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When most Koreans think of ginseng, Ganghwa Island is the place that naturally comes to mind.
Ginseng is a sensitive plant, requiring a right combination of climatic and soil conditions. These conditions are ideally united in Ganghwa Island.
Ganghwa Island is especially famous for its 6-year-old ginseng. Ganghwa ginseng can be conveniently purchased at the Ginseng Center run by the local ginseng cooperative, which brings together several dozen suppliers in one venue.
- Sales Point: Ginseng Center +82-32-933-3550, Korea Ginseng Co-operative Federation +82-32-934-2442
- Inquiries: Ganghwa-gun (Dept. of Regional Economy
+82-32-930-3352, Office of Tourism Development: +82-32-933-8011
An Energy Booster that Accelerates Fatigue Recovery
Ginseng is an outstanding stamina booster, and especially recommended for those in convalescence or who are suffering from temporary fatigue or weakness. It is a potent supplement that accelerates healing and recovery from fatigue.
Increased Blood Production and Better Circulation
Ginseng promotes the production of hemoglobin, which helps the lungs and the spleen to function properly. It is an effective treatment for those who suffer from anemia-related metabolic disorders, and is known to enhance hematopoiesis and blood circulation. Ginseng is recommended for patients with anemia, low blood pressure or a weak heart.
Enhances Bodily Functions and Relieves Thirst
Ginseng assists with the proper functioning of lungs, spleen and stomach, improving overall bodily functions. By helping to ensure an adequate level of bodily fluid, ginseng is also an excellent treatment for chronic dehydration. It is known to be an effective parallel treatment for diabetes.
Strengthened Lungs and Respiratory System
Ginseng provides effective relief for conditions affecting the lungs, such as asthma and cough. It is also beneficial for patients suffering from tuberculosis and asthma.
Improved Gastro-enteric Health
Ginseng strengthens the intestinal tract and the digestive system, preventing conditions like diarrhea. It is highly recommended for gastro-enteric troubles, constipation, poor appetite and diarrhea.
Detoxifies and Relieves Boils
Ginseng promotes the elimination of toxic substances from the body, and strengthens the response of the immune system to diseases caused by poor metabolism. It also is known to improve skin health, making skin softer and smoother to the touch, and preventing and healing boils and other dermatological troubles.
Goryeo ginseng has long been recognized as a drug. In fact, its healing benefits are so highly appreciated that it was long considered a miraculous medicine. In recent decades, there have been numerous medical studies conducted on ginseng, based on the information provided in ancient medical texts. According to these modern studies, the proven benefits of ginseng are as follows:
Vascular Benefits
Ginseng causes peripheral vasodilatation, reducing peripheral vascular resistance and improving blood circulation. It is efficacious in the treatment of anemia, as it promotes blood production by ensuring the correct balance of iron in the bone marrow.
In addition, ginseng prevents thrombus by controlling aggregation of platelets. Thanks to agents that elevate (Rg group) and lower (Rb, Rc goups) blood pressure, ginseng adjusts and balances blood pressure, maintaining it at a healthy level.
A long-term ginseng treatment can help patients with essential hypertension by lowering blood pressure. Ginseng also relieves a number of the symptoms caused by high blood pressure (insomnia, thirst, fatigue, low libido). Moreover, by relaxing the parasympathetic nervous system, as necessary and when needed, it restores balance to the autonomic nervous system and regulates hormone balance; a property which can be potentially beneficial for patients with low blood pressure.
Ginseng activates enzymes involved in lipid metabolism and breaks down blood cholesterols, lowering the overall amount of cholesterol and lipids in the body; a property that makes it an efficacious preventive agent against conditions such as arterial sclerosis. In addition, Ginsenoside Ro, a substance found in ginseng, inhibits cell proliferation in smooth muscles in sites affected by arterial sclerosis.
Metabolic Benefits
Ginseng stimulates the synthesis of fat, protein and nucleic acid, accelerating the regeneration of liver cells. By bringing the activities of serum enzymes including GOT and GPT back to a normal level, it restores the liver to health.
By interacting with a variety of enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism (alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, etc.), ginseng promotes the breakdown of alcohol. Ginseng is effective for healing liver damage caused by alcohol, and preventing alcohol-related gout.
Ginseng is also an effective remedy for diabetes, as it lowers the level of blood sugar, stimulates the biosynthesis and secretion of insulin, and inhibits the breakdown of body fat. It can be used in combination with insulin or an oral hypoglycemic to relieve symptoms associated with diabetes.
Thanks to its property of promoting blood circulation, ginseng helps to maintain the skin’s natural moisture, and delays skin aging. It is also an effective treatment against acne, and protects the hair from environmental damage.
Immunological Benefits
Ginseng suppresses the proliferation of cancer cells, while inducing malignant cells to divide into normal and healthy cells. Epidemiological research on the relationship between ginseng consumption and cancer outbreak has indicated that people who consume ginseng on a regular basis have a significantly lower chance of developing cancer, and that the cancer risk lowers as the frequency of ginseng consumption increases. In addition, ginseng has been found to increase the actions of chemotherapy drugs, while minimizing side effects such as the reduction of white blood cells.
Ginseng may also be a potentially beneficial treatment supplement for patients diagnosed as HIV-positive. Used in combination with treatment drugs, ginseng can help delay the onset of AIDS and slow the progress of the disease by enhancing the efficacy of the drugs and inhibiting side effects. It can also be effectively combined with cancer drugs and immuno-suppressant drugs, and used to restore immune responses that have been suppressed by environmental pollutants to a normal level.
Benefits for the Central Nervous System
A substance contained in ginseng called saponin excites when it belongs to the panaxatriol group, and calms when it belongs to the panaxadiol group. By increasing the level of catecholamine in the brain, this substance regulates the functioning of the autonomic central nervous system. It is known to improve academic performance and learning ability, and enhance memory. The substance also effectively combats stress and fatigue. The central nervous system, after exposure to biological or chemical stress, recovers faster with the intake of ginseng. Ginseng also controls hyperactivity from chronic cocaine use, and prevents and heals psychosis caused by cocaine abuse.
Digestive Benefits
Ginseng promotes the stomach’s digestive action by stimulating blood circulation in the stomach lining. It can prevent and relieve conditions such as indigestion, gastroptosis, low appetite and bloat. Ginseng improves the health of the overall digestive system, both by directly acting on the stomach and through indirect actions such as controlling stress, which is one of the principal causes of stomach ailments.
Ginseng also offers antidiuretic benefits. It is known to stimulate the secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. In addition, ginseng is believed to some effectiveness in preventing kidney damage.
Gynecological Benefits
When administered with painkillers, ginseng can help to relieve menstrual pain. It can also alleviate other menstruation-related discomforts such as lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, headache and mood changes.
Ginseng promotes peripheral circulation and endocrine functions, and can effectively treat conditions such as coldness in the feet and hands. Ginseng relieves these symptoms also by controlling stress, which is known to worsen them.
Finally, Ginseng has been shown to improve the sex drive, in both men and women.
