Called the "Elixir of Life," Fo-ti tonic is said to produce longevity, fertility and vitality. Taking Fo-ti is said to keep one vigorous and extends one's life span. It is a vine plant that grows well in a shady bed.

Growing Info: This vine plant is a vigorous specimen with a very cunning growth ability. New plants should be grown in pots until their second spring when they can be transplanted into a shady bed with a trellis. Can be grown in sun or shade, but Fo-ti will not tolerate high heat very well at all. This woody perennial can grow to six feet.

Standard Uses: This vine plant is a good ornamental selection for gardens needing a lush green vine to cover a trellis. Their ability to grow in a shady location is a plus, but their inability to withstand high heat does limit their use in warmer regions.

Medicinal Uses: Fo-ti is said to have a root that grows as big as a football at times. It's reputation as a tonic has been touted as a substance to produce longevity, fertility and vitality. Today, many use it as an effective tool against high blood pressure and hardening of the veins and arteries. The component of Lecithin which is contained in Fo-ti helps to reduce arterial plaque and blood pressure. It has also been used for years as a folk remedy for darkening pre-mature gray hair.

The use of He shou wou for the hair emanates from an ancient story of a famous Chinese military officer who was condemned to death by confinement in a remote cell with no food or drink. He was able to survive by consuming the leaves and roots of a common vinelike weed (polygonum multiflorum). After one year his keepers went back to dispose of the remains of the condemned military officer, that found him fully rejuvenated with his lustrous black hair color fully restored. Since that time, the herb that General He Shou Wou consumed while incarcerated for a year has been named in his honor.

He shou wou, commercially misnamed in recent times, fo ti tieng, contains lecithin, anthraquinones, chrysophanic acid, emodin, rhein, and chrysophanic acid anthrone. Normally He shou wou has been cured by cooking it with black beans. It is bitter, sweet, astringent and slightly warm.

It is used as a tonic for the liver and kidney and also to nourish the blood, benefit the essence, and kidney and liver yin. It is therefore used for deficient yin and blood conformations including dizziness, blurred vision, prematurely gray hair, weak lower back and knees, soreness in the extremities and insomnia. All of these are basic signs and indications for adrenal depletion included under the signs of kidney yin deficiency. As it contains some anthraquinones it also possesses some demulcent and detoxifying properties making it useful for lubricating the intestines and promoting bowel movement especially in anemic individuals.

One of the most remarkable effects of He shou wou is its effects on lipid metabolism. It is believed that the lecithin in He shou wou is responsible for preventing the accumulation of cholesterol in the liver and the retention of lipids in the blood stream and finally the penetration of lipids into the arterial endothelium, hence reducing arteriosclerosis. (14)

The lecithin, besides being good for the hair, is found in He shou wou as a main component of nerve tissue, particularly of the brain and spinal cord. It is also an important raw material for the membranes of erythrocytes and other cells, promoting their growth and developement. (15)

One of the most commonly available and effective forms of He shou wou is in a Chinese patented formula called "Shou Wou Chih". It is a liquid extract containing Shou wou along with Dang gui, Ligusticum, Polygonatum, Rehmannia root and other herbs that aid circulation and digestion. It is used as a liver tonic, tonifying, warming and invigorating the blood, nourishing the liver and kidneys, benefiting the eyes and tendons, strengthening the bones and tendons of the back, relieving joint pains and depletion caused by sexual excess, childbirth, or illness. Shou Wou Chih is suitable to take daily for a long period of time (3 months or more). The daily dose is 2-3 tablespoons, 3 x daily.

Another good remedy for restoring hair color is Black sesame seeds. Chinese medicine finds that herbs and foods that are black colored are usually particularly good for the TCM kidneys. Black sesame is rich in certain oils and is taken regularly, about one tablespoon daily, to prevent greying and help restore normal hair color. Black sesame seeds can be dry roasted and ground with a little salt to make a delicious condiment that can be sprinkled on rice and other foods. I have also combined about a thrid portion of ground he shou wou with the black sesame gomasio to increase its benefits. A delicious sweet version can be made by mixing the ground black sesame with honey or dry powdered pure sugar cane juice extract.

As with the discussion of other aspects of the TCM Kidneys and indeed herbal medicine generally, attempting to diagnose and treat a specific symptom such as premature hair loss or greying, leads one to use herbs and formulas that are indicated for the whole person. By treating hair symptoms, one eventually also finds that their energy and well being improves, joint pains disappear and perhaps is beneficial even, to one's sex life. In this way one herb or formula can treat 100's of symptoms while at the same time by applying TCM diagnostic criteria we can arrive at the correct approach that will achieve the best results for a specific symptomology.