Adaptogens: Stress Relief Review

Adapt by Vaxa contains natural adaptogens. If you are curious about adaptogens which are herbs that give you a respite from the ill effects of stress, then David Winston and Steven Maimes’ book entitled “Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief” is for you. This book is a wonderful start for those who are interested about the wonderful healing powers of herbs and especially the beneficial effects of adaptogens.

With its simple language, the book will help you understand how such herbs as schizandra chinensis, rhodiola rosea, and other herbs help your body combat stress and build stamina. The book explains how adaptogens help your immune system grow stronger and battle stress-related diseases. It deals with the history of adaptogens and how they were prepared to become tonics that aid in the body’s battle with stress. Aside from exploring the way adaptogens were developed in countries such as India, Russia, China and the Americas, Winston and Maimes also provide you with the origins and traditional use of the herbs, their actions, properties, preparation and dosage of each herb.

Wondering who David Winston and Steven Maimes are? David Winston is an ethnobotanist and herbalist who has been practicing Cherokee, Chinese, and Western herbal medicine since the 1960s. He has authored books called Saw Palmetto for Men and Women and co-authored the book, Herbal Therapy and Supplements. Steven Maimes was a former owner of an herbal products business in San Francisco. He is the principal of SALAM Research which is an independent research company based in Rochester, New Hampshire.

The only catch in this book is that it doesn’t explain how you should use the herbs for treatment. However, if you would like to reap the benefits of these powerful adaptogens, EarthTurns.com provides you with Vaxa Adapt, a formulation that brings together the different properties of such adaptogens as Eleutherococcus senticosus, Schizandra chinensis, Aralia mandshurica, Crataegus oxyacantha, Viburnum sargenti, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Rhaponticum carthamoides, Sorbus aucuparia, Inonotus obliquus, Rhodiola rosea, and stevia. If you’re curious about how these adaptogens affect the human body, grab a copy of Winston and Maimes’ book and you’ll see a treasure trove of knowledge about these powerful herbs.

The Benefits of Adaptogens

The benefits of adaptogens are many. Living up to their names, adaptogens are plants or herbs that help bodies adapt to stress and stay in good shape every day. For more than four decades, over a thousand researchers and scientists worked to find out the medical potential of plants that were already used by early Siberians to achieve good health and long life. In fact, more than 3,000 studies were done to know the benefits of herbs to people who use or consume them. And the discovery significantly contributed to modern medicines.

In 1947, Russian scientist Dr. Nicolai Lazarev coined the term “adaptogen” to refer to plants or herbs that increase the body’s resistance to stress, fatigue, diseases, anxiety, and even trauma. In the past, adaptogens were originally called rejuvenating herbs or restoratives. At times, these plants that contain natural antioxidants were also called rasayans or qi tonics. India and China were the first countries that widely used adaptogens to ward off diseases and live a healthy life.

In the old times, Chinese considered adaptogens as the best source of remedy and cure for many several illnesses. They regarded herbs as very valuable in improving physical and mental ability, and decreasing the risk of suffering from fatigue and other diseases. As an evidence to the recognition of the wonders and health benefits of  adaptogens, Chinese soldiers used these adaptogen plants before going into war. Siberian hunters also used herbs before embarking on perilous hunting expeditions. Tibetan monks who lived in mountain peaks were known to use adaptogens to survive for sometime without anything to eat or wear during cold weather.

The medical benefits of adaptogens were formally studied by Russian physician and scientist Dr. Israel Brekhman, together with his professor, Dr. Lazarev, 45 years ago. Until now these non-toxic herbs, such as ginseng, ephedra, and eleuthero, are used for healing purposes because they have natural substances or “organic chemicals” to produce a normalizing effect on the body’s functions.

Since adaptogens help the body to adapt or adjust to both internal and external strains, people who use these herbs have higher chances of surviving in a strained environment. There was a big and significant body of scientific research that found out that both people and even some organisms could adapt to the changes in the environment and eventually survive longer. This is due to the biologically active substances present in adaptogens.

Just recently, the World Health Organization projected that around 80% of people worldwide use adaptogens or herbs for health purposes. In America, there is a current high demand for natural or organic remedies remedies because of the skyrocketing costs of commercially-made medicines. For the purest source of adaptogens, try Vaxa Adapt or Fundamental Adrenal.

