Repairing and Rejenerating with Ho Shou Wu

Repairing and Rejenerating with Ho Shou Wu

For the past year or so, since recovering from a serious illness, I've been focusing on a lot of Yang herbs to regain and build my vitality, but I've also started to notice some serious signs of aging. My once oily skin had become dry and prone to wrinkles and skin flaking, and my high metabolism and propensity for lean muscle and low body fat had begun to change and I started getting softer around the edges.

Reading Michael Tierra's book The Way of Chinese Herbs introduced me to a whole new understanding of Yin and Yang, and how it relates to youthfulness, vitality, and health. I realized that I was showing some serious signs of Yang excess--not just my dry skin but my energy levels, while high, were terribly unfocused and scattered, almost like the feeling you get after drinking too much coffee. My immunity was also suffering and I felt like I was constantly fighting off a cold.

The Yin energy in the body is best thought of as the vessel, and the Yang energy as the energy within that vessel. People who are characterized as having strong Yin energy are those who can eat anything, never exercise, and remain youthful and healthy. Their vessel, their physical body, is extremely strong and able to withstand a constant battering of mistreatment. This is their Yin energy in effect on their body.

Realizing my excess of Yang energy and my lack of Yin energy--the energy that is going to keep me healthy and vital--I started focusing of supplementing my diet with for Yin herbs. Most dramatic has been the introduction of Ho Shou Wu into my daily routine.

I'm having some seriously positive results from the Ho Shou Wu tincture that I've been taking for the past several weeks. Physically, I've been burning body fat without working out, noticeable through more defined core muscles, and my facial skin is noticeably moister and fine lines are disappearing. I'm using a potent extract of traditionally prepared Ho Shou Wu in grain and grape alcohol.

My energy levels are remaining high, and my sleeping patterns are much improved. I'm waking every morning with the sun rise at 6:50am, feeling totally refreshed. I'm still feeling a little scattered, but my focusing ability is improving.

If you're interested in actually strengthening your body, I highly recommend checking yourself for Yin deficiency and Yang excess. Take some time away from the Yang herbs and replenish your Yin. Once your vessel become strong, start introducing those Yang herbs again.

Coming into the spring, let’s focus right now on repairing and regenerating our bodies though strengthening our Yin energy. I'm having awesome results, and I know you will too.

For more information, check out the link above to Michael Tierra's book. As far as buying Yin herbs, for the time being, look for the powders extract of Ho Shou Wu over at Hyperion Herbs. When looking for a source of Ho Shou Wu, make sure you find one where the herb has been traditionally prepared. The unprepared root will yield much different results and effects. The picture above is of traditionally prepared Ho Shou Wu.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an e-mail, and I hope you're having a fantastic day!

Ryan

Update.

As a short update, Erin, from the blog Pretty in Primal , sent me the following bit of very interesting information about Ho Shou Wu:

It combines really well with goji as a yin tonic and with dan gui as a blood tonic.
I take it along w/ a tea of nettle, red date (qi building), peony root (blood moving) and orange peel (to help it digest and to improve spleen/stomach function). I love playing with herbs:-)

PS- shuo wu is also an excellent source of resveratrol (it's in the same polygonum family as giant knotweed, which a lot of resveratrol is derived from). Resveratrol reduces glycation, one of the main causes of cellular aging!