King of Herbs - panax ginseng

Called the "King of Herbs", ginseng is the most well known herb of all time to longevity enthusiasts. The Taoists say that ginseng has the strongest ability of any herb to condense the earthly ch'i and the five elemental energies into it's root. Thus it can impart the "three vitalities" (ch'i, jing and shin) to anyone who partakes of it. Ginseng is revered for its ability to impart a clarity and awareness to its users. In the first recorded Chinese treatise on herbs, Shen Nung said: "Ginseng is a tonic to the five viscera, quieting the animal spirits, stabilizing the soul, preventing fear, expelling the vicious energies, brightening the eye and improving vision, opening up the heart benefiting the understanding, and if taken for some time will invigorate the body and prolong life..."Ginseng root is said to aid in replacing ch'i to the meridians and organs. It develops the center (earth element) and supplies an adaptability to stressful situations. It's name means "essence of the earth in the form of a man". The chief constituents of ginseng are largely long chain polysaccharides, saponins, ginsenins, panoxic acid, panaxin, panaquilon, elemental minerals, and some B vitamins as well as other substances. Over 28 of the ginsenosides discovered in the past few years in research have been used in studies proving ginseng's great value to health and long life.
Article from my website