What is "ginseng"?

What is "ginseng"?

Susan Silberstein & Marilyn Joyce (Health and Nutrition Educator & Heath Counselor) gives expert video advice on: Why should I take garlic supplements?; What is "ginseng"? and more...

Ginseng is an interesting item. In the Orient or in the Asian countries, generally speaking it would never be recommended for women. It does affect your circulatory system and can cause high blood pressure. Men, in their use, especially, would use it for better performance, you know, in whatever, in any activity. Now, with women, because of the menstrual cycle and the way that her body functions, it is not being recommended in the Asian countries for women in general. I err on the side of caution with this, because as a man is getting older, I don't care how much his performance is important to him, in whatever way it's important to him, I'm concerned about his heart, his cardiovascular system, and ginseng can cause you to feel very revved up, so to speak, and just not very recommended for people as they get older, you know, because we know that if your system isn't healthy to begin with and you take something like that, it could lead to stroke or heart attack or something more serious. It's something that if you haven't been taking it throughout your entire life it's probably not a good idea to start when you're older.