He Shou Wu - The Uses of He Shou Wu
Plant Profile - He Shou Wu - The uses of He Shou Wu
(Polygonum multiflorum)
Are you dealing with prematurely gray hair or concerned about becoming older? Think “Fo-Ti!’’. In Chinese “The elixir of life!” “Fo-Ti” is another common name of He Shou Wu. He Shou Wu is a typical tonic for longevity, a refreshing herb for stress and fatigue, and improves your consciousness. Its herbal contents help us to flourish as we grow old.
Tonic For Longevity
He Shou Wu is a Chinese name. A man’s name from the Tang Dynasty "whose impotence was allegedly cured" by the herb. A few people know this. The herb was also known to be responsible for restoring his hair color to black from gray. He had a long healthy life and died at the age of 130years. Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine has made us learn more about the medicinal benefits of this herb itself, rather than imagining travelling to the past to interview Mr. He Shou Wu about this herb.
The herb He Shou Wu is mostly utilized in TCM to help minimize old age signs and improve the quality of everybody tissue (teeth, hair, blood) you might want to enhance as you get older. It serves as a remedy for baldness (hair loss) and early graying of hair (Yance, 2013).
He Shou Wu has a significant role to play in ALL these. YES! It has! With this important piece of information at the back of your mind, it is no longer a secret how Mr. He Shou Wu lived for 130years.
Don't be worried! Sooner than later, you will get more information, but for now, let's explore the broader perspective.
For the Guys
Did you forget how our buddy Mr He notably "cured" his impotence with the herb, He Shou Wu? Among the merits of this miraculous root is it nurtures your body fluids, e.g. the semen. Of course! Your semen has to be nourished into little potent swimmers..... (Goodness knows!)
He Shou Wu is an effective stimulant for your sexual vibrancy and sex organs. By "sexual vibrancy", it doesn't imply immediate arousal-like we discussed in our ashwagandha profile-but rather as a therapy for expressing your sexual energy.
He Shou Wu For Female Libido
Despite enhancing our sexual vitality and energy, women show resent using He Shou Wu because it is popularly referred to as an exclusive tonic for males However, He Shou Wu can be utilized to nurture the female reproductive system. It helps to control the vaginal discharge and in the treatment of vulvovaginitis. Though widely patronized by the male folks, He Shou Wu also has hidden rewards for females.
A Refreshing Adaptogen
Reading through our codonopsis profile, you will appreciate having an herb that is both energizing and nourishing as well. Similarly, He Shou Wu belongs to the family of special herbs that provides stress-managing, refreshing and energy-restoring functionalities simultaneously.
As an adaptogen that refreshes, He Shou Wu helps to control your body’s stress hormones. These hormones (norepinephrine and epinephrine) are released whenever your body is subjected to stress, thus, prevents us from a panic reaction and a negative mindset.
Adaptogens are generally used to manage the body's stress levels and not only energize the body while reducing the stress level, which can easily allow panic and anger to set in. However, He Shou Wu, in addition, provides a more stable state of mind and mood (Yance, 2013).
He Shou Wu with Rasa Coffee
Can you recollect when Vital essence and Qi tonification was discussed in the eleuthero and codonopsis profile, respectively? He Shou Wu also aid to boost your Vital essence and liver Qi. This also helps improve our neuroendocrine system and hormonal balance (Yance, 2013).
You could be wondering...., Is this necessary? Why is another adaptogen needed in addition to Rasa, which also has one? Please note this - when He Shou Wu is added to Rasa Coffee containing other herbs, the tonification action of He Shou Wu is reinforced. The combination is simply about action potential and synergy in herbal medicine.
Our General Wellness
Liken to Israel's iron dome defence system, He Shou Wu provides an all-around defense for our body system by strengthening the body's hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, our central stress response system. It does this by regulating the norepinephrine and epinephrine levels of the body (Yance, 2013). In recognition that our capability to adjust and manage stressors is closely related to how several neurological events develop in our later life, it is relevant to state that He Shou Wu takes care of our overall wellness and health in various ways.
Not An All-Purpose Medicine
As with every herb, He Shou Wu is not "an all-purpose" type of herb. When acquiring He Shou Wu, it is advisable that you know if the herb is unprocessed or cured. An unprocessed He Shou Wu taken contrary to the dosage recommended can result in tummy aches like abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea. Cured He Shou Wu is milder in effects, safer, and seems to cause lesser gastrointestinal irritations.
In addition, it is advisable you take He Shou Wu under the directive of an expert healthcare provider if you have a hepatic (liver) disease.
