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Page 55
| and high blood pressure, have in many cases been corrected by ginseng. As noted, information about this herb is often contradictory. |
| Ginseng or Siberian ginseng in small amounts is probably safe for those with mild hypertension, especially when combined with relaxing herbs and a healthy diet. However, if you have serious hypertension or heart disease, consult with an experienced herbalist or physician before taking ginseng. See also Ginseng by Kathi Keville, another book in the Good Herb Guide series, for extensive information on ginseng's properties, safety, research and uses. |
| Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) |
| The round, fan-shaped leaves of gotu kola grow close to the ground in a thick green carpet. In tropical climates, it is a familiar lawn and roadside weed. Known to Indian writers centuries ago as an herb that increases longevity (it is said to be a favorite food of Indian elephants), gotu kola traveled with people from that country as they settled in the Caribbean, Hawaii and other warm climates. Now recognized as an important herb for the circulatory system, gotu kola is cultivated around the world for its medicinal benefits. |
| If you do not already grow gotu kola as a garden or house plant, consider doing so. Much of the gotu kola sold commercially is of poor quality, so your own plant is insurance of excellence. Fresh gotu kola has a pleasant, spicy or tangy taste in teas and salads. Gotu kola is easy to grow indoors in winter, outdoors in summer and outdoors all year in warm climates. |
| The name gotu kola may derive from the plant's Sinhalese name, hingotu kola, but this is uncertain. |
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