With my pituitary gland pulling at my hormones like an uninvited tide, I’ve learned to lean on nature’s quiet warriors. Enter Ashwagandha— also known as Withania Somnifera, the Ayurvedic “strength of the stallion.” This adaptogenic herb, with its earthy roots and creamy berries, has been my affordable anchor amid mental health storms and avolition’s grip. As someone rebuilding my life one UX…

We are so exited to be found at The Inscape Studio now.

It is an amazing beautiful meditation center in the middle of New York .

You will find the quietness and tranquility we all need to cope with the stress of the city.

We just started that relationship and the other brands and products they carry are exquisite.

Go by and check it out and join a meditation session. 

Have a great weekend 

Adaptogens are everywhere now it seems. Everyone’s drinking smoothies with maca, drinking mushroom coffee, etc. But what are they exactly? The new superfood? Simply put, adaptogens help your body adapt to stress. They assist in your body coping with different biological and psychological stressors and allow it to handle them. 

According to “Medicine Hunter” Chris Kilham, “An adaptogen is a botanical that greatly improves your body's ability to adapt to stress, whether it's a hectic schedule, heat or cold, noise, high altitudes or any number of other stressors. This elite class of herbs impart strength, energy, stamina, endurance, and improve mental clarity.” In order to be correctly classified as an adaptogen, the herb must be completely non-toxic, help return the body back to homeostasis, provide the body with widespread support, and reduce both physical and mental stress. 

A study published in 1969 by Brekhman and Dardymov defined the general pharmacological properties of adaptogenic substances and stated that in order to be classified as an adaptogen the substance must be the following:  a.)    Relatively non-toxic to the recipient. b.)    Possess “non-specific” activity and acts by increasing resistance of the organism to a broad spectrum of adverse biological, chemical, and physical factors. c.)   Helps regulate or normalize organ and system function within the organism.

Adaptogenic herbs work on the adrenal glands, which in this day and age, are constantly depleted and must be also constantly restored. Adrenal glands are endocrine glands which produce multiple hormones, including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol.  Adrenaline, of course, allows your body to respond to stress and the adrenals monitor our “flight or fight response.” Thousands of years ago, we had to make decisions quickly that could determine the fate of our lives. In a threatening situation effective and functioning adrenal glands helps us to get out of sticky situations by releasing three things. First, adrenaline, which pricks up our alertness and focus, is released. Then cortisol, which utilizes our stored sugar energy and converts protein to energy. Finally, the adrenals produce glycogen in order to fuel the body to respond rapidly.         However, in the current age, we are not (hopefully for you) running into predators and escaping enemies on a daily basis. Still, our body responds pretty much the same when we have a deadline, angry boss, or screaming kids as when we had a massive animal chasing us down. These stressors and our bodies’ responses have not yet evolved to lessening the responses with the lessening dangers. Although not daily faced with life-threatening situations, many of us do deal with traumatic experiences occasionally and periodically, so adaptogenic herbs can be a total life-saver by helping us adapt to stresses accordingly.

Many correlate the magic of adaptogens with treating adrenal fatigue, but doctors have not yet recognized this. They do however, accept adrenal insufficiency or Addison’s Disease which occurs when the body is unable to produce certain hormones and is caused by autoimmune disorders. This can lead to chronic fatigue, lowered  sex drive. irregular periods, muscle weakness, hypoglycemia, and many more other issues.                  

While adaptogens may not be the cure-all for Addison’s, they have shown to be effective throughout history. Soldiers in India and China have used them in battle. They have also been used in Chinese medicine as qi and kidney yang tonics, as well as in Tibetan, Native American, and Ayurvedic medicinal practices. 

