Tibetan & Chinese Medicine
 
Goji Berries have been used in Tibetan medicine for over 1700 years. These sweet little berries have traditionally been used to help support the kidneys and liver. Goji berries have also been used to cleanse the blood, strengthen the eyes, fortify the muscles and bones, and used as a general overall health tonic.
 
Much of the ancient medicine of Tibet and China has been handed down through the generations in the form of traditions. There is a legend about a man named Li Qing Yuen who was born in 1678. A master herbalist, Li Qing traveled extensively throughout Tibet and Southeast Asia, learning from the many natural healers living there. Li Qing Yuen was known to eat very little meat and consumed mostly vegetables and herbs. He also consumed a Lycium soup on a daily basis. Lycium, also known as the Goji berry, has been used as an overall health tonic for nearly 2000 years. Li Qing Yuen lived to be 225 years old.
 
There is an excellent article titled Lycium Fruit by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., with the Institute for Traditional Medicine, located in Portland, Oregon. This well documented article briefly describes the Traditional uses of the Goji berry and goes into great detail about the Constituents and Pharmacology of the Goji Berry. You must read this article!
 
Although the Goji plant is known for its sweet tasting fruit, there are other parts of the plant that have been used as both a medicine and as a vegetable. The young shoots and new leaves of the Goji Berry plant are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The taste is similar to water cress.
The root bark is a bitter, cooling antibacterial herb that has been used to control coughs, lower fevers, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It is also used to reduce irritability and to treat recurrent nosebleeds. The bark is harvested in the winter and dried for later use. For those who are interested in obtaining Goji leaves and Goji roots, there is a nursery selling Live Goji Berry Plants in Salt Lake City Utah. They ship bare root Goji plants from December through April.
 
 
Disclaimer:
Always consult a health professional before taking any nutritional supplement. We do not recommend self medication with any plant products and we make no claims. This information should be seen as educational. Please consult your physician with any health problems.