Adaptogens are plants or herbs that help the human body adapt to stress and environmental toxins. This is a term that has only been in common use since the 1970s, and since then the human body has been under more biological toxic stress and psychological stress than at any time in human history.
Adaptogenic medicines are one of the many tools available in naturopathic medicine, and the topic is vast. I have included here a list of my favorites, and hope it will be helpful to those people who are having a particularly difficult time adjusting to the environment or convalescing from a disease.
Eleuthercoccus senticosus, also known as Siberian ginseng, grows in extremely harsh environments, so it is no wonder that it's ranked among the world's greatest adaptogens. This appears to be caused in part by the erythrocytes contained in the plant, and it also contains other steroid-like compounds, such as glycosides, which help to activate the endocrine system.
Eleutherococcus helps to increase T helper cells and the activity of natural killer cells, making it a great remedy to use when recovering from the flu or other illnesses, or from surgery. I also use it in cases of nervous exhaustion or depression. It also stimulates the adrenal cortex, which can enhance a person's work capacity during strenuous aerobic activity.
I like to dose the tincture in two to three dropperfuls throughout the day as a pick-me-up, and it goes well with glycine, which is a sweet amino acid that can make a nice tea and is soothing for the nervous system.
Ribes Nigrum comes from the tip of the black currant berry. It looks exactly like an adrenal gland sitting on top of a kidney, and the juice from the tip of this berry is identical to the corticosteroid hormones that the adrenal glands make. By drinking the juice, you provide the body with the food that makes the stress hormones to help you adapt with the issues of life.
Vitamin C is a wonderful and important adaptogen. Interestingly, humans are one of the few mammals on the planet that do not make their own vitamin C, we must get it through supplementation. A 500 mg dose two to three times a day can decrease the duration of a cold during the long winter months when it is most common.
There have been many studies with rats that have shown that they do very well when given vitamin C under highly stressful situations. While I don't like torturing rats, I love the information that this gives us about humans and how we can survive better and longer with an extra dose of Vitamin C.
Pantothenic acid, or B5, is an amazing adaptogen because of its co-factor activity; in other words, it makes chemical processes happen in the proper time frame. Patients who are deficient in B5 have a tendency to be more susceptible to stress.
I also use pantothenic acid for burning feet syndrome, as it increases the antibody production in both body heat and energy, and I have found it especially useful in patients who complain of cold hand and feet. For this condition I prescribed 1000 mg at lunchtime, and it works wonderfully.
The Reishi mushroom belongs to a group of plants known as wood fungi. It is extremely effective on the immune system and has adaptogenic effects on the human body. It improves heart function, has a calming effect on the nervous system, and helps the liver break down stress hormones. It also enhances the immune system and even exhibits antihistamine activity, and has been shown to be very safe and effective. I usually use 800 mg twice a day.
Carotenes- Foods containing carotenes include yams, squash, carrots, greens, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and paprika and cayenne. I include carotenes in my list of adaptogens because they directly decrease the inflammatory effect on body tissues that are caused by the body's reaction to inhaled or ingested environmental substances. I recommend that you eat a diet rich in carotenes, which can be beneficial to everyone. Three carrots or one sweet potato daily is effective.
Curcuma longa or turmeric is one of my favorite adaptogenic plants. It is also a wonderful spice and can be added to foods or taken in capsules. It is an excellent antioxidant, anti-thrombotic, and anti-mutagenic, and can help decrease the amount of toxins that enter the body from smoking or other environmental pollutants. Given its broad range of action, it's wise to consider taking curcumin before traveling, when coming down with a cold or a flu, when suffering from body aches and pains from arthritis, or even just having difficulty sleeping.
Green tea! Drink it, in fairly high doses! Every research study that I have ever read has found that it is a wonderful adaptogen and helps to detoxify us from all of the environmental toxins surrounding us. So drink one, two, or even three cups a day, but don't add milk, as it tends to bind the flavonoids and make it less available for the body.
I hope these wonderful adaptogens help you deal with the stresses of life and keep your body healthy and strong!
In good health, love and blessings,
