9 Health Benefits of the Chinese Herb Astragalus

In Chinese traditional medicine, astragalus has been put to treat common colds and flu due to high content of active compounds like polysaccharides, saponins and flavonoids. This herb is an excellent immunity booster which with lots of health benefits. Following are some health conditions that astragalus can help improve:

1. This herb is helpful for people who are suffering from stomach ulcers and acid indigestion by lowering the excessive acidity of the stomach.

2. Astragalus may help to ease the common flu and cold symptoms, as it can increase white blood cell count, stimulate growth of antibodies and elevate body’s resistance to bacteria and viruses. It’s recommended to drink astragalus tea regularly during cold and flu seasons.

3. Astragalus can even enhance traditional chemotherapy treatments in cancer patients. Astragalus extract and tea taken throughout cancer treatment will help lessen the side effects from such treatments and boost patient’s immune system.

4. It can reduce the amount of nitric oxide released from cells, which reduces inflammation, thus helping improve sickness and heal wounds.

5. Astragalus offers health benefits for diabetes. It is a very important ingredient for managing diabetes in Chinese medicine. Not only this herb helps lowering blood sugar, it also prevents pathological changes in the retina, blood vessels, enhances liver and kidney function.

6. Astragalus was shown effective to treat various forms of anemia and improving hemopoietic (blood making) function.

7. Patients who have been diagnosed with HIV and AIDS could draw incredible benefits from using astragalus based medicine.

8. Astragalus is very often used in combination with other herbal supplements to treat chronic nephritis and various stages of renal failure.

9. It acts as an overall body tonic that will help against all forms of stress while giving you more energy.

Astragalus is useful for people of all ages, It is available in capsules, tablets and liquid form. One liquid form of astragalus is astragalus tea, which is made from the dried root of the astragalus plant, and you can make astragalus tea by yourself:

Instructions

• Bring approximately 1 quart of tap or bottled water to a boil, in a medium sized cooking pot. Add 4 ounces of fresh astragalus root or 3 to 5 tablespoons of dried astragalus root. Boil the astragalus root for about three or four minutes.
• Strain the tea to remove any dried root or debris from the whole root by pouring the tea through either a cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
• Pour the fresh tea into a mug and drink.