Yulia Berry

Adaptogens Defined



Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2011

by Yulia Berry
Great Home Remedies

An adaptogen is a herbal compound that is used to help stimulate and regulate the body’s internal systems. The term was first used by Russian Scientists after World War 2 as they searched for natural tonics to help the body better respond to stress  and respond with a stronger immune system and normalized body functions. The Russian scientists discovered that certain plants such as Siberian Ginseng had adaptogenic qualities that helped regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and other hormonal functions.

The adrenal glands are one of the organs in the body that particulary benefit from the presence of adaptogenic compounds. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing and releasing hormones that help your body deal with certain stress factors such as excessive heat, cold, noise, viruses, bacteria, and even self inflicted stresses like eating too many processed foods, not getting enough sleep, drinking, smoking and prescription medications. These adaptogenic compounds help your adrenal glands produce and maintain the proper level of stress counteracting hormones so that your body may be better able to handle these stresses.

While healthy living (a good diet, plenty of sleep, fresh air, and exercise) will help eliminate a lot of these stress factors that your adrenal glands are working so hard to counteract, in order to avoid all of them, you will have to get into a time machine and leave the 21st Century all together. Let’s face it, none of us lives a totally optimal lifestyle and could use something to  help our bodies cope with all of these other outside factors. This is here e adaptogens come into play. Not only will they help your adrenal system kick in, they can also help optimize your cell’s energy production, allowing you to get more from the nutrients that you are taking in and to better respond to stress factors during peak physical or mental performance.

There are now many herbal compounds out there that scientists and herbalists have (re)discovered including black cohosh, donq quai, and Yerbe Mate. Perhaps the best known herb with adaptogenic qualities happens to be Ginseng , especially Siberian ginseng also known as eleuthero. Whilst the Russian’s first approved Ginseng for human use in the early 1960’s, it was actually already being used by Chinese herbal healers for thousands of years for a broad spectrum of ailments including rheumatism, bronchitis, circulatory problems, and impotence. The Modern Russian Studies into the herb found that the herb did indeed help the body in these areas and also discovered its potential in helping with other ailments such as diabetes and cancer. While ginseng is by no means some sort of sure all that will instantly eliminate all bodily threats, it can help stimulate your body’s immune system and help optimize your body’s natural defenses.

Ginseng and other adaptogens are not just for the sickly and frail, but also for healthy people who wish to get the most out of their bodies during those moments in which peak performance is required. In fact, in Russia, Ginseng is used extensively by people who happen to have jobs with higher than average levels of physical and mental stress. Astronauts, Deep Sea Divers, Soldiers and Athletes are just a few examples of Occupations that have benefitted from Ginseng supplements.
Yulia Berry is an independent health researcher and author of the best selling e-books Aloe - Your Miracle Doctor and "Pharmacy in Vegetables". She distributes a weekly newsletter regarding great home remedies and has written dozens of natural health articles published on hundreds of websites worldwide. Yulia Berry's new ebook "Unlocked Secrets of Curative Garlic" to be released soon.
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