. Chinese. These two varieties are very similar, medicinally.
* Eluthro raises body temperature, causes some sweating, and elevates your blood pressure, but that's about it. Not really worth taking. Panax , on the other hand, is anti-inflammatory and seems to increase physical endurance.
*You can get ginseng and its extracts in various commercial teas and beverages, but they are often loaded with adulterants, their potency is unpredictable, and they often contain both Eluthro and Panax . For this reason, this is not recommended.
*If you want to try using ginseng to enhance athletic performance, do so as follows: Buy some organic ginseng root. Prices vary, but good ginseng is a few hundred US dollars a pound. A two week's supply costs maybe US$5. Make sure that the root is relatively uniform in color and that it has no mold growing on it. Many health food stores carry ginseng root, but do NOT get pre-ground ginseng as oxygen can damage the active compounds!
Grind up the root (use a coffee grinder; ginseng root is a bit softer than balsa wood, so grinding it by hand is a pain in the forearm). For each teaspoon of ground root, add one cup of water to a pot. Boil the root in the water for 20 minutes to make a tea (technically, a tea that is made by continuous boiling is called a "dicoction"). Monitor it because it likes to boil over!
This can be kept in the fridge for a week. Drink about one cup a day for two to three weeks. Then stop for a week or two. Then start again.
*You'll notice changes in your athletic performance often on the first day you start using ginseng, but it may take as long as a week to notice any differences.
*You should not use ginseng if you have high blood pressure or are taking medicine to lower your blood pressure; you are taking blood thinners, antiplatlet drugs, or anticoagulant drugs; or you are taking a stimulant prescribed by a doctor. Do not mix ginseng with ephedrine-containing products like Ma-Juang.
Be well.
[ 16 May 2002, 17:05: Message edited by: MikeGinny ]
So I'm not sure if this post is in the right place, but if not, I invite any moderator to move it to a more appropriate place.
Ok, so as many of you know I'm a medical student. What you may not know is that I'm pretty heavily into Complimentary and
Alternative Medicine (CAM), herbs, homeopathy, that sort of stuff.
So today we actually had some naturopaths lecturing to us and I asked one of them about ginseng. I'm going to share it here because I'd bet that some people here might use it. Here's what I learned:
*There are two major types of Ginseng, Eluthro and Panax . Eluthro is commonly known as Siberian Ginseng. Panax is a genus that comes in two varieties, American and Asian, a.k.a. Korean, a.k.a. Chinese. These two varieties are very similar, medicinally.
* Eluthro raises body temperature, causes some sweating, and elevates your blood pressure, but that's about it. Not really worth taking. Panax , on the other hand, is anti-inflammatory and seems to increase physical endurance.
*You can get ginseng and its extracts in various commercial teas and beverages, but they are often loaded with adulterants, their potency is unpredictable, and they often contain both Eluthro and Panax . For this reason, this is not recommended.
*If you want to try using ginseng to enhance athletic performance, do so as follows: Buy some organic ginseng root. Prices vary, but good ginseng is a few hundred US dollars a pound. A two week's supply costs maybe US$5. Make sure that the root is relatively uniform in color and that it has no mold growing on it. Many health food stores carry ginseng root, but do NOT get pre-ground ginseng as oxygen can damage the active compounds!
Grind up the root (use a coffee grinder; ginseng root is a bit softer than balsa wood, so grinding it by hand is a pain in the forearm). For each teaspoon of ground root, add one cup of water to a pot. Boil the root in the water for 20 minutes to make a tea (technically, a tea that is made by continuous boiling is called a "dicoction"). Monitor it because it likes to boil over!
This can be kept in the fridge for a week. Drink about one cup a day for two to three weeks. Then stop for a week or two. Then start again.
*You'll notice changes in your athletic performance often on the first day you start using ginseng, but it may take as long as a week to notice any differences.
*You should not use ginseng if you have high blood pressure or are taking medicine to lower your blood pressure; you are taking blood thinners, antiplatlet drugs, or anticoagulant drugs; or you are taking a stimulant prescribed by a doctor. Do not mix ginseng with ephedrine-containing products like Ma-Juang.
Be well.
[ 16 May 2002, 17:05: Message edited by: MikeGinny ]
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
SILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted:
How come everything on this board eventually comes back to sex?
quote:A "friend" of mine was seeing a sweet boy who was taking this stuff. Shall we just say:- phwoarrr!!! Grrrrrowll!!! Like a tiger!!!
Changes in your athletic performance!!!
How come everything on this board eventually comes back to sex?
It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.
What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...
member
536 posts
Location: carson city, nevada
536 posts
Location: carson city, nevada
Posted:
I think the stuff kinda tastes like ass
I think the stuff kinda tastes like ass
you can't have a war against terrorism because war IS terrorism.it's not about worshipping fire. its about making the fire want to worship you.
SILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted:
Nah, you're think of Canadian Beer
Besides, the advantage is, if someone else is taking it, all you have to do is keep up!!!
Nah, you're think of Canadian Beer
Besides, the advantage is, if someone else is taking it, all you have to do is keep up!!!
