Can people with high blood pressure eat American ginseng?

Nowadays, the elderly attach great importance to health preservation and usually buy a lot of health products. However, this also has a disadvantage. Eating too many health products can be harmful to the body, especially health products such as American ginseng. If consumed in excess, it can increase blood pressure. Therefore, patients with hypertension should consume it with caution.

1. Can people with high blood pressure eat American ginseng? In recent years, American ginseng has become very popular among people as a tonic, especially among the elderly, and many people are vying to take American ginseng as a tonic. Indeed, American ginseng has the effects of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, clearing away heat and promoting body fluid, and is especially effective for elderly patients with long-term illness, weak body, and damage to body fluid caused by fever.

2. However, American ginseng should not be taken indiscriminately. Although American ginseng has its unique features in treating diseases and improving health, it also has its contraindications. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that people with insufficient yang energy or cold and dampness in the stomach should not take it. For example, people with pale complexion, fear of cold, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and bloating, as well as men with impotence, premature ejaculation, and spermatorrhea; women with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and excessive vaginal discharge should not take American ginseng. In addition, children with developmental delay and indigestion should not take American ginseng. It is even more inappropriate for patients with colds, coughs, or acute infections to take American ginseng.

3. For some patients with hypertension, their blood pressure usually drops to normal levels, but suddenly rises one day. It turned out that the patient had taken American ginseng in order to "replenish" his body, which caused his blood pressure to rise. As soon as they stopped taking the medicine, their blood pressure immediately returned to normal. Therefore, patients with hypertension should be cautious when taking American ginseng. They must wait until their blood pressure is stable before taking American ginseng, and they can only take it for a long time and in small amounts. Because American ginseng has a two-way regulating effect on blood pressure: long-term, small-dose use can dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure; excessive use will instead cause high blood pressure and aggravate the condition. Regarding this point, patients with hypertension must be aware of it to avoid taking the wrong medicine.