Adaptogens (Part 2)
These plants have been used for centuries. Serious scientific studies didn’t begin until the 1940’s when Soviet scientists began researching the health benefits of certain plants. They were specifically exploring how plants could prevent and reduce illness, fight effects of stress, achieve and maintain homeostasis, improve physical performance and strengthen the body. As stated by David Winston and Steven Maimes in their excellent book, Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief:
“In 1947, Dr. Nikolai Lazarev defined an adaptogen as an agent that allows the body to counter adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by raising nonspecific resistance toward such stress, thus allowing the organism to “adapt” to the stressful circumstances.”
Since then scientists have gone on to classify 30 plants out of the over 750,000 plants identified on earth as adaptogens. To be classified as an adaptogen a plant must meet 3 strict criteria:1. Adaptogens are non toxic2. Adaptogens produce a non-specific defense response to stress3. Adaptogens have a normalizing influence on the bodyVery simply put, adaptogens are safe. There are little or no side effects to anyone that consumes them. They help the cells to “adapt” or maintain balance while under “attack” from stressors. They enhance the body’s natural homeostatic balancing capacity or better said; get us back into balance – as we were meant to be.Now that we are familiar with what an adaptogen is, what plants are categorized as Adaptogens? Well, here is a list of what are considered to be an adaptogen. Research is ongoing and not everyone agrees on a few so here is the list of the common names to date of what are most widely agreed upon as an Adaptogen:· American Ginseng· Alma· Ashwagandha· Asian Ginseng· Astragalus· Chaga Mushroom· Cordyceps· Dang shen· Eleuthero· Guduchi· He shou wu· Holy Basil· Jiaogulan· Licorice· Lycium· Macca· Maral Root· Prince Seng· Reishi· Rhaponticum· Rhodiola· Schisandra· Shatavari· Shilajit· Suma· Water Hyssop
“In 1947, Dr. Nikolai Lazarev defined an adaptogen as an agent that allows the body to counter adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by raising nonspecific resistance toward such stress, thus allowing the organism to “adapt” to the stressful circumstances.”
Since then scientists have gone on to classify 30 plants out of the over 750,000 plants identified on earth as adaptogens. To be classified as an adaptogen a plant must meet 3 strict criteria:1. Adaptogens are non toxic2. Adaptogens produce a non-specific defense response to stress3. Adaptogens have a normalizing influence on the bodyVery simply put, adaptogens are safe. There are little or no side effects to anyone that consumes them. They help the cells to “adapt” or maintain balance while under “attack” from stressors. They enhance the body’s natural homeostatic balancing capacity or better said; get us back into balance – as we were meant to be.Now that we are familiar with what an adaptogen is, what plants are categorized as Adaptogens? Well, here is a list of what are considered to be an adaptogen. Research is ongoing and not everyone agrees on a few so here is the list of the common names to date of what are most widely agreed upon as an Adaptogen:· American Ginseng· Alma· Ashwagandha· Asian Ginseng· Astragalus· Chaga Mushroom· Cordyceps· Dang shen· Eleuthero· Guduchi· He shou wu· Holy Basil· Jiaogulan· Licorice· Lycium· Macca· Maral Root· Prince Seng· Reishi· Rhaponticum· Rhodiola· Schisandra· Shatavari· Shilajit· Suma· Water Hyssop
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