Schizandra -- A Natural High WELL, I HAVE JUST DOWNED MY FIRST EVER GLASS OF TEA MADE FROM THE CHINESE BERRY SCHIZANDRA, OR "FIVE-FLAVOURED BERRY". I have heard a lot of good things about this berry in recent months, read that it is good for the liver and is an aphrodisiac and improves your eyesight. I also suspect it gets you high, which is why I have conducted this experiment tonight, here in the slums of Tokyo, Japan. Perhaps I won't get high straight away, but if I consume it long enough, it will come. Only time will tell, but I will let you know what happens, step by step, as it happens. INITIAL EFFECTS -- visual stimulation WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF DOWNING MY BREW, I NOTICED SUBTLE BUT DISTINCT VISUAL AND AUDITORY EFFECTS. I was sitting here looking at this screen when, almost with a jolt, my visual capacities were pushed up a notch. Even though I was sitting in a fairly dark room, I was able to see more, with more clarity. The music I was listening on my headphones began to sound fuller, more alluring and intoxicating. To be honest, I would say the best way to describe these visual and auditory changes is that things have become FULLER. Interesting. Let's see where this leads, because it is still early days, even five minutes since I darnk my glass of Schizandra tea. But first, some information about this berry, which is probably fairly unknown in many parts of the world. Schizandra is a famous tonic historically consumed by Chinese royalty and by Taoist masters. Renowned as a beauty tonic and a fountain of youth, Schizandra is also said to be a powerful tonic to the brain and mind. It is also reputed to improve memory. I will be testing all of these claims in the coming days and weeks and months, as I experiment with Schizandra on a daily basis. But already, after only 10 minutes of use, I have already noticed an improvement in my vision -- a slight enhancement, an intensification of color perception, a sense of clarity. I have also felt a minor churning sensation in my stomach, which could be good, or could be bad! After about an hour, I noticed a light shooting kind of pain in my hand, and a very mild headache in the forehead area. In both cases, however, it seemed to be a "good kind" of pain, if you understand me -- a purifying pain, a cleaning pain. SCHIZANDRA -- the sex drug SCHIZANDRA HAS LONG BEEN PRIZED IN ASIA FOR ITS SEXUALLY ENHANCING PROPERTIES. The deep red berries come from a plant in the magnolia family that is native to China. Schizandra is an adaptogen, meaning it strengthens many different systems in the body including the adrenals. This makes it useful in cases of weakness and fatigue and for building stamina. It was a particular favourite of the old Chinese emperors, who appreciated any herb which could boost their stamina and satisfy all those many concubines of theirs. Schizandra is reputed to help produce abundant sexual fluids, increase sexual endurance, and increase circulation in, and sensitivity of, the female genitals. I know it is regarded as a herb for women, especially given its alleged potential for making the skin softer and moister, but there is no reason why men can't take it as well. In actuality, Schizandra is said to promote the production of semen. It is famous for its ability to relieve sexual fatigue and for increasing the sexual staying-power in men. I will have to check if that is true, as I commence my Schizandra experiment here in Tokyo, Japan. SCHIZANDRA IS AN ASTRINGENT HERB -- it keeps the fluids in I THINK THE KEY POINT ABOUT WHY AND HOW SCHIZANDRA WORKS THE WAY IT DOES, IS THAT IS AN "ASTRINGENT HERB". An astringent herb tends tp conserve fluids in the body. Therefore, this could explain why regular use of Schizandra helps sexual fluids build up in both men and women. It also explains why it enables the skin to become more moist and youthful-looking -- maybe it keeps the water in the skin, rather than evaporating out into the atmosphere. I also wonder whether regular use of Schizandra would reduce the severity of hangovers. Theoretically it should prevent much of the alcoholic dehydration which creates so much of the hangover pain. I will experiment with this, and see if I can make shocking dehydrated hangovers a thing of the past! Have you ever tried schizandra? What happened when you took it? Share your experiences in the comment box below!