Some of you might have watched my free Masterclass on “Self-Care in the Time of COVID-19,” which I gave in 2020. (If you haven’t, you can access the Masterclass here. 

In that Masterclass, I also talked about some great plants/herbs to support the immune system, which is so important right now in times of COVID-19. Astragalus, which is known as Huang Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is one of those plants.

Astragalus belongs to the pea family and is native to northeastern China, Mongolia, Korea, and Siberia. Its root has been used for at least 2,000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, in which it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. Reason enough to shine the light on this plant, which is extremely versatile in its medicinal uses.

Astragalus boasts an impressive list of properties. 

The root:

Preparations made from astragalus root taste sweet and are energetically warming and moistening. Traditionally, astragalus is used as a tonic for maintaining vitality (気, ki in Japanese, qi in Chinese) and strengthening resistance/immunity.

Since astragalus is anti-viral, it is often used in the fall and winter to strengthen immunity and keep colds, flu, and bronchitis at bay. 

However, astragalus root preparations are helpful whenever the body’s immune system is weakened, i.e., after an illness. As a nourishing tonic, astragalus helps to build and restore the immune system. Some smaller-sized clinical studies on the use of astragalus for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have shown its effectiveness in slowing tumor progression and improving white blood cell count.

As an adaptogen astragalus helps balance out stress.

Astragalus also comes to the rescue during or after a period of long-term stress. One outstanding property of astragalus is that it is an adaptogen. That means it adapts to and balances out what the body needs at a particular time. Therefore, it can be calming as well as energizing, depending on whether the body is overly excited or energetically depleted. Astragalus increases the body’s ability to resist and cope with stress, be it physical, mental, or emotional stress, by adapting to the stressor instead of succumbing to it. 

It also nourishes and supports the adrenal glands, which produce hormones that regulate the body’s response to stress.

Astragalus helps regulate insulin production and lowers blood sugar levels.

In China, astragalus root has also traditionally been used to treat diabetes-related symptoms since it appears to help in regulating insulin production and lowering blood sugar levels.

Astragalus protects and strengthens the lungs, heart, and liver.

The list of the many medicinal properties of astragalus still goes on. As a lung tonic, astragalus can be used for dry coughs, frequent upper respiratory tract infections, or asthma, as well as chronically weak lungs and shortness of breath. These healing properties make astragalus a great addition to any home medicine chest – especially now in times of COVID-19.

Besides, the root is also considered to protect the heart and is used for mild congestive heart failure and angina. It also has the ability to regulate blood pressure.

Supporting liver health is another medicinal property of astragalus. It protects the liver against toxic substances and viruses and stimulates liver cell regeneration.

Astragalus has antioxidant activity and was even found to help in preventing senility.

ACTION STEP:

If you would like to learn more about how you can boost your immunity – especially now in with the coronavirus pandemic still rampant – check out my FREE Masterclass on “Self-Care in Times of COVID-19.” 

And now, let’s have a nice cuppa!

After having learned so much about this incredibly beneficial plant, let’s prepare a nice cup of astragalus tea. Hop over to the recipe section to see how to make it. See you there!

P.S.: If you would like to get deeper into the medicinal properties of astragalus or other herbs, check out The Herbal Academy, which is one of my go-to places to research and learn about all things herb-related quickly.