Here are several popular adaptogens and what they have been shown to be helpful with:

1. Ashwagandha root - One of the most esteemed herbs in Aryuvedic medicine

Anxiety

Bad dreams

Mild OCD

Reduces brain cell degeneration

Insomnia

Nervous exhaustion

Helps concentration, learning, and reaction time

Anemia

Stabilizes blood sugar 

Lowers cholesterol

Combats malaria

Thyroid functions;  hypothyroidism (with Bacopa and Bladderwrack)

Fibromyalgia (with Kava and Scullcap)

Restless leg syndrome

Mild Tourette’s syndrome

Osteo-arthritis 

Sexual vitality for both men and women

2.  Cordyceps fungi

Degenerative kidney disease   

Male sexual dysfunction

Hyperlipidemia

Low platelet counts

Allergic rhinitis

Tinnitus

Chronic tracheitis. 

Cancer, leukemia 

3.  Eleuthero (formerly Siberian Ginseng) - more gentle than other ginsengs and is great with standard “American stresses” and helpful for the Western individual who is  “overstressed, undernourished but overfed, doesn’t get enough sleep or exercise, has dark circles under his or her eyes, a quivering tongue, and contracting/dilating pupils.” 

Reduces cortisol levels

Promotes improved cognitive and physical performance

Enhances immune function

Regulates neurotransmitters

 4.  Licorice rhizome - do not take in excess as it can cause hyperaldosterogenic effect and those with hypertension should avoid it.

Autoimmune disorders (Lupus, Scleroderma, Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis) 

 Immune deficiency conditions (cancer, HIV, CFIDS)

 Addison’s disease, with cordyceps and panax ginseng

Allergies

Gastric ulcers

PCOS (with Serenoa and Paeonia)

Spasmodic coughs. 

5.  Rhodiola root - not to be used in manic, depressive, or bipolar patients. Tibetan medicine has used rhodiola for nourishing the lungs, to increase blood circulation, for relieving fatigue, altitude sickness, and weakness.   

Mild depression

Neurasthenia

Impaired cognitive function

Erectile dysfunction

Amenorrhea

Infertility in women

Altitude sickness (use it with Cordyceps, Reishi, and Holy Basil)

Aids in recovery from head trauma injury. 

6.  Wu Wei Zi berries/seeds (Schisandra chinensis) -                                           

Promotes calm and focus

Hepatitis B and C, when combined with milk thistle and turmeric

Asthma when combined with licorice. 

Parkinson’s disease

Meniere’s syndrome 

Deficient depression 

ADHD

Increases immune function and prevent side effects caused by cancer chemotherapy

7. Reishi mushroom have been relied upon for health and vitality in Japan and China for thousands of years, and have many adaptogenic properties.

Combats effects of chemotherapy

Viral infections 

Anxiety

High blood pressure

Hepatitis

Insomnia

Asthma

Improves liver function and detoxification

Helps to inhibit release of histamine

Mediates inflammation

Defends against growth of cancer and tumors

Promotes heart health

8. Maca root, dubbed the “Peruvian ginseng,” is a native plant to the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains and was considered by the Incas as a food of the gods.

Increases libido

Boosts energy and endurance

Supports hormone balance

9. Holy Basil or Tulsi, also called “The Incomparable One,” holy basil is considered one of the most sacred plants in India. it has been prized for its effects on the mind, body, and spirit.

Antibacterial

Antifungal

Anti-inflammatory 

All of today’s stressors may be considerably less lethal than that of our ancestors’ but it does not mitigate the fact that it affects us pretty much the same so we also must adapt to our new environments in order to not only survive, but completely thrive. I am currently recovering from a period of sustained, extreme stress and am staying on a strict budget so I have not been able to purchase bottles of $30/40 supplements, but I have found other ways. Two teas I recently discovered have been quite helpful. Celestial Seasonings’ Tension Tamer tea contains eleuthero ginseng and the company’s Sleepytime Sinus Soother contains both licorice and holy basil. These run about $3 a box and hopefully, with sustained use, will help me improve a lot of what the stresses have negatively impacted. Along with meditation, regular exercise. sufficient sleep, and the healthy diet I am following I’m doing good so far!