Completely balanced with the superb Schisandra

"Whoever eats of me shall receive a long and balanced life"

Those who are already familiar with the Herbal Astrology Oracle know that many of the components of plants and trees from the card deck have been processed into products by Anima Mundi and are sold by Unlimited Health. I certainly know that, so when I drew the Schisandra card for our trip last summer vacation, I became very excited to use the product as well, so that I could experience the complete effect of Schisandra in my body and mind.

The Schisandra card has the motto 'Grace', which can be translated as grace in the sense of beauty and elegance, but also as mercy, something that is granted to you, something you have received for which you may be grateful (think of the words grazie and gracias). Because this became the motto of our journey, we were able to perceive much more of the beauty of all the places and situations we found ourselves in, even when the situations were precarious or unpleasant, and we felt a lot of gratitude. It gave a special dimension to the trip.

Three Schisandra supplements lined up

When I went to search for the product on the Unlimited Health website, I discovered that I could choose from three Schisandra supplements. From Anima Mundi there is the Schisandra Rose, a bottle (in 2 sizes 59 ml and 118 ml) with a tonic of both Schisandra and roses. I also found a jar of Integrity Extracts Schisandra from HealthForce, a powder of Schisandra berry extract. The third was Stay Calm from Dr. Vegan, capsules aimed at regulating stress and anxiety and consisting of 13 natural substances, including Schisandra.

A question arose for me: which one should I use best? To get a clear answer to this question for you, but of course also for myself, I started using all three and I describe not only my experience with them, but also list the differences, so that it becomes easier for you to choose. That's what we want, right? As little choice stress as possible.

First, you can read about the very special properties and healing power of Schisandra in general, then follow the differences between the three supplements from Unlimited Health, and finally I share my own experience.

Schisandra as an adaptogen

Schisandra is probably not as well-known as some other adaptogenic plants, plants that make the body resistant to all forms of stress, such as Ashwagandha, Rhodiola and Ginseng, but it is just as valuable.

Adaptogenic plants have a rich and long tradition, in the case of Schisandra within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) since the plant, with full name Schisandra chinensis, originates from Northern China. In the West, these plants first gained fame in the top sports world, where there is a constant search for performance improvement and faster recovery; the plants proved to help with this. They have been the subject of scientific interest for more than 50 years.

It has been discovered that the berry has a complex composition of different types of bioactive substances or phytonutrients. Schisandra contains, among other things, lignans, which are partly responsible for the adaptogenic properties. Thanks to these lignans - the most important one is even called schizandrin - the body can better withstand stressors, regardless of whether they are physical, mental, emotional, chemical or electromagnetic in nature (1).

Other noteworthy ingredients are vitamin C and other organic acids, vitamin E and flavonoids such as rutin. Both vitamins C and E and flavonoids have an antioxidant effect and protect us against damage to body cells.

The phytonutrients found in Schisandra have numerous beneficial effects, which we unfortunately cannot mention here. Schisandra has a positive effect on the HPA axis, the hormone system in our body that not only regulates stress, but also sex hormones.

Adaptogens also work on the limbic system, the brain area that is involved in our emotions. Schisandra is the subject of numerous studies, both in animals and humans. It's beautiful to discover how current scientific research confirms what traditional medicines have known for centuries. Those who are curious about the findings of these studies can view them at source 1, which provides an overview of the history, use and research into plant adaptogens, including Schisandra.

Schisandra in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Schisandra has been depicted in Chinese art for centuries and symbolizes beauty and long life (longevity). The Taoists saw it as the most important strengthening herb from the Chinese tradition. The used part is the berries and the unique thing about these berries is primarily that they contain five flavors – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. In China, Schisandra is therefore called Wu Wei Zi, or the berry with five flavors.

In TCM, each flavor is translated into specific medicinal properties. Five flavors indicate that the berry has a very high medicinal character with a very broad effect. The five flavors relate to the five yin organs - liver, lungs, heart, kidneys and spleen - and bring them into balance. Schisandra will therefore help us to better live the yin aspect, such as relaxing, receiving and enjoying.

Schisandra not only balances the yin and yang aspect in us, but also nourishes all five elements that we consist of within the terminology of TCM, namely wood, fire, earth, metal and water. On an energetic level, it has access to all 12 meridians (large energy channels) and gives life force to all organs that are connected to the meridians.

Finally, the five flavors correspond to the numerological meaning of 5, which is about ultimate balance. And that might well be the essence of Schisandra: it offers you the gift of balance at all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. This is what my own experience with Schisandra was mainly about.

The Schisandra supplements at a glance

My experience

I started my Schisandra experience during the turning point from summer to autumn. For me, this is always accompanied by a change in mood and energy. Some years more than others.

It really took a while before I noticed the positive effects of Schisandra. The effect could apparently manifest itself more easily on the energetic layer than on the mental and emotional level. Because the Schisandra card, so the energetic message, did come through immediately.

The first two weeks, after I had first used the Schisandra powder extract and then the Schisandra Rose, I felt more of an imbalance. Not so much physically, because my body feels good. But in thought patterns and emotions.

Later I read in a blog by Adriana Ayales, the owner of Anima Mundi, that strongly balancing remedies can first cause imbalance, because the system attunes itself to the new vibration, so that a new balance can emerge. Could that be it?

In the third week I started using 'Stay Calm' and noticed that the feeling seemed to stabilize and it became calmer inside. I continued to use the other two Schisandra products, but no longer daily; from that moment on, the focus was on 'Stay Calm', which contains much more than just Schisandra. Wow, what a lot of great substances are in 'Stay Calm',

The process of a new balance continues for a while, I've long understood that. The message of the Schisandra card was also to see the beauty in patience, moderation and balance. Thank you Schisandra, for this lesson in humility.

Another tip from the creator of the cards: use Schisandra after a plant medicine ceremony to integrate the insights faster and find a new balance.

Sources:

• https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2861
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22610748/

This article was written by Terah Afke Beek. Visit her website for more inspiring content: terah-pi.nl.