It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.
What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...
member
15 posts
Location: Brisbane,Australia
15 posts
Location: Brisbane,Australia
Posted:
good one.
I'm studying natural therapies in Australia starting next year. What's it like there?? i'm really keen to do an exchange to the UK or the USA in my 2nd - third year.
I spose u know about weight loss herbs????? brindleberry, fennel, chromium for cravings, what else is good????????
good one.
I'm studying natural therapies in Australia starting next year. What's it like there?? i'm really keen to do an exchange to the UK or the USA in my 2nd - third year.
I spose u know about weight loss herbs????? brindleberry, fennel, chromium for cravings, what else is good????????
member
82 posts
Location: Perf, australia
82 posts
Location: Perf, australia
Posted:
hmmm. thats weird. i spoke to my mum tonight (she works with a natropath) and shes getting me some siberian ginseng tablets, to deal with stress.
so yeah, Eluthro is being marketed commercially, in Australia at least.
i only realised i was stressed when i was constantly tired, yet had insomnia, my hair was falling out, and my skin got really really dry. yuck.
at least upcoming exams mean i have no social life right now. i feel shitey.
these herbs better work.
hmmm. thats weird. i spoke to my mum tonight (she works with a natropath) and shes getting me some siberian ginseng tablets, to deal with stress.
so yeah, Eluthro is being marketed commercially, in Australia at least.
i only realised i was stressed when i was constantly tired, yet had insomnia, my hair was falling out, and my skin got really really dry. yuck.
at least upcoming exams mean i have no social life right now. i feel shitey.
these herbs better work.
member
536 posts
Location: carson city, nevada
536 posts
Location: carson city, nevada
Posted:
for reducing stress I prefer using damiana (turnera diffusa) or dream herb (calea zacatechichi). the dream herb works beautifully for insomnia as well.
for reducing stress I prefer using damiana (turnera diffusa) or dream herb (calea zacatechichi). the dream herb works beautifully for insomnia as well.
you can't have a war against terrorism because war IS terrorism.it's not about worshipping fire. its about making the fire want to worship you.
GOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
Poppy, to answer your post, I am not studying naturopathic or herbal medicine, I am studying regular, modern medicine. CAM is a side-interest of mine.
For weight loss, I don't have much knowledge of herbs. I used diet and exercise and lost 45 pounds (that's about 20 kilos for those of you who use a sensible measurement system). I've heard that green tea helps you burn fat if you have 3-4 mugs a day. But I didn't use herbs for that.
That said, there are herbs for this, herbs for that.... I think it's important to realize that herbs are useful, but that they are much like drugs. And what's more, they can have interactions with drugs. (And I mean "drugs" as in medicines, not just recreational ones). It's best to get plenty of exercise, drink plenty of water, eat right, and stay relaxed through whatever behavioral trick you have. I use yoga, meditation, and swimming for relaxation.
Yeah, drugs (whether herbal or chemical) are a part of life, but it's possible to go overboard. That's my general comment on the issue.
Peace.
Poppy, to answer your post, I am not studying naturopathic or herbal medicine, I am studying regular, modern medicine. CAM is a side-interest of mine.
For weight loss, I don't have much knowledge of herbs. I used diet and exercise and lost 45 pounds (that's about 20 kilos for those of you who use a sensible measurement system). I've heard that green tea helps you burn fat if you have 3-4 mugs a day. But I didn't use herbs for that.
That said, there are herbs for this, herbs for that.... I think it's important to realize that herbs are useful, but that they are much like drugs. And what's more, they can have interactions with drugs. (And I mean "drugs" as in medicines, not just recreational ones). It's best to get plenty of exercise, drink plenty of water, eat right, and stay relaxed through whatever behavioral trick you have. I use yoga, meditation, and swimming for relaxation.
Yeah, drugs (whether herbal or chemical) are a part of life, but it's possible to go overboard. That's my general comment on the issue.
Peace.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
Ninja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.
Posted:
I hear damiana is good for that too.
I found that when I'm tired and I need to not only stay awake, but to function as well, ginsing is waaaay better than coffee or most anything else. With coffee your body get wired but your brain is still all fuzzy. Ginsing gives you more evergy and improves concentration, and its more of a natural energy. Ginsing is brilliant stuff.
quote:Lol, you bet'cha
A "friend" of mine was seeing a sweet boy who was taking this stuff. Shall we just say:- phwoarrr!!! Grrrrrowll!!! Like a tiger!!!
I hear damiana is good for that too.
I found that when I'm tired and I need to not only stay awake, but to function as well, ginsing is waaaay better than coffee or most anything else. With coffee your body get wired but your brain is still all fuzzy. Ginsing gives you more evergy and improves concentration, and its more of a natural energy. Ginsing is brilliant stuff.
Jesus helps me trick people.
GOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
Puppy,
Other thing about Ginseng is that you CAN sleep on it, unlike coffee.
But it lets you stay awake.
Puppy,
Other thing about Ginseng is that you CAN sleep on it, unlike coffee.
But it lets you stay awake.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
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