A perennial plant, ginseng is often found in heavily wooded areas and requires rich soil to thrive. Ginseng takes several years to mature, with most roots cultivated when the plant is between 3-10 years old. After too many years the plant and its root can begin to degenerate, and the root may become pitted and wooden.

     The plant itself is very attractive, with well shaped green leaves and bright red berries; however it is only the root that has any medicinal value. Its original name means Man Root, due to the shape of the ginseng root which strongly resembles the form of a human body.

     Ginseng is a member of the Araliacae family. The American ginseng plant, Panax Quinquefolius, has become in such high demand in Asia that more than 85% of American grown ginseng is exported to asian markets.
 

• Opening the mind
• Strengthening the body
• Improving memory
• Increasing vitality
• Extending endurance
• Cleansing the body of stress
• Fighting fatigue
• Resisting disease
• Bolstering immunity
• Balancing metabolism
• Preventing headaches
• Treating sleep disorders and overcoming insomnia
• Ginseng has had beneficial effects on women suffering post-menopausal symptoms.
• Ginseng has also demonstrated clinical improvements in virility among men, and effected improvements in conditions of sexual dysfunction for both sexes.

     The most popular ways of consuming ginseng root are as an infusion or as an extract. The dried roots can also be sliced for consumption by themselves or in combination with other foods such as honey. Alternatively, they can be powdered and added to foods that way, or the powder packed into gel capsules.

     To prepare as an infusion (tea) bring 24 ounces of water to a boil, preferably in a non-metallic container such as an enamel or porcelain pot, and then add 1-3 grams of dry whole or sliced ginseng root.

     Reduce the flame and simmer covered for about 20-30 minutes. You can boil longer if you prefer, up until the water is about half reduced.

     Allow the resultant tea to reach room temperature. In Daoist thought, which permeates Chinese medicine, teas should be taken at a tepid neutral temperature. It can be taken hot at the time of preparation if you prefer. Consume about one cup once or twice a day.

     To make enough for several days increase the amounts proportionately. The tea can be safely stored in a refrigerator for up to several weeks, and reheated if desired on the stove or in a microwave.

     The roots can be sliced and consumed. When making a tea the roots should be left in it throughout the simmering and cooling stages. When the tea is poured off the softened root can then be easily sliced.

     Dried ginseng root can be softened without making tea by placing several pieces together in a microwave on medium or high for a few minutes at most. Great care must be exercised not to let the roots become scorched, or they will be rendered unpalatable. Place at least four or five roots, if not more, in the microwave or the roots may be too easily scorched.

     After a couple of minutes or so the roots will be softened enough to be easily sliced by a sharp knife. The slices can then be consumed, a few slices at a time, by themselves or in honey.
 

     An easier guide, when purchasing dried ginseng root, is to eat 2-8 pieces each day, spread out over the course of the day. A slice of ginseng root about the size of a nickel, or a piece around the size of a small nut is best. Native Americian Indians used to chew on ginseng when running great distances in order to maintain their stamina.

     When ingesting as a tea one or two cups a day are sufficient. You can also soften the root or root slices in a cup of hot water, and then eat the softened slices with the resulting tea.
 

     Extracts are also an effective means of ingesting ginseng, and are very popular in China. The extract is made from the entire root, rather than trying to isolate any particular components. This is in contraposition to western medicine which has often focused on distilling the active essence of medicinal plants, and has only recently begun to accept that medicinal plants contain many other substances that may be essential for those "active" components to properly function and provide maximum benefit. Eastern medicine has for thousand of years adopted a far more holistic approach to pharmacology, one that western medicine is only now beginning to accept and understand.

     Pre-made ginseng teas that contain pure ginseng and nothing else can be a good way of ingesting ginseng. However, beware of teas containing several ingredients and claiming to include ginseng in the mix. They often turn out to contain inconsequentially minute amounts, if any. In a recent study an astounding number of items including teas and soft drinks that advertised the addition of ginseng had in fact no ginseng at all present in their products.

     Bulk pre-powdered ginseng available in small containers can pose the same problems as ginseng capsules; you must be very certain that second-rate roots were not used in the powder, and that no fillers were added.
 

     Red ginseng is considered more warm, or "yang" than white ginseng. It has been theorized that the effect sun-drying or steam drying has on the ginsenocides, the principal active ingredients of ginseng root, may be no different than the effect caused by simply infusing a dried white root into tea.
 

     Ginseng also contains several steroid compounds, including panaxtriol. The steroid components contained in ginseng are remarkably similar to anabolic steroids found naturally in the human body. While this makes ginseng root ideal for athletes and body builders looking for safe natural alternatives to anabolic steroid use, it is considered wise for pregnant women to avoid prolonged ginseng use. However, it is recommended to women for treatment of post menopausal symptoms.

     Recently it has been discovered that germanium is also a component of whole ginseng root, which has a powerful dehydrogenating effect and is considered beneficial and essential to proper bodily function, especially in organs such as the liver.
 

     Asian ginseng is considered to be very "yang", or warm, and is often used for relatively limited periods of time. It contains roughly half the number of active ginsenocides found in American ginseng, which is considered to be cooler, or more "yin", and better suited for long term usage. For this reason American ginseng has become very prized in Asia, and most American ginseng is imported to Asian markets.
 

     American ginseng is known by the scientific name Panax Quinquefolius, after the five-leaf formation common to the species. It contains almost twice as many ginsenosides as Asian ginseng, and is highly valued in the orient. The best North American ginseng grows in Wisconsin and Ontario; with ginseng of almost equal quality being grown in the Catskills of New York and parts of Pennsylvania.