Improving Your Immunity With Astragalus And Wellness

Astragalus membranaceus is a flowering herbaceous perennial of the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) or Legume family that grows 16-36 inches tall. It has hairy stems with leaves made up of 12-18 pairs of leaflets. Small, light yellow pea-like flowers arise from leaf axils.

Astragalus membranaceus is known in China as "huang-qi" which means "yellow leader". "Huang" means "yellow," referring to the yellow interior of the root. "Qi" means "leader," referring to this herb as one of the superior tonics in Chinese medicine.

Also known as: milk vetch, huang qi, bei qi, and huang hua.

Astragalus is a traditional Chinese herb that’s used to treat many problems in the body. But it's especially known for helping to boost the body's immunity and to fight viruses—some of the toughest germs around.

For a helpful overall boost, astragalus can be combined with ginseng. The two work together to help with problems such as fatigue, lack of appetite, and problems with excessive perspiration. But used alone, even, astragalus can be very helpful for improving the body's immunity.

Viral infections, such as the common cold, viral pneumonia, and viral bronchitis are especially difficult for modern medicine to treat. There really is no cure for a virus from pharmaceutical companies. That's because a virus attaches itself to healthy cells in the body and takes them over. In order to kill the virus, you have to kill the cell too.

However astragalus works naturally to help prevent viral infections and can even help to fight them to an extent. It helps to produce a chemical called interferon in the body. This chemical actually works to interfere with the life cycle of a virus and kill it before it takes over.

Astragalus is also able to help boost the production of white blood cells in the body. These are the cells that are most responsible for fighting infection. So if you can actually boost the amount of white blood cells in the body, it will be easier for your body to prevent and fight disease.

Astragalus may be a very good herb for helping people with immune suppression to help improve immunity. It can help boost white blood cells that are dwindling because of other illnesses or congenital conditions.

Cut and sifted

The root of astragalus is what’s used for medicinal purposes. However, it can be used in capsules, teas, tablets, or liquid extracts. You can also find herbal teas that use astragalus root in their formulas. Powders can be simply sprinkled on food or added to smoothies in order to take the herb.

Powder

Whether you’re suffering from serious immune system problems such as cancer or HIV or you just want to prevent catching a cold during flu season, astragalus can help you to improve your immune function and stay well.

Astragalus root has been used in China for centuries, where it is still commonly used to prepare restorative teas and tonics. Sometimes known as Syrian Tragacanth and Gum Dragon, astragalus root is also used in cooking to add a sweet, earthy flavor to soups, broths and stews, while the powdered root is mixed into foods or encapsulated as a supplement.