Schisandra Berry In Early Medicinal Systems

Schisandra berry is a fascinating herb.  Traditional Chinese Medicine incorporated this herb extensively in their healing system.  In fact, it’s the only food that contains five of the six flavors described in Ayurveda Medicine: sweet, salty, pungent, bitter and sour.  The only flavor it lacks is astringent.  According to Ayurveda Medicine, all six of these flavors must be in the diet in order to achieve optimal health.  Too much of one flavor leads to dysfunction and poor health.  As mentioned before, Schisandra berry contains five of these flavors in perfect balance.

Extracts, wines, juices or teas were all utilized in order to deliver the beneficial properties found in Schisandra berry to the patient.  The following are common aliments that Schisandra has the ability to correct:

• Respiratory illness
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Kidney Problems
• Impotence
• Liver problems
• Asthma
• Adrenal fatigue
• Chronic fatigue
• Nervous disorders

The Five Flavor Berry

Due to its five flavors, Schisandra revitalizes many areas of the body simultaneously.  In fact, Traditional Chinese Medicine ranks it in its top 50 herbs found their medical system.  It’s said to increase the three treasures in Chinese Medicine: Shen, Jing and Qi.

Jing: The source of all life
Qi: The ability of one to move ones body
Shen: The vitality behind Qi and Jing

For this reason, it often improves any type of dysfunction occurring in the body rapidly.  In order to get the most out of this five flavor berry, early yogis would make a decoction of the berry and then add Shilajit once cooled.  Shilajit makes the medicinal properties found in any herb more available to the human body and was used heavily in Ayurveda medicine.

The Health Benefits

Liver Dysfunction:
Since Schisandra is a bitter, it has the unique ability of forcing the liver to produce bile and cleanse itself.  It also supports the lymphatic system which helps in elimination. It’s extremely important to support detoxification pathways when cleansing the body.  Schisandra berry does this by increasing your body’s level of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione.

Adrenal Fatigue:
Burnt out adrenals are a common problem in today’s world.  When adrenals are not working properly the body does not produce the necessary hormones that keep us happy and healthy.  Schisandra is extremely mineral rich and helps feed the adrenals the nutrients it needs to work properly.  It’s also an adaptogen and helps lower physical and mental stress.  Stress is one of the main causes of adrenal fatigue.  Stress uses up vital minerals needed for good health!

Impotence:
Men experiencing erectile dysfunction or impotence will most likely see dramatic improvement in the condition(s) once Schisandra is incorporated into the diet.  Schisandra berry strengthens the sexual organs and helps build overall energy.

Insomnia:
The biggest cause of insomnia is a disruption in ones circadian rhythm.  Stress is the biggest culprit at disrupting this rhythm.  Schisandra is an adaptogen which helps lower an individuals overall stress.  Consequently, once stress is lowered, the circadian rhythm is corrected and sound sleep is restored.

Chronic Fatigue:
Since Schisandra helps build all three treasures: jing, qi and shen; fatigue almost always subsides.  Those with chronic fatigue could benefit tremendously by incorporating Schisandra berry into their diet.  Schisandra is a true energy builder and is often given to those with poor energy or lack of motivation.

How To Incorporate Schisandra Into Your Diet

There are many ways in which Schisandra can be utilized in ones diet.  The most practical way is to eat the berry in its raw form.  However, Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that in order to get the full benefit of Schisandra, a tea or extract should be used.  Tea and extracts release all the medicinal properties of the berry that chewing simply can not release.

If making an extract, organic raw apple cider vinegar works best.  Simply place one cup of Schisandra berries into a glass mason jar and fill with three cups of apple cider vinegar.  Place a lid on the jar and store for two weeks in a cool dry place.  After two weeks strain out berries and save the vinegar extract.  Be sure to store this extract in a cool dry place and use within two months.  No refrigeration is necessary.  Use this in your smoothies, water and recipes!  .

Where To Buy Schisandra Berry

It’s important to remember that not all herbs are equal.  Quality is always an issue when dealing with popular herbs.  All herbs must be organic!  Avoid powdered forms of the herb at all costs.  Stick to the whole herb in its whole form.  Below I’ve listed the best source of Schisandra berry on the market.

Organic Schisandra Berry Whole, 1 Pound

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