Lower Cortisol Levels with Vaxa Adapt

Vaxa Adapt can help to naturally lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is secreted from glands on top our kidneys. It’s sort of a milder version of adrenaline. This kind of hormone is built into our systems for us to respond effectively to stressful situations. Cortisol can tap into our stored energy resources and convert it quickly into energy that can trigger the “fight-or-flight” response to stressful situations.

We didn’t have any problems with our cortisol levels during olden times. However, today, we are bombarded with stressors, such as bill payments, work-related stress, poor food choices, overtraining, and lack of sleep. Every time we are stressed, our bodies produce cortisol and so with daily stress comes unhealthy cortisol levels.

Too much cortisol is detrimental to our health. This may lead to a variety of health problems including  adrenal fatigue, heart disease, hormonal imbalances, high blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Cortisol is also essential for our normal sleeping routines. Our cortisol level production peaks at 8:00 AM so you can start your day. Then, throughout the day, it drops to its lowest levels at about 8:00 to 10:00 PM. This allows you to fall asleep. However, because of stress, this normal cortisol rhythm is destroyed.

How can you keep to healthy levels of cortisol? Here are a few tips you can follow to maintain normal cortisol levels and rhythm.

1. Don’t miss a meal. Eating regularly will help you lower your cortisol levels as skipping meals cause your body to release cortisol.
2. Eat according to your metabolic type. When you eat too much carbohydrates, your body releases cortisol to stabilize your rising insulin levels. 
3. Relax during peak cortisol times. Try relaxation techniques to lower your cortisol production, such as lying down on the floor and belly breathing for 5 to 10 minutes. 
4. Sleep earlier. You should get to bed on time at about 10:30 PM.
5. Avoid stimulants. Energy drinks with ephedra-like substances and caffeine can shift your body into sympathetic dominance. If you must drink your coffee, drink them in the mornings. 
6. Don’t overtrain. If you’re exercising, try to keep your workouts under one hour. Working out for more than one hour will lead to declining testosterone levels and your cortisol hormones then help out. Don’t train for more than two days in a row. Listen to your body and allow it to rest.
7. Drink cortisol reduction supplements such as Vaxa Adapt which contain natural adaptogens which lower cortisol levels without side effects.

Lower cortisol levels is the secret to a healthy lifestyle. When you keep your cortisol levels to a minimum, you’ll be less likely to experience health problems in the long run. So, now you realize why Adapt with natural adaptogens is important to help you with stress.

Beat Stress with Adaptogens

Stress and Adaptogens
Are you feeling stressed out in your job? You’re not alone. The Washington Post reported that 54% of Americans are concerned about the stress in their lives. An even greater number rank money and their jobs as the primary triggers for stress.

Stress may seem like a normal part of our lives but did you know that stress could be dangerous to your health? When you are stressed out, your body responds and produces hormones to cope with the challenge. The hormones that your body produces are adrenaline and cortisol.

Stress Hormones
Cortisol and adrenaline cause your body to perform better. Your heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism speed up. Your blood vessels allow your blood to flow into your muscles, making your actions quicker and more powerful. Your liver helps, too, by releasing glucose to increase your body’s energy. These physical changes help you react quickly and effectively to handle stress.

Sounds like a good thing, right? Not so much. You see, your body’s response to stress is quite handy if you’re trying to win a football game or slamming the brakes to your car to avoid hitting a tree. The stress response puts your body in an abnormal state. That’s why your body needs to recover from it.

Now, imagine being under stress for longer periods. Your body will respond to the stress continuously. That is bad. Cortisol can become toxic in larger doses. This hormone can lead to high blood pressure and make you prone to heart attacks. Your energy will flag and your immune system will be compromised. Your serotonin levels will drop, making you more prone to depression and anxiety.

The only thing you can do to beat the stress is to either remove the sources of stress or help your body along with adaptogens. Although it may be tempting to throw your boss out the window, you can’t. So let’s look at the other alternative, adaptogens.

The first time I heard about adaptogens, I thought my friend was asking me to take some sort of illegal drug.  It sounds like one, right? Then I found out that adaptogens are plant extracts that help you cope with stress. Since adaptogens are derived from plants, it is all-natural. Adaptogens lower cortisol levels and increase energy. They also improve your focus and make you more alert. If you’d like to try out adaptogens, try Vaxa Adapt. It’s made in the USA, and so it’s as safe as you can get.