What kinds of eastern medicine can I take for energy?

Question

What kinds of eastern medicine can I take for energy?

Answer 1

get plenty of rest, eat well and face east when you EXERCISE. ginseng

is the most common of many. can you say placebo?

Answer 2

Below is some info about ginseng but I'd go to other herbs. Ginseng is not what I recommend first when dealing with lack of energy. It is a great herb but has specific traits that may not be for everyone. but

there;s some more info about it at the bottom.

I'd recommend eleuthero root and Reishi mushroom. You may want to go to a natural food store,  like whole foods, and look at adrenal tonics.  Try Gaia herbs, Herb Pharm. or New Chapter.

Lack of energy can be caused by many things but the adrenal glands are a huge part of it, especially if you are a coffee drinker. Coffee puts a huge strain on the adrenal glands. These tonics will take about a week to start feeling the effects. You may feel it in days but it's usually at least a week.

As far as ginseng goes....

There are different types and grades of ginseng. the cheap stuff is not good quality and can be mixed with other herbs. True ginseng can get quite expensive. but there are some good middle of the road priced stuff out there. The most sought after by Asia is American Ginseng, Panax quinquefolius. Most of it is grown her in the US and 85% of that is shipped to Asia.

There's white ginseng (what it looks like when harvested). And red ginseng which is what happens after it's steamed. The red is more stimulating and a warmer herb. If you wanted to do ginseng I'd start out with white.

If you are taking prescription drugs or have high blood pressure I recommend consulting a naturopath who specializes in herbs or a clinical herbalist before taking any of these herbs. They can help you with the right formula for your needs

http://www.quickchange.com/ginsengstore/...

A quick note... I realized after posting that my lingo may be confusing to some. A tonic is something you take daily as opposed to something you take for acute conditions. Tonics effect you over time and help you in the long run. Eg. Eleuthero Rt is a tonic herb whereas coffee would be something you take for a pick me up (acute) but doesn't help energy reserved in the long term.

When taking herbs as tonics the body most certainly get used to them and they will lose their effect. for these stress/energy herbs stated above it's about 6-8 months. It's best to take a break or switch herbs.

You may find as I have, and as most people do, that taking herbs like Ginseng and eleuthero will effect your coffee intake. As the herbs start working, you won't need as much or any coffee, for the pick me up. As the coffee is now adding additional energy boosts that your body doesn't need. From clients and personal experience of rapid heart beats that can be quite uncomfortable.

A note on ephedra. This herb is not to be used lightly, especially for an energy boost. Only in acute situations or daily doses in very small quantities for respiratory restrictions. It is a bronchodialator. Great for asthmatics. Ephedra does have pick-me up-qualities to it. Years back the diet pill craze (Trim Spa and others) put ephedra in the pills as an energy booster and to increase metabolism.  The amount of ephedra that people ended up taking was too much. A few deaths ( I beleive heart failure) occured and the FDA took it off the market in the US and people were banned from selling it and most likely even possessing it (not sure about that part).

Practitioners/acupuncturists  couldn't even prescribe or sell it. This sometimes happens with herbs when individuals get their hands on them and try and make a profit by misusing the herb. Ephedra is gradually making a comeback here and I believe now can be administered only by a licensed acupuncturist.

Hope this clarifies things

Answer 3

Hi,

Ginseng is great - you could take it in a tea, leaf or tablet form.

B vitamins are also very important for energy - particularly B12.

Cheers!

Kristy

Answer 4

Energy drain could be due to number of reasons. Find out the reason first and take time to evaluate the cause.

Stopping the cause could recover lost energy.

Answer 5

Ma Huang (Ephedra gerardiana) tea.

Answer 6

Ginseng has been around for ages and works. As with any supplement don't expect immediate results.