Wen Xiaoshu says Making Traditional Chinese Medicine more beautiful, interesting, and closer to life
Astragalus (Huang Qi), a star in the world of Chinese medicine, has been mentioned many times in previous articles, but today we finally dedicate a special report to it. What are the wonderful uses of Astragalus? Who should avoid it? Let’s reveal everything now. 1 Astragalus is the top herb for Qi supplementation, a savior for those with Qi deficiency, capable of replenishing the Qi of the five organs and six bowels. When it comes to Astragalus, what is the first impression for everyone? Undoubtedly, it is Qi supplementation. Yes, Astragalus is the best for Qi supplementation, even more effective than ginseng. We know that ginseng is for replenishing Yuan Qi, but it is too strong for most people and must be combined with other herbs or used for weak elderly individuals and in critical situations. Astragalus is different; it is suitable for the vast majority of those with Qi deficiency. The Qi supplementation from Astragalus is gentle and steady, gradually replenishing without causing nosebleeds. Many individuals who cannot tolerate strong tonics must proceed gradually and cannot rush. In summary, ginseng is like a vigorous young man, while Astragalus is like a mature and steady middle-aged person. Astragalus can replenish the Qi of the five organs and six bowels, including the heart and lungs. The famous physician Zhang Xichun from the Republic of China invented the Shengxian Decoction, which heavily utilizes Astragalus, specifically to regulate various symptoms caused by Qi deficiency, such as chest tightness, fatigue, lack of appetite, and various organ prolapses like gastric prolapse, uterine prolapse, and rectal prolapse. Many elderly individuals with Qi deficiency leading to asthma, who become short of breath with minimal activity, can benefit from Astragalus. Astragalus has a pleasant taste, slightly sweet, somewhat similar to beans. Its sweet flavor enters the spleen, helping to replenish and benefit Qi, effectively regulating symptoms caused by spleen and stomach Qi deficiency, such as reduced appetite, abdominal distension, fatigue, and loose stools. Astragalus can also replenish liver Qi, which is very helpful for those who are timid and afraid to speak in public. It can also replenish kidney Qi, benefiting those with kidney prolapse. 2 The second wonderful use of Astragalus is treating spontaneous sweating; those who sweat while sitting have hope. There are many causes of sweating, but Astragalus can easily resolve one type: spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency. What is exterior deficiency spontaneous sweating? It means that the skin is not tight, always open, and sweat naturally comes out. This type of sweating does not indicate true internal heat; true heat sweating is a good thing, and one feels refreshed after sweating. Exterior deficiency spontaneous sweating is essentially Qi deficiency, where the defensive Qi is insufficient to hold in the sweat. Astragalus can replenish Qi and strengthen the defensive Qi of the skin, firmly holding in the sweat and preventing it from flowing out easily. The symptoms of this type of spontaneous sweating include sweating with slight movement, feeling weak and fatigued after sweating, and at this time, Astragalus can be used. The famous formula Yupingfeng San is specifically designed to treat excessive sweating due to Qi deficiency, with Astragalus as the main ingredient. This formula can enhance a person’s immunity, helping those who frequently catch colds, acting like a windbreak while adding a layer of protection to the body.
3 Astragalus can also treat edema. When talking about edema, many people immediately think of diuretics, but this only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause. Today, diuretics may reduce swelling, but tomorrow the swelling returns, which over time weakens the body further. Chronic edema is not due to excess water in the body, but rather due to water that is not being utilized. If this water were utilized, it would be beneficial, not waste. There is no need for diuretics. Why is it not being utilized? Because the body lacks Qi, and the Qi transformation is not smooth, preventing the body’s water from being transformed into nourishing fluids. Astragalus can treat edema by replenishing Qi, enhancing lung Qi to improve its dispersing function, strengthening spleen Qi to enhance its transformation function, and boosting kidney Qi to improve its warming function, making it difficult for edema to persist. 4 Astragalus is also a miraculous herb for surgical wounds, promoting the healing of purulent wounds and the growth of new muscle. For any external injuries that result in wounds that do not heal for a long time, remember to use Astragalus. If a wound does not heal for a long time, it indicates insufficient righteous Qi in the body, and Astragalus can replenish this righteous Qi. Additionally, the spleen governs muscles; any symptoms related to muscles should be regulated by the spleen. Only when the spleen is healthy can muscles grow easily. Astragalus can strengthen the spleen, enhancing its function in governing muscles, thus easily resolving wounds caused by external injuries. In the early stages of injury, one should use herbs that invigorate blood and resolve stasis, such as San Qi, and in the later stages, to close and promote muscle growth, Astragalus must be used.
