Womens's Daily Health Tonic
Dong Quai, Green Tea, Ashwaghanda & Siberian Ginseng.

Women's Daily Health Tonic is an excellent daily tonic to build health and well being.
 

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Dong Quai
 Dong Quai is a member the celery family of plants. The herb produces white flowers with a green hue that bloom from May to August, and the plant is typically found growing in moist mountain gullies, meadows, along river banks and in coastal areas. The root of the Dong Quai plant has a number of medicinal appications.

Dong Quai, or traditionally known as Chinese Angelica, is commonly used for treating conditions in females in both America and China. Traditional Chinese medicine, frequently refers to Dong Quai as "female ginseng."

Dong quai is often included in herbal combinations as a treatment for abnormal menstruation, including suppressed menstrual flow, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), and uterine bleeding. However it is not recommended, according to Chinese medicine, for treatment of menopause, or related symptoms such as hot flashes. And contrary to some recent theories, donq quai is not a replacement for estrogen, nor does it offer any hormone-like effects on the body. Its reported ability to relieve menstrual related symptoms and conditions is believed to stem from its power to quell spasms in the internal organs. Traditional Chinese medicine employs dong quai in treating both men and women with cardiovascular disease, including symptoms of high blood pressure and problems with peripheral circulation.

Dong quai's constituents can stimulate the central nervous system whereby alleviating weakness and frequent headaches associated with menstrual disorders. Dong quai also strengthens the internal reproductive organs, helps with endometriosis and aids in internal bleeding or bruising. It also relieves symptoms of menopause such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes.

Dong quai also works as a blood purifier, it has been known to promote blood circulation and provide nourishment to the blood in both sexes. It has a high iron content and may assist in preventing iron deficiency and anemia. Studies show that it can aid in regulating blood sugar levels and in lowering blood pressure.

Dong quai has slight sedative properties, which may relieve stress and calm nerves. It has been used to stimulate a mother's uterus during labor, treat insomnia, relieve constipation and treat migraine headaches.

Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a plant which has long been used medicinally. It is used in traditional Indian and African medicine as an anti-inflammatory, for fever relief, and against infectious disease. Many believe ashwagandha to be effective in stimulating the immune system. It also appears to inhibit swelling and aid memory and can act as a general health tonic. Ashwagandha contains flavonoids and many active ingredients of the withanolide class. Several studies over the past few years have indicated that ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-stress, antioxidant, mind-boosting, and rejuvenating properties. Ashwagandha is commonly found in ayurvedic herbal formulas.

The active constituents in ashwagandha include withanolides which are believed by many experts to account for the many medicinal applications of ashwagandha. Withanolides are steroidal and are similar to the active constituents of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) known as ginsenosides.

Ashwaganha as An Antioxidant

Researchers from Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India have asserted that some of the chemicals within ashwagandha are powerful antioxidants. They tested these compounds for their effects on rat brains and found an increase in the levels of three natural antioxidants-superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. They say, "These findings are consistent with the therapeutic use of W. somnifera [ashwagandha] as an Ayurvedic rasayana (health promoter). The antioxidant effect of active principles of W. somnifera may explain, at least in part, the reported anti-stress, cognition-facilitating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging effects produced in experimental animal and in clinical situations."

A study done in 1991 at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center indicated that extracts of ashwagandha had GABA-like activity. This may account for this herb's anti-anxiety effects.		 Siberian Ginseng
Siberian ginseng is a genus of the panax (true ginseng) plant. Widely known as an adaptogen, a substance that may help assist people in dealing with physical and emotional stress, Siberian ginseng has been used to increase the capability to peform physical tasks and to relieve stress.

There are three varieties of ginseng: American, Asian (Korean/Panax), and Siberian. American and Asian ginsengs are best used to alleviate stress, fatigue, convalescence, and diabetes. Siberian ginseng is not only used for stress and fatigue, but is also believed to be helpful for a number of maladies including atherosclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and impaired kidney function. It is believed (based on a few Russian studies) that the active components in Siberian ginseng are superior to the other types. However, there is not enough credible evidence to substantiate this claim and Siberian ginseng does is not quite as popular as the Asian variety of ginsengs (Korean/Panax).

Siberian ginseng may increase your body's resistance to stress and prevent certain types of illness. Siberian ginseng may be useful when used in connection with stress and body fatigue caused by viruses, bacteria, chemicals, extreme working conditions, noise, and pollution. It has also been suggested that Siberian ginseng may help the body to recuperate when recovering from illness.

Many people claim that Siberian ginseng is very useful for increasing mental and physical performance. Specifically, it has been reported that Siberian ginseng can help to increase concentration, focus, and physical stamina.

Green Tea
According to Chinese folklore, green tea was discovered, only by accident, nearly four thousand years ago. Today Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses green tea to treat aches, pains, headaches, minor gastrointestinal disorders, and depression. Green tea has also been used in detoxification, as an immune enhancer, as an energizer, and to prolong life.

Green Tea for Health and Longevity

Most tea products are derived from the same plant. The difference between tea products comes from how each specific tea is prepared. Unlike black and oolong tea, green tea is not fermented, so the active constituents remain in the herb. Green tea contains a variety of chemical compounds, minerals, vitamins, volatile oils and essential nutrients, but the primary compounds that is believed to provide green tea with its health and medicinal effects are polyphenols, particulary epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Among its arsenal of medicinal effects, preliminary studies suggest that green tea can lower cholesterol levels and reduce amounts of harmful LDL cholesterol. These same studies suggest that green tea may also increase cardiovascular health by making blood platelets less sticky.

Green tea has also been shown to be a strong blood antioxidant and detoxifier that can reduce oxidative damage to LDL that can lead to the development of atherosclerosis.

Still other studies have provided preliminary evidence that green tea may inhibit cancer. In a controlled study, the polyphenols in green tea effectively inhibited the spread of melanoma cells in test tube animals. The polyphenols in green tea may also reduce risk in other cancers in humans as well.