Staying Healthy and Balanced with “The Herb of Immortality”
OK fine, maybe it won't allow you to live forever, but Jiaogulan (Gynostemma Pentaphyllum) is called “The Herb of Immortality” in China for very good reasons! This wild vine has been well known to the inhabitants of some remote mountains in Southern China for over five centuries, but was first discovered by the rest of the world in the early 1970's thanks to the first nationwide census in China. The Chinese government was so intrigued by the results that it put together a team of 16 scientists and sent them out to the southern provinces to investigate why there was an unusually large number of people in some mountainous villages who were often living to 100 years of age, and in apparently good health too! The scientists looked at many possible factors, but found only one common link- many of the locals were drinking a tea made from a plant that grew wild in the hills around them. They called it “xiancao”, or “the herb of immortality”, because of the many health benefits they believed the plant had. The villagers held Jiaogulan in such high esteem that they considered it similar, but even better than Panax Ginseng, which is one of the healthiest plants we know of. Jiaogulan's discovery sparked much scientific interest that is going strong to this day not only in China, but all over the world. Scientists found out that the similarity between the effects of Jiaogulan and Panax Ginseng was more than coincidental – both plants contained the same type of active compounds,
called saponins, that give them their health-boosting superpowers. Interestingly, even though the two plants are completely unrelated, some of their saponins were found to be identical. However, while ginseng contains “only” 28 different saponins, Jiaogulan is now known to contain at least 174 of these very beneficial chemicals! In fact, Jiaogulan has the richest saponin content of any other plant known to man (by a long shot), which helps explain how it is able to have so many different health benefits. Over four decades of research scientists have discovered many of the positive effects Gynostemma can have on our bodies. The herb was found to be an adaptogen, which means that it helps the body to adapt to and better handle physical, emotional, and environmental stress and anxiety. It also means that Jiaogulan has a balancing effect on the body, and that effect is bidirectional, which is to say it will work to bring balance regardless of the direction of imbalance. For example, in people who have high blood pressure, Jiaogulan will work to lower it, while in those who have low blood pressure it will bring it higher. This is a very impressive ability indeed, and is the reason why some have claimed that adaptogens have a certain “intelligence”. Gynostemma also has the extremely rare ability to stimulate cells to produce their own antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione, and catalase. According to scientists, these are literally thousands of times more powerful than the antioxidants we usually get from our diet and play a crucial role in protecting our cells and DNA from oxidative damage – the cause of many different diseases and aging itself – and the elimination of toxins from the body. This is at the root of the antiaging effects attributed to the herb. Jiaogulan is also a strong diabetes and cancer fighter. It strengthens and protects the immune system, helping us fight off infections and diseases. It benefits the heart and cardiovascular system, helping to prevent atherosclerosis, strokes and heart attacks. Finally, it protects the nervous system, while boosting mental performance, clarity and memory. And we've just scratched the surface! There is much more to the story and benefits of this miracle plant.