Herb of the month - March 2010

A superior herb from the Chinese Pharmacopia, it's most simple function is to build or "to tonify" the immune system. Perfect herb to build up your immune system for allergy season.

Astragalus or "Huang Qi" (pronounced Hwang- Chee) is sweet in nature, and slightly warm. The nature and flavor of chinese herbs are very important as they have particular functions.. Huang Qi is Sweet, meaning it can harmonize, or assist other herbs in an herbal formula work better together. The sweet nature also means it has the ability to "build". In the case with Huang qi it is able to build up your protective qi (roughly translated as your immune system, or outer first layer of defense against external pathogens), and your regular qi.

So how does this help in terms of allergies? Your defensive qi is under attack when your body is exposed to allergens, so having a sweet and tonifying herb in the body, assists in building a strong defense. This is the best way to avoid onset of symptoms.

What else does this miracle herb do you ask?
A few really great things!

  • It also helps to lift the qi of the spleen. The spleen is responsible for holding up the organs so it helps hold up organs that sometimes prolapse in people like the rectum or the uterus or even prolonged diarrhea.
  • Helps with unusual bleeding from the uterus.
  • Helps stop spontaneous sweating by strengthening the defensive qi.
  • Helps to heal deep skin sores and ulcers that will not heal due to a lack of qi and blood in the body.

Edema of the body is moved out and processed easier with the assistance of this herb to help the spleen and lung work out the excess moisture.

Please read more about how herbs can help you with allergies