Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Goji berry-ancient herb, new discovery

If you are not familiar with the Goji berry, you may soon be reading and hearing more about it. This little red berry has been consumed for thousands of years by communities of people throughout Asia. Within the past decade, scientific research has been documenting the constituents of this herb and finding links with numerous health benefits.

As early as the first century A.D., the ancient Asian medical text "Divine Farmer's Handbook of Natural Medicine" (Shen Nong Ben Cao) extolled this berry's medicinal virtues. Some of its health benefits touted today are protection from premature aging; stimulation of hGH (human growth hormone), the "youth hormone"; increase of energy and strength; maintainence of healthy blood pressure, enhancement of sexual function, support of eye health, improvement in memory; and headache relief, to name a few.

There are two primary types of Lycium Goji berries that are used medicinally. One type, grown mainly in China, is the Lycium Chinense, often referred to as Chinese wolfberry, matrimony vine, or Chinese boxthorn. The other is Lycium Barbarum, which grows in various regions of Asia such as Tibet and Inner Mongolia.

The Goji berry has been used in traditional Mongolian and Tibetan medicine for centuries. In Asian herbalism, the Tibetan Goji berry is among the most revered of sexual tonic herbs, used to increase sexual fluids and enhance fertility. In Mongolia, it is commonly used by first trimester mothers to prevent morning sickness.



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