Herbs & Energy
When I'm traveling the
East or West coasts, most people just don't get it
when I tell them I live in Arkansas. When Bill and
Hillary were omthe White House, at
least people had heard of Arkansas, and a few
people now know where the state is. Having grown-up
in Maine, I was thrilled when my botanical mentor
took me to see wild American ginseng growing in one
of its four Maine populations. In fact, I came to
really love those woods of southern Maine that
seemed to have a more interesting array of
medicinal plants than the coniferous woods of the
state. That's one of the reasons I moved to
Arkansas. I found the flora more interesting than
New England, especially the medicinal plants.
Today, in the third week of March, I spoke with my
mother in Maine, who complained about the snow
storm they received yesterday. I delighted in
telling her that it was a sunny day close to 80
deg. F. here in Arkansas, and that I was going to
have to mow the lawn for the first time this year.
That's another reason I chose Arkansas as my adult
home.
There's one more reason I
moved to Arkansas. The people are friendly. You can
talk to anyone. The opportunity to learn new things
is enormous. And there's a good deal of American
ginseng here. I've been in the process of having my
office remodeled. Seems that everyone here who is
involved in a nine-to-five construction job also
does a little hunting and fishing, and at the right
time of year digs a little "seng." They all seem to
have a little stash. My plumber brought over a
little bag of seng roots to share with me while we
took an afternoon break. He told me stories of just
how he and his friends use topo maps and soil maps
to find seng habitat, then they go in and harvest
the roots. He is real careful to make sure that he
doesn't dig a plant until it produces mature
fruits, so he can replant the seed, and how he and
his friend take only a little each year. That way
they can go to the same spot year after year and
dig a little seng. He made $20,000 last year
digging Echinacea root and ginseng.
Talking with my local
friends, I have learned alot about ginseng, where
it grows, how it grows, and how to use it. Some of
these fellows have a highly specialized knowledge,
recognizing genetic variants that aren't even
recorded by scientists. I learned through these
conversations that if you are driving long
distances at night, you get a little extra energy
to help keep you awake by chewing a little ginseng
root. I keep a ginseng root on the dash board of
the car when traveling long distances. Beats a cup
of coffee, too. The effect lasts longer, and keeps
you more alert.
Of course, today, here in
the midwest, virtually every quick stop convenience
store now has ginseng extract available at the
countertop. You can even get ginseng at discount
department stores. It seems that ginseng has found
its way into mainstream American culture. It's
about energy. We are all looking for more
energy.
As spiritual beings in a
physical body, more often than not, we find the
concept of energy a mystery, especially in trying
to figure out how it effects us directly. Or better
yet, how to get more. The American Heritage Dictionary defines energy
as vigor or power in action, vitality and intensity
of expression, or the capacity for action of
accomplishment. The word root is from the Latin energia or Greek, energos, coined by
Aristotle, to mean "active at work." To be active
at work, we have to be able to adapt to conditions,
adapt to stress, adapt to our environment, adapt to
the people around us, adapt to the underlying
events of our lives that effect us
subconsciously.
When it comes to
understanding our own energy, we must consider how
we can best understand how we program information
into our bodies, into our lives. How we adapt is
crucial. I strive for an energy level that I
remember from childhood. Waking up and stretching
every morning with delight, joy and full of energy,
ready for what ever the day will bring. As an aging
baby-boomer, my body doesn't quite keep up with the
memories.
How I adapt
depends upon the choices I make. A little stretch,
an aerobic walk, quiet meditation, sitting by the
pond and watching the dragon flies go about their
morning, helps me rediscover my energy reserves.
The Chinese call it qi or vital energy. It moves
through us, it animates us. In The Webb that has
no Weaver, Ted Kaptchuk offers that perhaps the
best way to think of Qi is as matter on the verge
of becoming energy or energy at the point of
materialization. The nature of Qi or a
conceptualization of it is beyond the speculation
of modern or ancient Chinese texts. Instead,
Kaptchuk tells us, the Chinese perceive Qi for what
it does.
There are two
ways of thinking about herbs as it relates to
energy. You can take the pharmacological approach -
sledge hammer wake-up call - in the form of central
nervous system stimulants. These mostly include
herbs that contain stimulant alkaloids such as
ephedra, caffeine, nicotine, theobromine and
others, all of which are ingredients in the major
stimulants used in our society. The other approach
is to gain energy by enhancing your ability to
adapt to your internal and external circumstances.
This is where herbs like ginseng come into play.
Historically called tonics, ginseng is now referred
to as an adaptogen.
The late, Prof.
I. I. Brekhman, M.D., the leading twentieth century
researcher on eleuthero or Siberian ginseng
(Eleutherococcus senticosus) defined an
adaptogen based on three inclusive criteria. 1. A substance which
"must be innocuous and cause minimal disorders in
the physiological functions of an organism." 2. A
substance which "must have a nonspecific action,"
such as the ability of E. senticosus extracts to modulate stress and improve performance
under a wide variety of stressful conditions. 3. A
substance which "usually has a normalizing action
irrespective of the direction of the pathologic
state."
