Dong Quai Root
Dong quai root or the perennial phytoestrogenic herb known by its Angelica Sinensis is found in various mountainous territories of China, Korea and Japan. In appearance the Dong Quai root is a varying shades of brown and thick. Its history is said to date back millions of years, where ancient Asian cultures long cultivated it for its medicinal purposes.
The ways in which dong quai root works
Dong quai root contains phytoestrogens which have been proven to have a biological structure which is chemically similar to estrogen. This component of many phytoestrogenic plants is capable of regenerating diminished estrogen levels. Estrogen is a key part of the body and an imbalance can cause a number of painful or embarrassing menopause symptoms for women approaching middle age.
The uses of dong quai root
Over its million years of existence dong quai root has had a variety of medicinal uses. Ancient Chinese civilization used to use it as a sedative, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic. Despite these ancient cultural uses, dong quai in the modern day is used to treat a host of menopause symptoms. Like other phytoestrogenic herbs, such as ginseng and black cohosh the properties of Dong Quai Root are good at treating such symptoms. Dong Quai Root is known for being able to treat the following effectively:
. Sleep disturbances.
. Relief from menstrual disorders.
. The relaxing of peripheral blood vessels.
. Spasms.
. Relief from menopausal symptoms.
Advantages of dong quai root
Dong quai root as a viable option to hormone replacement therapy: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an expensive but effective option in the treatment of menopause symptoms. Many see dong quai root as a cheaper alternative that soothes many menopause symptoms through a similar process.
Dong quai root as treatment for other conditions: Dong quai root has been proven capable of relieving other health concerns unrelated to menopause, including: high blood pressure, PMS and arthritis.
Dong quai root is an efficient treatment method for menopause symptoms: Dong quai root is seen as an herb that can provide fast effective relief against menopause symptoms.
Disadvantages of dong quai root
Dong quai root can cause complications with other drugs: Due to its capability of conflicting with other drugs does taking anticoagulants or women who are pregnant should not use dong quai root.
Dong quai root, rashes and skin inflammation: The consumption of Dong quai root increases a person's sensitivity to the sun and without sunscreen; such sensitivity can result in painful inflammations or rashes on the skin.
Dong quai root and breast cancer: Dong quai root has been proven to aggravate the spread of breast cancer cells.
Conclusion
Dong quai root has been proven capable of helping with some of the symptoms of menopause. Because of its potent properties which include phytoestrogens, it also comes with a range of side effects which can pose serious health concerns to women using it. Because some of these side effects can often prove to be more dangerous than the symptoms they are trying to cure, a great deal of consideration should be undertaken before using Dong quai root.
What other options for women are there? Because of some of the dangerous effects of phytoestrogenic herbs such as Dong quai root, many women consider the other alternatives before using the herb in order to treat their menopause symptoms. HRT is one option but others have begun to use non-estrogenic herbs as an alternative means of treatment.
