The ginseng guru, the mountain forest, the root and its superpowers

I love to reminisce about beautiful memories. It always warms my heart. Especially when I think back to May 2017. Four years ago, almost to the day, I walked in the footsteps of the rare forest ginseng for the first time. To be more precise, we, Team GINZAI, hiked through the mountain forests in the southwest of South Korea. This is where the queen of medicinal plants grows in perfect harmony with untouched nature. Almost inconspicuous (when it is not in bloom) in the protective shade of the deciduous trees and barely recognizable to the layman's eye. It helped that our German-Korean group (and interpreter) was led by Anh-Doc Yung. He is our forest ginseng supplier and ginseng guru. You could also call him the guardian of forest ginseng. Anh-Doc Yung has dedicated his life entirely to the precious root. He made this decision as a young man - and he did so consistently.

 

In order to study forest ginseng, he was literally drawn to the vast deciduous forests of Jeollabuk-do province. A lush green and fertile region, around 230 km from the capital Seoul. In order to become one with nature, he spent an incredible six years living in the midst of his objects of study. Before building himself a modest wooden hut, our ginseng guru even spent weeks sleeping in the high treetops of the broad-crowned trees. "The man, like a bird in a nest" is how he is described in specialist literature. Anh-Doc Yung is indeed revered in South Korea as a forest ginseng luminary and his expertise is in demand far beyond the country's borders. 

Now 64 years old, Anh-Doc Yung now lives at the foot of "his" mountain forests. He has long since swapped his modest wooden hut for a state-of-the-art home. Every corner there tells the story of his passion. Forest ginseng wherever you look - elixirs, confectionery, creams and, of course, countless roots. He keeps them in a showroom set up especially for this purpose. He doesn't want to part with the most magnificent specimens, he told me. And I can well understand that, given the impressive collection. Glass cylinder after glass cylinder impressively showcase the alcohol-preserved roots. There must be hundreds of them. I can only estimate the monetary value. In any case, I am standing in the midst of an immeasurable fortune. Faced with these precious beauties, I realized once again what a unique natural treasure we were laying the foundation for GINZAI cosmetics. You probably know this: There are moments in life that burn themselves unforgettably into your brain. Meeting our ginseng supplier is one of them. The hut is still there, by the way. It symbolizes the special life story of an extraordinary man.

 

 

 

Thanks to Anh-Doc Yung, I have learned a lot about forest ginseng. You can read some of it here. I am particularly enthusiastic about its adaptogenic effect (to adapt). To explain this, I need to go into a little more detail. Ginseng has both invigorating and calming properties. A good example from the field of body health is our blood pressure. Ginseng can lower high blood pressure and raise low blood pressure. "How can that be?", you may ask yourself. How can a medicinal plant have such contradictory effects?

The key to this lies in the so-called ginsenosides, the main active ingredients of the ginseng root. They are unique in the plant world and their effects cannot be compared with anything else. To date, numerous studies have classified 40 different ginsenosides. Each one unfolds its own unique power and adapts to the respective needs of our body. Each individual ginsenoside has been given an "R code".

The most intensively researched ginsenosides are Rg1 and Rb1. They are antagonists. Traditional Chinese medicine also speaks of yin and yang, which complement each other harmoniously.

 

Now I'll come back briefly to the blood pressure example:

Rg1 increases blood pressure, has a stimulating and uplifting effect. Rb1, on the other hand, lowers blood pressure and has a calming effect. Let's assume I have high blood pressure. This would trigger Rb1 to regulate my values.

You can visualize it like this: Ginsenosides are like the fire department in your body. They put out fires where they burn. The topic is incredibly interesting, but also super complex. I hope I've been able to give you an initial overview and get you interested. Nice play on words, isn't it? 😊 So, now it's getting really exciting. Now it's all about the ginsenoside, which can adapt to the needs of your skin. That's right!

Over the last 15 years, scientific studies have intensively investigated the anti-ageing effect of Rg3 ginsenoside. It has been found that the best possible effect (bioavailability) can be achieved through a special vaporization process. The process removes water from the roots with each vaporization stage. At the same time, the concentration of the anti-ageing ginsenoside Rg3 increases. And lo and behold: after nine vaporizations, the highest possible concentration of Rg3 is present. You can read exactly how this works and how the white ginseng root is turned into black ginseng here.

  

 

With this maximum concentration, incomparable anti-aging effects can be achieved that significantly improve the appearance of your skin.

• counteracts collagen and elastin loss and stimulates new formation

• supports the formation of new hyaluronic acid

• delays skin ageing processes such as wrinkling and loss of elasticity 

• Reduces age spots and prevents them from forming again

• protects the cells from free radicals

• Has an anti-inflammatory effect against irritation and blemished skin

• Activates the skin's own cells and accelerates cell renewal

• Promotes microcirculation for better oxygen and nutrient absorption

• Stimulates anabolic metabolic processes 

• counteracts photoaging (ageing due to UV light)

 

Thanks to the adaptogenic effect of our black forest ginseng, your skin also receives the reliable support it needs to keep your skin metabolism in balance. They also help your skin to better adapt to stress factors (e.g. temperature fluctuations) and strengthen its resistance to harmful influences.

 

Phew! I know, that was quite a lot of information all at once. But sometimes my enthusiasm just gets the better of me - and some stories just have to be told. 😉 Want to know more? No problem! In the next article, I'll tell you about another pretty cool superpower of black forest ginseng.

 

All my love,

Your Christiane