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What is Astragalus?
Astragalus is an herb that has many possible benefits, including fighting infection and the common cold, to benefiting cancer and AIDS patients. Traditional Chinese medicine has used astragalus membranaceus for a remedy for weakness, edema, respiratory infections, diabetes, night sweats, diarrhea, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Studies confirm it contains medicinally active compounds, including a polysaccharide that stimulates the immune system.
Astragalus herb contains several beneficial compounds that have health-protecting benefits. These include saponins, sterols, isoflavones and polysaccharides. Astragalus herb has been traditionally used for strengthening the immune system and helping prevent bacterial and viral infections.
Astragalus membranaceus stimulates production and activation of the white blood cells, which fight infection. It helps increase and protect the number of white blood cells in the body needed for a healthy immune response. Astragalus herbs has certain inhibiting effects on molecular pathological changes caused by viruses, increases growth of plasma cells, stimulates synthesis of antibodies, and builds up body defense. By boosting the immune system, Astragalus root may help reduce the risk of a person becoming ill with a bacterial or viral infection. Astragalus membranaceus also stimulates the adrenal glands, whose functions are suppressed in cancer.
Benefits of Astragalus
Recent research in China indicates that astragalus herbs may offer antioxidant benefits in people with severe forms of heart disease, relieving symptoms and improving heart function. Because astragalus root has many potential applications and few, if any, side effects, it holds promise as an alternative treatment option.
Astragalus herbs has protective and strengthening effects on the heart. The saponins found in astragalus root help prevent blood vessels from sticking together and fatty plaques from forming in the arteries of the heart which can block the flow of blood. Astragalus membranaceus may improve arrhythmias, creatinine phosphokinase levels, and cardiac function. Astragalus membranaceus helps relieve chest distress and breathlessness due to a weakened heart, discourages retention of salt and water, and tends to combat clots. Astragalus root may also help reduce high cholesterol levels and regulate blood pressure.
Astragalus root is also said to protect the adrenal cortex, the gland that produces hormones related to stress. It may also help allergy sufferers by strengthen the immune system's response to allergens in the environment. Astragalus root enhances body energy. It promotes metabolism of serum and liver proteins, stimulates growth of antibodies, increases white blood cells, and thus increases resistance to viruses. Taken as a tonic, astragalus herbs is believed to build stamina and vitality. Adaptogens help normalize the functioning of various body systems by affecting the action of hormones. Astragalus herbs inhibits gastric secretions, reduces gastric acid, and thus helps cure stomach ulcers.
Astragalus is used in many of the following ways:
- Astragalus helps to promote the effects of other herbs and helps to improve digestion
- Astragalus useful for anemia and blood disorders.
- Astragalus helps stimulate the body’s natural production of interferon
- Astragalus helps the body cope with stress
- Astragalus helps stimulate immune response
- Astragalus is helpful for young adults for energy production and respiratory endurance
- Astragalus can be used as an antibacterial
- Astragalus used to treat infections of the mucous membranes of the body, especially the urinary and respiratory tracts.
- Astragalus used for asthma, hayfever, infections, diabetes, edema, nephritis, ulcers, prolapse of digestive organs, kidney problems, and slow healing skin eruption
- Astragalus may help normalize blood pressure.
- Astragalus helpful to patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
- Astragalus protects the heart against oxidative and free radical damage.
- Astragalus used by some herbalists as a tea to be taken for to help prevent and treat arrhythmia.
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