Can Ginseng Help Improve Your Mindfulness Practice?

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Not everyone can say that a ginseng farm grows in their backyard. But for Amélie Chanda, a wellness coach and yoga teacher residing in Norfolk County, Ontario, this couldn’t be more true. For Chanda, all it takes is a brief five-minute drive from her front door to step foot in a ginseng field. In fact, Norfolk County produces eight million pounds of ginseng each year, according to the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association.

Home to 160 farms spread across roughly 6,000 acres of the Erie Sandplains, Ontario is the motherland for North American ginseng, i.e, panax quinquefolius, a herb that’s native to the land thanks to rich sandy soil, fresh water, minimal pollution, and shady climate.

The power of North American ginseng

While she’s always appreciated the ginseng farms around her, it wasn’t until more recently that she truly learned what all the hype was about. What she wasn’t fully aware of? Ginseng’s numerous health properties. Chanda has found that adding ginseng to her diet is really complimentary to her mindfulness practice. “I’ll take one Great Mountain Ginseng capsule in the morning [daily] or from time-to-time I like to make tea using shaved ginseng root,” she says. “It has a really earthy taste; it helps me feel grounded.” (Consumption guidelines according to the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association: If boiling dried ginseng root for tea, simmer 2-9 g in 720-960 ml of water for approximately 45 minutes.)

As an entrepreneur, mother and wife, Chanda has found this herbal addition to her diet to be beneficial both on and off the mat. She’s noticed an increase in energy (In fact, ginseng could replace your usual caffeinated beverage.), reduced stress, as well as improved mental clarity and focus. Ginseng is a powerful little root indeed.