Root of life: keep yourself grounded in a stressful world with ginseng.(INSIDE & OUT)(Usage Of Ginseng)

For thousands of years, ginseng--referred to as the "root of life"--has been used to treat a myriad of heath conditions from stomachaches to poor circulation. Today it has become all herbal darling in the West for its adaptogenic qualities--that is, its ability to help the body adapt to stress and ultimately achieve balance.

"Consuming high-quality Siberian or American ginseng can help you feel more energized but also calmer, like drinking a cup of coffee without the jitters," says Rory Lipsky, author of One Trip Around the Sun: A Guide to Using Diet, Herbs, Exercise and Meditation to Harmonize with the Seasons.

Depending on what your body needs, ginseng can either arouse or relax. It's bidirectional--capable of sending one of two contradictory signals to the body. For example, in a person with a low white blood cell count, a bidirectional herb will stimulate the body to make more. In a person with a high count, it will signal the body to make fewer. It strives to bring the body into balance over time, Lipsky says.

You can begin to experience ginseng's benefits within one to three months of taking the herb. (Chinese herbs take effect over time; they are not a quick fix.) Because it's a tonic herb--meaning that it can either increase or decrease a bodily function without overexciting the body--a high-quality product can be used safely in the correct dosage for an indefinite period of time. Ginseng can also be quite stimulating. "If you find your cheeks getting rosy or that vein in your forehead pounding, stop taking it," Lipsky says. This effect, as well as jitters, high blood pressure, headaches, etc., can also occur from taking a poor quality ginseng.

There are a variety of ginsengs, each with its own unique properties. White Panax ginseng is a bit milder than its sister red P, max ginseng. American ginseng is the gentlest, whereas the Korean type is the most stimulating and ideal for someone with a slow metabolism, according to Lipsky.

As for how much, Janet Zand, ND, OMD, says that ii one is taking ginseng to combat stress or ...