College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)

A strong anti-viral to help your immune system effectively fight off and recover from viral infections.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Astragalus is high in selenium, the best mineral for fighting viruses. The next time you feel a little bug coming on, make sure to take powerful astragalus alongside your anti-biotic herbs.

Metabolic Nature of Astragalus

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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SWEET

ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Pitta aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Astragalus
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

Adrenal Tonic

ADRENAL-TONIC

Strengthens, supports, or increases output of adrenals.

SEE ALL 'ADRENAL-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Antifibrotic

ANTIFIBROTIC

Fibrosis of an organ is often a progressive leading to organ failure (i.e lungs, liver, kidney). While vulneraries usually help restore collagen, antifibrotic herbs often clear collagen. Aka fibrinolytic.

SEE ALL 'ANTIFIBROTIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Vulnerary

VULNERARY

An herb used for the treatment of wounds (antiulcer, connective tissue tonic).

SEE ALL 'VULNERARY' FOODS / HERBS

Lung Tonic

LUNG-TONIC

Strengthens the lungs. Lung tonics include antifibrotic, vessel tonic, or nourishing herbs with an affinity for the lungs. They aid recovery in acute or chronic lung conditions.

SEE ALL 'LUNG-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Adaptogen

ADAPTOGEN

Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.

SEE ALL 'ADAPTOGEN' FOODS / HERBS

,
Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antiviral

ANTIVIRAL

Herbs that inhibit the development of viral infections. Antivirals also can be found in essential oils of some herbs, such as eucalyptus oil.

SEE ALL 'ANTIVIRAL' FOODS / HERBS

,
Immune Calming

IMMUNE-CALMING

Herbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system, useful in allergies and autoimmune conditions.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-CALMING' FOODS / HERBS

, Immune Modulator,
Immune Stimulant

IMMUNE-STIMULANT

Stimulates and strengthens the immune system. Helpful when fighting off a cold or flu.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Antiplatelet

STRONG ANTIPLATELET

An herb that inhibits clotting, dissolves clots, thins the blood, or destroys platelets, therefore reducing the tendency of blood to form clots. They are useful in cardiovascular disease, clots, and stroke. Aka anticoagulant.

SEE ALL 'ANTIPLATELET' FOODS / HERBS

,
Blood Tonic

BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Hepatoprotective

HEPATOPROTECTIVE

An herb that is capable of preventing liver damage. Many hepatoprotectives work via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

SEE ALL 'HEPATOPROTECTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Hypolipidemic

HYPOLIPIDEMIC

Scrapes fats / cleanses blood vessels by 1) purging bile, 2) strengthening the liver's ability to metabolize fats, 3) by increasing uptake of cholesterol in the liver, and 4) by inhibiting fat cells.

SEE ALL 'HYPOLIPIDEMIC' FOODS / HERBS

Bone Tonic

BONE-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the bones and joints.

SEE ALL 'BONE-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:
Inositol

INOSITOL

Inositol is an alcohol sugar made naturally in the human body from glucose. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabilism in the liver). It affects a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, steroid, growth factors and water.

SEE ALL 'INOSITOL' FOODS / HERBS

, Polysaccharides

Foods with a Similar Nature to Astragalus

  • Turmeric Root (Fresh)

    Turmeric Root (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Hypolipidemic, Vulnerary, Antifibrotic, Bone-tonic, Immune-calming, Adrenal-tonic, Antiplatelet, Hepatoprotective, Immune-modulator

    LEARN MORE

  • Turmeric

    Turmeric has these Actions in Common

    Antiplatelet, Hepatoprotective, Immune-modulator, Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Hypolipidemic, Vulnerary, Antifibrotic, Bone-tonic, Immune-calming

    LEARN MORE

  • Ginger (Fresh)

    Ginger (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, Hypolipidemic, Adrenal-tonic, Antiplatelet, Lung-tonic, Anti-inflammatory, Hepatoprotective, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Grape

    Grape has these Actions in Common

    Antiplatelet, Immune-calming, Blood-tonic, Livotonic, Anti-inflammatory, Diuretic, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Stinging Nettles

    Stinging Nettles has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Diuretic, Vulnerary, Blood-tonic, Immune-calming, Bone-tonic, Lung-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic (raw)

    Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, Diuretic, Vulnerary, Antiplatelet, Hypolipidemic, Antiviral, Lung-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Chickweed

    Chickweed has these Actions in Common

    Vulnerary, Anti-inflammatory, Hepatoprotective, Blood-tonic, Hypolipidemic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Dandelion Leaves

    Dandelion Leaves has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Hypolipidemic, Diuretic, Immune-calming, Hepatoprotective, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Basil

    Basil has these Actions in Common

    Immune-calming, Nervine, Anti-inflammatory, Immune-stimulant, Diuretic, Lung-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Burdock Root (Gobo)

    Burdock Root (Gobo) has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Vulnerary, Hypolipidemic, Anti-inflammatory, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Cranberry

    Cranberry has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Immune-calming, Blood-tonic, Livotonic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Astragalus

  • Licorice Root (Yastimadhu)

    Licorice Root (Yastimadhu) has these Actions in Common

    Antiviral, Vulnerary, Hepatoprotective, Immune-calming, Immune-modulator, Adaptogen, Immune-stimulant, Adrenal-tonic, Livotonic, Anti-inflammatory, Lung-tonic, Antifibrotic, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Licorice Ghee (9oz)

    Licorice Ghee (9oz) has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Lung-tonic, Antifibrotic, Nervine, Antiviral, Vulnerary, Hepatoprotective, Immune-calming, Immune-modulator, Adaptogen, Immune-stimulant, Adrenal-tonic, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Bhringaraj

    Bhringaraj has these Actions in Common

    Hypolipidemic, Immune-calming, Adrenal-tonic, Livotonic, Anti-inflammatory, Nervine, Blood-tonic, Vulnerary, Bone-tonic, Diuretic, Hepatoprotective

    LEARN MORE

  • Dong Quai

    Dong Quai has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Antifibrotic, Antiplatelet, Blood-tonic, Hepatoprotective, Hypolipidemic, Immune-calming, Adaptogen, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Adrenal-tonic, Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Bone-tonic, Diuretic, Immune-calming, Nervine, Adaptogen, Vulnerary

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Hypolipidemic, Immune-calming, Lung-tonic, Adaptogen, Nervine, Adrenal-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Eleuthero Ginseng

    Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

    Hypolipidemic, Immune-stimulant, Nervine, Adaptogen, Adrenal-tonic, Anti-inflammatory, Blood-tonic, Hepatoprotective

    LEARN MORE

  • Ginkgo

    Ginkgo has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Hepatoprotective, Hypolipidemic, Immune-calming, Nervine, Anti-inflammatory, Antifibrotic, Antiplatelet

    LEARN MORE

  • Milk Thistle

    Milk Thistle has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, Diuretic, Hepatoprotective, Hypolipidemic, Immune-calming, Livotonic, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Amritarishta (Amrutharishtam)

    Amritarishta (Amrutharishtam) has these Actions in Common

    Immune-modulator, Nervine, Anti-inflammatory, Antiviral, Diuretic, Hepatoprotective, Immune-calming

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

Guidelines - Preparation & Dose

1 dropper full 2x/day or as directed by your practitioner.
See guidelines for tinctures?

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Astragalus may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Astragalus may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Astragalus. Please see your health care provider for more information.

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.