Can I drink American ginseng if I have a bad stomach?

Because American ginseng is cool in nature, it is used to nourish yin and tonify the kidneys, and has a protective effect on the heart, lungs and other organs. However, poor stomach may be caused by cold stomach, so American ginseng is not suitable for people with poor stomach. Otherwise it will aggravate the condition. In addition, American ginseng cannot be eaten with radish, tea, etc., because American ginseng and these things are incompatible and will have some side effects. Cause harm to the body. Let’s find out.

American ginseng, also known as American ginseng, is a precious tonic medicine with special medical value. It originally grew wild in the jungles of North America along the Atlantic coast and belongs to the Araliaceae family, the same family as Chinese ginseng. About three hundred years ago, American ginseng was shipped to China and was first identified by Chinese medical scientists at that time as a cooling medicine for replenishing qi and blood. Guided by the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, American ginseng was used in the clinical treatment of yin deficiency and heat syndrome. Later, American ginseng gradually became a precious tonic medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that American ginseng is cold in nature, sweet and slightly bitter in taste, and enters the lung and spleen meridians. It has the functions of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, purging fire and relieving restlessness, nourishing the stomach and producing body fluid. It is suitable for symptoms of qi and yin deficiency and fire, and is mostly used for lung heat and dry cough, laziness in speech, fatigue of limbs, irritability, and loss of yin and body fluid after fever. People with yang deficiency constitution, such as fear of cold, cold limbs, diarrhea, cold and dampness in the stomach, weak spleen yang, and greasy tongue coating, should take American ginseng with caution.

There are many contraindications to taking American ginseng. The following points need to be noted:

1. American ginseng cannot be taken together with radish. Because American ginseng replenishes Qi (warms and replenishes vital energy) and white radish releases Qi (cools, clears heat and detoxifies), these two foods are contradictory. Not only should they not be eaten from a nutritional point of view, but these two foods are also incompatible, which can easily cause allergic reactions or even poisoning.

2. Do not drink strong tea while taking American ginseng. Because tannic acid will destroy the active ingredients in American ginseng, and tea contains a large amount of tannic acid, it is best to drink tea 2 to 3 days after taking American ginseng. It is also best not to drink coffee, as coffee also has a certain impact on the effects of American ginseng.

3. Be alert to adverse reactions. Some people will experience a drop in body temperature, chills, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and loss of appetite after taking American ginseng; some will experience delayed menstruation and dysmenorrhea; others will have allergic reactions, with scattered blisters of varying sizes appearing on the upper and lower limbs and abnormal itching. After stopping the medication, the blisters will be absorbed and disappear on their own.

4. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that American ginseng is a cooling medicine and is good for replenishing qi and nourishing yin. If you have a cough with phlegm, excessive saliva, or edema, you should avoid taking American ginseng, otherwise it will aggravate your condition. In addition, "do not supplement unless you are deficient." If you are not feeling unwell, you should not take American ginseng lozenges frequently.