Dong Quai
Despite the fact that dong quai does not have a strong presence in western medicine or practical use, it has been used in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean medicine for thousands of years. This herb is closely related to the carrot and celery stalk and is called “Chinese Angelica”. Dong quai, also known as “female ginseng” is predominately used to help treat “womanly” issues such as PMS, menopause and a wide array of symptoms that arise from their occurrence in the female body. It is also believed to help regulate female hormones in the body and to treat women after child birth.
Dong quai literally translates into “return to order” because it is believed by its original oriental practitioners to help the body return to order by working with the blood stream, or the “xue” as it is known to the Chinese, to eliminate low vitality and the balancing of female hormones and reproductive symptoms. These dong quai benefits are widely acclaimed by its users.
Dong Quai Uses
Outside of the more strictly observed uses in females, the dong quai herb is also used to treat arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease and nerve pain. It should also be noted that it is also used in the treatment of conditions such as headaches and pelvic pain associated with PMS and menopause. Many women use this supplement to help balance their moods and help with extreme mood swings during their monthly cycles and menopause. While there has not been any kind of intense clinical research done with dong quai, its users have praised it for centuries and its practitioners reserve it as one of their best herbs available.
Dong Quai Side Effects
Before you buy dong quai you need to understand the potential health hazards and side effects of taking this supplement. It is known that taking dong quai during pregnancy can lead to miscarriages, induced abortions and other complications with the pregnancy – dong quai tonic is used before and after pregnancies and never during for these reasons. These side effects of dong quai need to be heavily weighed and taken into consideration during pregnancy. Many women do choose to use dong quai as a type of fertility drug when trying to conceive, but caution should be observed as it is difficult to known whether or not you have already conceived as this may conflict with the times you are actively taking dong quai.