Got stress. Although there isn’t a single, universally accepted definition of stress there appears to be no shortage of it. Perceived pressures and their associated physical and psychological responses are pervasive in today’s culture.
The use of herbs for maintaining balance in the midst of a variety of stressors has been a healthy lifestyle tenet in Eastern Chinese medicine and Ayurveda for centuries. However, the notion that some herbal plants may help alleviate chronic stress has existed in Western medicine for about 60 years,
when midcentury researchers defined adaptogens as nontoxic compounds with many mechanisms of action and pharmacological effects related to adaptability and survival.
With chronic stress being linked to adverse health effects such as cognitive, emotional and behavioral dysfunctions, as well as increased inflammation in the body potentially leading to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune syndromes and mental illnesses, alleviating or limiting ongoing stress is vital for overall, long-term health.
The theory is that adaptogenic compounds affect several key mediators of the adaptive stress response both inside and outside cells, thus having a broader spectrum of action than traditional medications that target one symptom or disease.
For instance, adaptogens are characterized as eustressors, or “good stressors,” that induce stress-protective responses.
By stimulating the expression and release of mediators of the adaptive stress response, adaptogens may help increase the body’s tolerance to stress.
