Ingredient Spotlight

Gardenia Pod / Zhi Zi

Why we love it

When it comes to menstrual symptoms, Gardenia Pod is proven to reduce cramping, minimize headaches, combat acne, and moderate mood swings.

Helps with:

  • Cramps

  • Acne

  • Headaches

  • Mood Swings

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How it Heals

In Chinese Medicine, Gardenia Pod is a key herb for balancing heat and resolving damp. It eliminates irritability, cools the blood, resolves toxicity, and is great for treating insomnia, nosebleeds, and urinary dysfunction. 

In Western medicine, Gardenia Pod is an anti-inflammatory antioxidant that promotes liver and bile health. It’s great for lowering high blood pressure, reducing fever, and improving mood and sleep.

Fun fact: Gardenia is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, but it definitely won’t keep you up all night.

How we use it

“I remember my grandmother making me a tea of Gardenia pod whenever I caught a fever. I hated the taste, but I’d always wake up the next morning feeling good as new—so I guess it was worth it!”

- Lulu Ge, co-founder

What the research says

Gardenia Pod has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and hypoglycemic properties, and has been shown to improve blood circulation and sleeping quality.
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Crocin, an active component of Gardenia Pod produces anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting COX-1 And COX-2 enzymes. The anti-inflammatory activity also blocked NF-kB activity, leading to less production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- challenged cells.
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Geniposide, a major active component of Gardenia Pod, demonstrates antidepressant-like effects by regulating the HPA axis in the chronic unpredictable (CUMS) rat model. Doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg per kg reversed the CUMS-induced behavioral abnormalities.
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Kamishoyosan is an active component within Gardenia Pod that produces an anxiolytic effect.
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Have a question or want to learn more? 

Contact us at: ingredients@elixhealing.com

Feel the difference for yourself

Your cycle is unique, and the only way to know if Elix will work for you is to try your personalized blend. We’re here to listen to your body, adjust your treatment as needed, and guarantee an improvement in symptoms—or your money back.

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