Astragalus Can Help with Immunity and Anxiety

anxiety-free immune boosting Jan 20, 2021

Astragalus is famous for boosting immunity. A plant that belongs to the legume family, its root is used as an herbal remedy in traditional Chinese medicine to reinforce qi (life force energy) and aid in the growth of new tissue. When I consume it, I love visualizing how the astragalus helps the body build new cells.

Research at the UCLA AIDS Institute investigated the ability of Cycloastragenol (a compound extracted from astragalus) to inhibit the aging process of immune cells. Scientists found it had positive effects on the cells’ response to viral infections. It appeared to increase the production of telomerase, an enzyme that plays a key role in cell replication and protects cells from DNA damage.1

You can buy dried astragalus root and make tea by boiling it in hot water. Or you can purchase it in the form of a powder, a liquid extract, or a capsule. The powder or liquid can be added to smoothies, teas, and soups.

 

Resources:

1.     S.R. Fauce, et al., “Telomerase-Based Pharmacologic Enhancement of Antiviral Function of Human CD8+ T Lymphocytes,” Journal of Immunology, vol. 181, no. 10 (November 15, 2008), pp. 7400–6, doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.10.7400.

 You can find more information about this in Anxiety-Free with Food, available in book stores around the world.