Ever experienced extreme stress? It could be brought on by a nightmare situation at work, a difficult relationship or a family or personal crisis. The solution could be inside or outside of our control, but the effects can hit us on so many levels.

At times like these, have you ever found yourself dreaming of a miracle remedy that could make the negative feelings go away? Something to gently calm the mind, comfort the soul and help take a cooler, more objective look at the situation so it’s easier to sort out?

Well, we’ve got some good news. It exists. It’s not a pill. It doesn’t involve chemistry, or treating the symptom, rather than the cause. It’s completely natural and it’s been used by some of the smartest civilisations in history. We’re talking adaptogen herbs: every busy health junkie’s dream come true.

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What are adaptogens?

The scientist Israel Brekhman defines adaptogens as non-toxic plants that produce a “non-specific state of resistance” in the body and decrease sensitivity to stressors in the environment. “Non-specific” simply means that they can act on several different parts of the body, depending on need, to tackle any form of stress – physical, mental and environmental. Sound dreamy? We think so.

Often known as ‘folk remedies’ in the western world, adaptogen herbs have been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

How do they work?

As implied in their name, adaptogens help the body to adapt. They do this by keeping a close pulse reading on your endocrine, immune and nervous systems. When they feel that something is out of balance, they simply push you back to the centre where everything is in homeostasis.

For example, if your immune system is low, they’ll enhance its immune response. If it’s overactive, they’ll lower it. In the words of Dr. Cole, “They balance the delicate dance between your brain and hormone system”. They regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and key mediators of stress response.

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