Considered the epitome of tonic herbs by Taoist Master. Schisandra berries are a truly revered and sacred berry.

They are grown in Northern China and used in the practice of traditional Chinese Medicine.

They compromise all three treasures Jing, Chi and Shen. And offer all 5 taste profiles of sweet, salty, pungent, bitter and sour.

They are predominantly used in Asia but they are becoming more noteworthy in the United States.  The berries have innate qualities that enhance the body and spirit.

From a Taoist point of view the Schisandra berries nourish all the 5 elements which are:

• Earth – Sweet
• Wood – Sour
• Fire – Bitter
• Water – Salty
• Metal – Pungent

They are said to enhance the energy centers of the body.

As someone that enjoys Martial Arts I feel  these subtle benefits in my practice.

This powerful yet humble berry has got my  respect and appreciation. I feel an aliveness, a happiness and a detoxification of the liver.

​Health Benefits of Schisandra Berries

The research on the health benefits of Schisandra berries is astounding.

Because it is known to protect all three treasures and our energy centers it improves stamina and vitality.

Known as an overall beauty tonic herb it helps to hydrate the skin and increase circulation through out the body creating a healthy complexion.

This is in part because of its astringent qualities and perhaps its detoxification action on the liver.

The liver and the health of your skin are directly connected as the liver is where we process all the toxins we take in through our life time.

Schisandra berries have been shown to calm the nervous system and regulate elevated cortisol.

What’s interesting is that once you get your cortisol (stress hormone) under control our sex organs are enhanced.

It makes sense because if one is always in fight or flight it would be hard to cultivate feelings for sex desire.

It is known as an anti-aging herb in Chinese Medicine because it really promotes balance in all the three treasures and bring harmony to the physical, emotional, & spiritual bodies.

Here are some research papers on the health benefits of specific health issues:

Inflammation & Pain Relief

According to the 2010 study from China, the flavonoids in schisandra were able to significantly reduce liver inflammation in rats with severe liver damage (as measured by the enzymes ALT and AST).

On top of all this, the suppression of nitric oxide inhibits an enzyme known as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). This is the same enzyme that drugs like Celebrex (celecoxib) target to relieve pain and inflammation, benefiting not only the liver but the entire body.

Source Verywellhealth.com

Depression

Another recent animal study found that Schisandra extract had an antidepressant effect on mice. Additional mouse studies, run by the same lead researcher, solidified this finding. However, Schisandra and its potential effect on depression hasn’t been extensively studied in humans.

Source  www.healthline.com

Menopause

A 2016 study  analyzed the effects of Schisandra extract on women with menopausal symptoms. The study followed 36 menopausal women for one year. Researchers determined that Schisandra is effective at alleviating some symptoms of menopause. These symptoms included hot flashes, sweating, and heart palpitations.

– Source: www.healthline.com

Improves Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

In 2017, research carried out by Ming Zhang and others, showed that Schisandrin B – a bioactive compound found in Schisandra, can stop the production of excess amyloid-beta peptides in the brain. This enzyme is responsible for producing amyloid plaques which are often found on the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Source – The Medic Channel

My favorite way to enjoy a Schisandra Tea is cool. I do first boil the berries in order to unlock their nutrients and properties.

It all starts with a high quality Schisandra berry that is not oxidized and is truly a fresh dried berry.

This is my favorite currently: Fresh Dried Organic Schisandra Berries

I like to take 1 – 2 TBS  in a glass pot and pour 12-16 ounces of purified water over them.

Bring them to a boil and then cover and turn down to simmer for 30 minutes.

You will have a very potent tea but once it sits for I while and is just warm to the touch you want to grab a glass and strain out about 4 ounces of the mixture.

Then top with 4 more ounces of water.

Now you have a lovely, bright medicinal tea that has so much value for your radiant health!

​The best part is it tastes so amazing.  Alot of teas that are good for you don’t taste good so this is an added bonus.​

You always want to reach out to your Doctor or Medical Professional before embarking on any change to your diet or lifestyle. Honestly I found so many more articles about the benefits for different health issues but there were way too many to list in this short article.

If you experience health benefits from Schisandra tea feel free to write me or leave a comment.

I hope you will give Schisandra Tea a try and experience its seen and unseen benefits for yourself.