What Season Is Best to Take Astragalus for Tonifying the Middle and Boosting Qi? Detailed Explanation of Its Effects and Dosage When Steeped in Water
Astragalus (Huangqi), also known as Huangqi, Dushen, Shuzhi, Baiben, Baiyaomian, Huangshen, Xueshen, Renxian and so on, is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicines. It has effects including enhancing the body's immune function, protecting the liver, promoting urination, anti-aging, anti-stress, lowering blood pressure and relatively broad antibacterial action. So what season is best to take astragalus? What effects does steeping it in water have? Astragalus can be taken regardless of season, but there are contraindications for taking it. People with chest tightness and stomach bloating, whose presentation belongs to excess patterns and who are easily irritable, should not take it. Astragalus is sweet in flavor and slightly warm in nature. Its functions are to assist defensive qi, stabilize the exterior, tonify the middle qi, raise clear qi and promote urination.
Astragalus can not only be used as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb for treating illness, but can also be added to the diet as a food ingredient. In addition, for maintaining health in daily life, you can choose the simplest method, which is steeping it in water. Taking astragalus after steeping it in water can very well promote blood circulation in the body. In addition, for patients with long-standing illness, taking it can also produce a good therapeutic effect.
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that astragalus has a very good effect of tonifying the middle and boosting qi, and its specific effects are considered comparable to those of ginseng.
What are the effects of drinking astragalus steeped in water?
1. Strengthen the constitution and improve immunity
Drinking astragalus steeped in water can treat excessive sweating caused by qi deficiency; spleen deficiency can cause fatigue, and lung deficiency can cause cough and shortness of breath. These problems can be solved by steeping astragalus and drinking it. During flu season, or in autumn and winter, astragalus steeped in water can prevent colds.
2. Protect the cardiovascular system
Astragalus itself has effects such as strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, resisting arrhythmia and protecting the cardiovascular system. Therefore, drinking astragalus steeped in water is suitable for people with heart disease, angina pectoris, heart failure, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.
3. Protect the liver
Drinking astragalus steeped in water can protect the liver. People with hepatitis, gastric ulcers, gastritis or liver damage can usually steep some astragalus and drink it, which is very beneficial.
4. Regulate blood sugar
Drinking astragalus steeped in water can also lower blood sugar, while it has a raising effect on hypoglycemia caused by phenformin and insulin.
5. Anti-tumor
The polysaccharides contained in astragalus, when combined with anti-tumor drugs, can enhance drug efficacy, and side effects will be reduced. For people with cancer, taking astragalus for a long time can produce a relatively good anti-cancer effect.
6. Promote urination and reduce swelling
Whether it is eyelid swelling upon waking in the morning, or leg swelling, or edema caused by high blood pressure and diabetes, you can steep astragalus and drink it to reduce edema.
7. Antibacterial and virus-inhibiting
Drinking astragalus steeped as tea has an inhibitory effect on dysentery, Diplococcus pneumoniae, hemolytic streptococcus A, B, C, and Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus citreus and Staphylococcus albus.
8. Tonify qi and raise yang
Drinking astragalus steeped as tea can be used for rectal prolapse, uterine prolapse, uterine bleeding, dizziness and fatigue caused by qi deficiency, and it is often used together with Shengma, Chaihu and the like.
9. Stabilize the exterior and restrain sweating
It is mostly used for spontaneous sweating caused by bodily weakness and a weak exterior. If the exterior qi is unstable and sweating occurs due to externally contracted wind-cold, using astragalus with Baizhu and Fangfeng to treat it will surely be effective after long-term use.
10. Expel pus and promote discharge of sores
It is used for sores that do not rupture for a long time and sink inward, and it has the effect of promoting rupture and localization. When used after sores have ruptured and do not heal for a long time, it has the effect of generating flesh and closing the opening, and it is often combined with Yinhua, Zaojiao and Diding and the like.
How much astragalus should be used each time when steeped in water?
About 5 to 10 grams of astragalus each time is enough when steeped in water. After steeping in boiling water for 10 to 20 minutes, it can be drunk as a substitute for tea, and it can be repeatedly steeped.
What is best to steep astragalus with in water
Tonify the middle and boost qi
(1) For symptoms such as weak spleen and stomach, poor appetite, little food intake and loose stools, and limb fatigue and weakness, it is often used together with Dangshen, Baizhu and Shanyao.
(2) For qi deficiency sinking, organ prolapse, such as rectal prolapse, uterine prolapse and gastroptosis, it is often used together with Dangshen, Shengma and Chaihu and the like, as in the formula Buzhong Yiqi Tang.
Stabilize the exterior and restrain sweating
(1) For spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency, it is mostly used for spontaneous sweating caused by bodily weakness and a weak exterior. If the exterior qi is unstable and sweating occurs due to externally contracted wind-cold, using astragalus with Baizhu and Fangfeng to treat it will surely be effective after long-term use, as in the formula Yupingfeng San; it can also be combined with Fu Xiaomai, Mahuanggen and the like.
(2) For night sweating due to yin deficiency, it can be used together with yin-nourishing medicines such as Shengdi and Maidong.
Promote urination and reduce swelling
(1) For acute nephritis edema, used for deficiency-type edema caused by insufficient yang qi, it is often combined with Fangji, Fuling and Baizhu and the like, as in the formula Fangji Huangqi Tang.
(2) For chronic nephritis edema and spleen-kidney deficiency, it is often used together with Dangshen, Baizhu and Fuling.
Expel pus and promote discharge of sores
(1) For weakness of yang qi, used for sores that do not rupture for a long time and sink inward, it has the effect of promoting rupture and localization. For carbuncles and abscesses that do not come to a head for a long time, it is often used together with Chuanshanjia, Zaojiaoci, Danggui and Chuanxiong.
(2) For sores that have ruptured for a long time and do not heal, used after sores have ruptured and do not close for a long time, it has the effect of generating flesh and closing the opening, and it is often combined with Jinyinhua, Zaojiao and Diding and the like. When the pus is clear and thin, it is often used together with Dangshen and Rougui and the like.
Contraindications for taking astragalus
1. People who are very thin and lean but physically strong should not take astragalus;
2. Do not take astragalus during a cold or menstruation;
3. Ordinary people should not take astragalus in spring, because spring is the season of growth and expansion, and the human body needs to diffuse and release, so taking astragalus is not very suitable.
4. For kidney disease belonging to yin deficiency, or with abundant damp-heat or intense heat toxin, using astragalus generally causes toxic side effects, and it should be prohibited.
5. When yin-deficient patients use astragalus, it must be combined with yin-nourishing medicines, such as Shengdi, Shudi, Xuanshen, Maidong, Tiandong and Yuzhu.
6. Patients with damp-heat must combine it with medicines that clear and disinhibit damp-heat, such as Huanglian, Yinchen and Huangqin. Patients with intense heat toxin must combine it with medicines that clear heat and resolve toxin, such as Huanglian, Zhizi, Dahuang and Baijiangcao.
7. When taking astragalus, it is best not to take cyclophosphamide (cyclophosphamide, Aidexing, Andaosheng, which is an immunosuppressant and anti-tumor drug), otherwise they will counteract each other.
Warm reminder
Before taking astragalus, please try as much as possible to consult a professional traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to determine your individual constitution and prescribe the right medicine for the condition. Some varieties of astragalus have a certain toxicity and cannot be taken casually. It is best to follow the doctor's instructions for the dosage.