The term ginseng suggests
that it helps us by helping to provide energy. Gin is the equivalent of the Chinese word
for "man" while seng is very closely
translated to "essence." In a traditional context,
ginseng means the crystallization of the essence of
the earth in the form of a man. According to
ginseng botanical specialist Dr. Shiu Ying Hu, "It
represents the vital spirit of the earth that
dwells in a root. It is the manifestation of the
spiritual phase of nature in material form."
My root digger friends in
Arkansas refer to ginseng as "seng." Seng is also a
slang term used by Chinese root diggers to refer to
any fleshy root stock harvested as a tonic in
traditional Chinese medicine. While there are
dozens of "seng" producing plants, there is only
one "gin-seng." Of course, in the context of the
American herb market, the term ginseng has evolved
to a much more ambiguous word. Eleutherococcus
senticosus was never referred to historically
as "Siberian ginseng" until it was first marketed
in the United States in the late 1960s and early
1970s. It's important to understand what ginseng is
and isn't. Just because a plant is in the botanical
family known as the ginseng family, does not mean
that it can be used as an adaptogen.
Generally speaking, there
are three plants that are adaptogens from the
ginseng family currently in the American market.
These are eleuthero or Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus
senticosus),
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and
Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng). Another
emerging adaptogen in the herb market, which has no
relationship to ginseng, is schisandra.
The vast majority of
scientific research, including pharmacological and
clinical studies conducted over the past forty
years, on ginseng has involved Panax ginseng Chinese ginseng (also called Korean or Asian
ginseng) Research has focused on radioprotective,
antitumor, antiviral, and metabolic effects;
antioxidant activities; nervous system and
reproductive performance; effects on cholesterol
and lipid metabolism, and endocrinological
activity. Research also suggests that ginseng has
non-specific immunostimulatory activity similar to
that of Echinacea. The active constituents of
ginseng are saponins called. According to recent
reports, there are at least 18 saponins found in
Asian ginseng. American and Asian ginseng both
contain different combinations of ginsenosides
which can in part explain there different
activities as understood by Asian traditional
medicine practitioners.
Most reliable clinical
studies on Asian ginseng have been conducted in
Europe. These studies have generally involved
extracts of Asian ginseng standardized to 4 percent
and 7 percent of ginsenosides. Results included a
shortening of time to react to visual and auditory
stimuli, increased respiratory quotient, increased
alertness, power of concentration, grasp of
abstract concepts, and increases in visual and
motor coordination. These are all measures of
adaptogenic response.
The German health
authorities allow Asian ginseng products to be
labeled as a tonic for invigoration to treat
fatigue, reduced work capacity and concentration,
and as a tonic during convalescence. Daily dosage
is 1 to 2 g of root in appropriate formulations is
allowed.
There seems to be general
agreement in the medicinal plant scientific
community about the value of Eleuthero as an
adaptogen. Since the 1960s dozens of clinical
studies have been conducted on eleuthero which
shows its value as an adaptogen. The studies,
though criticized for lacking proper controls, were
conducted in the former Soviet Union and involved
over 6,000 individuals. While the pharmacological
explanations of exactly how eleuthero extracts work
in humans is not clearly understood, there is
extensive animal and human evidence to support the
adaptogenic qualities of Eleuthero extract. Studies
and experience also confirm its safety. Currently
the German government allows eleuthero to be used
similarly to Panax ginseng as a tonic for
invigoration and fortification during times of
fatigue and debility; for declining work capacity
and concentration, as well as during convalescence.
It is used for up to three months with a repeated
course if necessary. The dose given is equivalent
to 1 g of the powdered root.
Schisandra fruits, a
rising star among adaptogens in the scientific
literature, yet still a sleeper in the American
herb market, has a bright future. Like Panax
ginseng Schisandra is considered to be
adaptogenic, somewhat weaker, but also very safe.
Laboratory experiments coupled with clinical trials
confirm that it helps to improve brain efficiency,
increase work capacity, stimulate the central
nervous system, improve reflexes, build strength,
and increase endurance of healthy individuals.
Research suggests a calmative effect on the central
nervous and that Schisandra can counteract the
stimulatory effect of caffeine. Studies on
cardiovascular effects have shown that it helps to
normalize blood pressure. It has been shown to have
a cough suppressing and expectorant effect in
laboratory animals. Schisandra is considered to be
strongly antioxidant.
An herb that will increase
my energy while having a calmative effect on my
nervous system sounds like the perfect adaptogen.
Maybe there is no such wonder herb. I will have to
continue to get plenty of sleep, eat right, reduce
stress in my life, and just take care of myself. As
much as anything, having energy is a state of
mind.
References
- Foster, S.
1996. American Ginseng, Panax
quinquefolius. Second
Edition. Botanical
Series, No. 308. Austin, Tex.: American
Botanical Council.
- ---. 1996.
Asian Ginseng, Panax ginseng. Second
Edition. Botanical Series, No. 303.
Austin, Tex.: American Botanical
Council.
- ---. 1996.
Siberian Ginseng, Eleutherococcus
senticosus. Second
Edition. Botanical
Series, No. 302. Austin, Tex.: American
Botanical Council.
- Foster, S. 1996. Herbs for Health, Loveland, Co:
Interweave Press.
- Foster, S.
and C. X. Yue. 1992. Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West.
Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press.
- Kaptchuk, T.
1983. The Web that has no Weave -
Understanding Chinese Medicine. New York:
Congdon & Weed.
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