5 You would never think that Astragalus can also regulate constipation. Many people might think that constipation is due to heat, but how can Astragalus, which can also cause heat, treat constipation? There are many types of constipation, and Astragalus treats Qi deficiency constipation. What is Qi deficiency constipation? It means there is a desire to defecate, but it is very difficult to pass, requiring great effort to produce only a small amount, often thin like noodles, and one feels exhausted and breathless after using the toilet. This is Qi deficiency constipation. At this time, using Astragalus can replenish Qi, making it easy to pass. 6 Low blood pressure responds quickly to Astragalus, and high blood pressure can also be treated with Astragalus. Low blood pressure is simply due to insufficient blood and Qi. Astragalus can replenish Qi, and with sufficient Qi, blood pressure will rise. Many people wonder, since Astragalus can raise blood pressure, won’t it increase blood pressure in those with high blood pressure? Yes, for high blood pressure caused by excess heat, Astragalus should not be used. For example, a fierce warrior like Zhang Fei should not take Astragalus if he has high blood pressure. However, for high blood pressure caused by Qi deficiency and blood stasis, which is more common in women, Astragalus can be used. Qi deficiency leads to blood stasis, and blood stasis requires increased pressure to meet the body’s blood needs. Therefore, we can replenish Qi to break up the stasis, and once the stasis is resolved, blood pressure will naturally decrease. Thus, do not casually take antihypertensive medications, as they can lead to strokes or dementia.
7 Astragalus can regulate urinary difficulties; for patients with chronic nephritis, Astragalus is a lifesaver. Patients with chronic nephritis should not casually tonify the kidneys; often, it is not kidney deficiency but kidney excess, with damp-heat or blood stasis present. This is why chronic nephritis is common in young adults, as true kidney deficiency is rare in this demographic. Instead of tonifying the kidneys, one can tonify the spleen and Qi. Astragalus can promote urination by replenishing Qi, making urination more forceful. Many people find that after drinking Astragalus tea for a period, various indicators improve. 8 Astragalus can aid in weight loss, a wonderful use that appeals to women. Overweight individuals often have Qi deficiency; Astragalus can replenish Qi. The principle of weight loss with Astragalus is Qi supplementation. With sufficient Qi, the body’s blood stasis decreases, water retention reduces, and phlegm dampness diminishes, leading to a lighter body and easier movement, making it hard not to lose weight. For those who struggle with weight loss, it is recommended to use Astragalus to replenish Qi. 9 Astragalus can stop bleeding, invigorate blood, and replenish blood. Why can Astragalus stop bleeding? Astragalus does not stop bleeding directly; herbs like San Qi, Xue Yu Tan, and He Ye Tan are direct hemostatics. The principle of Astragalus stopping bleeding is that it enhances the ability of Qi to hold blood and the spleen’s ability to regulate blood. Qi is the commander of blood; it directs blood where to go. If Qi is deficient, blood will not follow its command, leading to blood loss from inappropriate areas. For example, many women experience frequent gum bleeding or prolonged menstruation, partly due to Qi’s inability to hold blood. At this time, Astragalus is very effective. Astragalus can invigorate blood, which is easy to understand; with sufficient Qi, blood flows well. How can Astragalus replenish blood? Qi can generate blood, especially during significant blood loss when tangible blood cannot be quickly replenished. Intangible Qi can be replenished quickly, so at this time, one should replenish Qi rather than directly replenish blood, using the principle that Qi can generate blood.
10 Astragalus can be used as a daily health tea for diabetes patients. It is said that Hu Shi once cured his diabetes with Astragalus tea. Hu Shi was the president of Peking University and a leader of the May Fourth New Culture Movement, who particularly admired Western culture and looked down on traditional Chinese medicine. One day, he developed symptoms of thirst, frequent urination, and was diagnosed with diabetes by Western medicine. After trying many Western medications without success, he finally turned to traditional Chinese medicine and was treated with Astragalus decoction. After this, Hu Shi had a newfound respect for traditional Chinese medicine and became particularly fond of Astragalus, drinking it daily. He even cured his long-standing pharyngitis; since drinking Astragalus tea, his voice became strong and he no longer experienced hoarseness. Why? Because speaking too much can harm Qi, and Astragalus can replenish Qi to the throat, ensuring it remains strong and not hoarse. The benefits of Astragalus are endless, and I will stop here for now. How to consume Astragalus? It can be brewed as tea. As for the specific amount, it depends on one’s physical condition; those with severe Qi deficiency can drink more, while those with mild Qi deficiency can drink less. Many people are still afraid of generating heat, but how to drink if Qi is deficient? Adding a bit of Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena) can help. Zhi Mu can nourish Yin and clear heat, which pairs well with Astragalus. The combination of Astragalus and Zhi Mu has a synergistic effect, greatly aiding in thirst relief. The best way to consume Astragalus is to cook it with millet porridge. Both replenish the spleen, working together for better results. Astragalus replenishes Qi, while millet nourishes blood; Astragalus supports Yang, while millet nourishes Yin, making them a perfect match, akin to a food therapy version of the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Pill). However, the following four types of people should avoid Astragalus tea:Those with excess heat in the body, those with abundant Qi or Qi stagnation, those with colds, and pregnant women. I wish everyone’s health to be as vibrant as Astragalus.
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