3,000 Years of Ginseng: The World’s Most Prized Herb

If you gave this to a wounded samurai, an exhausted emperor, or a modern CEO, they'd all know what it was. Because for over 3,000 years, ginsing has been the most prized herb on Earth. And here's why. From royal courts to battlefield camps, jinsing has been revered for one thing: vital energy. But what is it really? And why has it outlasted every dynasty, every culture, and every medicine trend for 3,000 years? So, what actually is Jinseng? Ginsing is the root of a plant in the panex family. Panex means panacea, as in a cure all. And for thousands of years, that's how it was viewed. Not as a quick fix, but a life-giving tonic. It's not something like caffeine. You don't need to take it to feel a jolt. You take it to rebuild the actual system itself. In traditional Chinese medicine, it's known as renshen, the root of spirit. It's used to strengthen what's called yenshi, your original energy, and strengthen the heart, lungs, digestion, and mental clarity. Jins Singh was first documented in the Shen Nong Beno Jing, which is China's oldest hermal pharmacopia, over 2,000 years old. But it was likely even used earlier by tribal shamans. In ancient times, wild jins sing was so rare, it could sell for 10 times its weight in gold. Only emperors, high priests, and wounded warriors could afford it. By the time of the Goryo dynasty in Korea, it was actually considered a national treasure. Wars were fought over access to Jins Singh mountains. By the 1700s, Jesuit missionaries themselves were sending Jins Singh from Asia back to Europe. And by the 1800s, it had reached Native American medicine circles. No other route has this kind of global legacy. Jins Singh's history is deeper than just medicine, though. It was a symbol of life force, of resilience, of nobility, and yes, sometimes of power. Now, let's talk science and spirit. When it comes to the modern science on ginsing, the first thing it does is it boosts ATP production in your mitochondria, which can lead to an increase in stamina, for example, or energy production. It regulates the HPA axis, the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, which lowers your cortisol levels and helps regulate your chronic stress response. It also enhances nitric oxide, which improves circulation and also improves your brain function. And on top of that, it supports your immune response through the polysaccharides and compounds called jinsenocides in the plant. Now, when it comes to traditional Chinese medicine, here are a few of the classical functions. Number one, it strengthens the original chi, what's called yeni, almost like your battery charge of vitality. It rescues what's called collapse, like when there's extreme fatigue or extreme trauma. It strengthens the pancreas, spleen, and lung. So, it's very good for digestive problems. It's very good for respiratory problems and anything involving your GI. And on top of that, it calms what Chinese doctors call the shen, the spirit. So, it's very good for anxiety, depression, and it nourishes the heart. In short, ginsing helps restore what's been depleted, whether that's from trauma, age, stress, or overwork. Ginsing is very, very powerful, but it's not for everyone. You should avoid ginsing if you already feel wired, jittery, or what's called heat dominant. you have an acute infection with a fever or a sore throat, you have uncontrolled high blood pressure because sometimes it can increase blood pressure, especially taken over time. Or if your stress is a kind of up and out stress like irritability and rage, not a kind of exhausted stress, you shouldn't be taking it. Now, ginsing is a tonic, not a stimulant. If you give it to someone with a full tank, it can actually overflow the system. But to someone who's actually drained, it can be life-changing. There isn't just one kind of ginsing, though. Each different type that you take has a certain kind of different personality. You know you have for example panics ginsing renshen. We say that it's warming. It strengthens your yang and it's used for exhaustion. So it's best for cold, weak and exhausted people. This is really commonly used in Chinese medicine. A second type is called Korean red ginsing. This kind of ginsing is steamed which makes it more hot. It makes it more activating. So we often use this more in older adults, more in chronic fatigue cases or more with recovery and elderly people. A third type is called American Jins Singh or Xiang Shen. This type is more cooling and it nourishes the yin. So the yin is basically anything that generates moisture and fluid. It's great for people with stress and also heat signs like more anxiety, more irritability and more insomnia. And a final kind of ginsing is called Siberian ginsing or aluther. Now this is not really true gensing, but it's considered an adaptogen. So this is basically something that's excellent for daily stress resilience and it's not quite as deep in action as the other kinds of true wrenchen that we use. You can think of these as tools for different bodies. Now the goal isn't just the hype of taking some kind of ginsing. The goal is actually regulating your system. So if you're considering ginsing, here's how I actually recommend using it or taking it. Start pretty low. 200 to 400 mg extract or 3 to 6 g of whole herb decoction. Avoid taking it at night because for some people it can disrupt your sleep if you're pretty sensitive. Take it for two to three weeks at a time, then take a break. And it's best to take for some people with food or warm liquids. Now, if you're feeling more stable energy, better mood, and calmer focus, you're using it right. So, jinsing isn't just a root. It's a story from a culture. It's a living legacy of healing, of resilience, and strength. And if you use it right, you can really rebuild yourself from the inside out. Now, ginsing is just one of many powerful herbs that can boost your energy and vitality. Now, if you're interested in learning more about these herbs that have been used for thousands of years, especially the 10 powers of ginsing, I've put together a free guide on the 10 most effective uses for ginsing, including modern research. So, it's the link right below this video. You guys can see the link and also the direct caption here will have information on it and that will be information specifically about how to use ginsing to improve your health. Now, if you've made it this far into the video, it probably means that this message resonates with you on some level. And maybe you've tried supplements or stress hacks or lifestyle changes or a little bit of ginsing and something is still missing. Now, that's usually where personalized care comes in. Now, in my private clinic, I work with a very limited number of 1:1 patients who are done guessing. These are people who are ready to get to the root cause of their anxiety or GI issues or insomnia or chronic fatigue. You know, something that isn't a generic protocol. It's highly customized classical East Asian medicine designed for your body. So, if you want to work with me one-on-one, just go to dralitine.com/clin. There's also information below this video in the description box for you as well. And one final thing here, if you're interested in ginsing, I have a related video right here on powerful healing herbs from Asia.