Plant Helpers
for Stressful Times
Last week we discussed that one of the major contributors to stubborn belly fat is stress. We also explored some valuable tools for dealing with stress, like meditation/prayer, relaxation techniques, proper diet, exercise and balancing hormones. I mentioned our wonderful plant medicine/friend helpers, and this week I wanted to give them their own article, simply because they are so important!
I remember one of my mentors in botanical medicine telling me that research has found that everywhere in the world, there is a plant that can be used to treat any disease within a 5 mile radius of where that aliment could be found. For example, if there were a particular parasite living in a lake, within 5 miles of that lake there will be a plant that contains a specific chemical constituent that will rid that parasite from the human body. What an amazing design! Throughout human history there have been medicine people who studied these plants and how they heal, and this knowledge has been passed on from generation to generation.
When it comes to stress, we find plant helpers growing all over the world. It must be that stress is part of the human condition everywhere!
These plants have recently been called adaptogens, because they help us to adapt to stress and our changing environment. This wasn't even a concept until the 1970's, when stressful effects began to create physiologic health issues. Luckily, there are literally thousands of these sweet little helpers all over the planet, and these are just a few of my favorites:
Ribes Nigrum is the tip of the black current berry. There's a theory in botanical medicine called "the doctrine of signatures" that states that plants look like the parts of the body that they will treat. This is never truer than with Ribes Nigrum--the berry resembles a little kidney, and it is a mild kidney tonic. However, in mid-spring, the berry gets ripe and the tip buds look like an adrenal gland sitting on top of a kidney, and the juice that the plant produces at this time is bio-chemically identical to the corticosteroid precursor hormones that the adrenal glands make. Dosing is typically 1/2 tsp up to 5 times daily, spaced throughout the morning. I like to add 2-1/2 tsp to a water bottle and take little sips all morning.
Ashwagandha (Withania) has been used as a stress-relieving tonic for thousands of years in its native India, and is probably one of the oldest plants that have been written about. We now know that it works by performing two almost-magical activities in our bodies: 1) It has a wonderfully calming effect on our nervous system and can even help with sleep, and 2) its molecular structure is so similar to cortisol that it can attach to cortisol receptor sites--but instead of telling the nerve cells to go into fight or flight, it tells them to relax! This not only relaxes the nervous system, but also down regulates the stressful effects of cortisol. Pretty cool, huh?
This plant works well both in capsules or as a tincture. The liquid works faster, calming stressed nerves in just a few minutes, but it lasts only a few hours. This makes it perfect to have on hand for unplanned anxiety attacks or stressful situations. The capsules work more slowly, but the effects last up to 8 hours, which makes them more effective for insomnia. If you should awaken during the night, you can always re-dose with the tincture, especially if it's early in the morning and you want just a few more hours of sleep.
Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng) is known for being able to grow in harsh environments, so it's no wonder it helps us deal with stress! It also provides nice immune support, and helps the body to recuperate faster after a flu or infection--even after surgery or other stressful events.
Some of my other favorite adaptogens are Vitamin C (something the body needs but can't produce on its own), pantothenic acid (B-5), and antioxidants (especially carotenes like sweet potato, squash, carrots, greens and pumpkin), turmeric and green tea.
Hopefully one or more of these can help you find peace in a stressful world!
Blessings and to your good health,
Dr. Susan Godman
