The Key to Stress Resistance: Adaptogens
All the foods we eat have nutrient characteristics that interact with our body. Some foods contain dense concentrations of vitamins and minerals. Others have healthy fats and proteins. Many fruits have been concentrated into beverages because of their intense antioxidant properties.
Each food sends a message to your body about how it may benefit the body under various circumstances. The distinct message of each food is drawn from the surroundings in which the food was grown.
Adaptogens: an amazing discovery
Adaptogens are amazing plants that draw their unique message by adapting to their harsh surroundings. They were first discovered in 1908 after a comet entered Earth's atmosphere in the Tunguska area of Russia. The comet super-heated the air and exploded with such force that entire forests were leveled. The super-heated air and water sterilized the earth so that nothing would grow.
The Tunguska area is in Siberia – a harsh environment for vegetation. Only the most robust plants grow there under the best of circumstances. After the soil was sterilized in this explosion, years passed before plant life once again thrived in the region. The plants that succeeded were those most able to adapt to stressful conditions. The people that were nourished by these plants also showed an amazing resilience to their harsh, demanding environments. The message in the ingredients of the plants was "stress resistance."
Scientists studied these plants for decades. A Russian scientist, Dr. Nicolai Lazarov, "decoded" the message within these plants that imparted stress resistance to people who ate them. It is said that he decoded more than 4,000 plants from around the world and tested them according to simple standards. These standards determined if a plant could be classified as an "adaptogen":
- The plant must be non-toxic
- The plant must increase resistance to physical, chemical or biological stress
- The plant must normalize the physiology.
The third point – the plant must normalize the physiology – is really quite fascinating. It means, for instance, that if a person has too much acid in their stomach because of stress, an adaptogen must reduce it. It also means that if a person has too little acid in their stomach, the same adaptogen must increase it! The same is true for blood pressure: bring it down if it's too high, bring it up if it's too low. That is an amazing property!
Adaptogen research
Of course, Siberia is not the only harsh environment on earth. Other extreme locations produce plants with the qualities of an adaptogen. Research now includes 10 plants that meet all the qualities of an adaptogen. And, adaptogen research continues today. Much of this research is still coordinated by the University of St. Petersburg, Russia.
- In a study of physical stress, a single serving of adaptogens significantly increased working capacity for 4 to 6 hours. The study also measured mental performance and found that the ability to stay focused under stress dramatically improved with adaptogens.
- Another study measured social comfort and human interactions within a community. The ability to socialize and all markers for mental health improved dramatically with adaptogens. This really illustrates to me why some tend to isolate themselves as they age – for many aging people, it's just too stressful to socialize. A real miracle of adaptogens seems to be that it makes people want to be with others as it eases their anxiety.
- Being fearful, nervous and agitated can harm your body and mind. Anticipating stress is as bad as experiencing stress. Living with a sense of dread disrupts digestion, changes blood pressure, causes irregular heartbeat and interferes with metabolism. One study showed that adaptogens reduced stress in people with generalized anxiety disorder; the results were similar to what people in clinical trials experienced with prescription medications!
Adaptogens are very potent, powerful foods. For more information about adaptogens click on to: http://www.trivita.com/WellnessJourney/content/adaptogen/default.aspx?tref=13097187
The message of adaptogens
When a person is under chronic stress, a switch in the brain turns on the systems needed to cope and turns off the systems considered "unnecessary." The first systems to be turned off by stress include digestion, metabolism, immune system function and circulation. Chronic stress sends a message to these organs to remain off until the stress is over.
The message conveyed by adaptogens is: Crisis ended – now turn my functions back on! That's why people taking adaptogens have such a variety of healthy responses.
As you go through your daily routine, remember that every food you eat, every beverage you drink and every thought you think washes over your DNA as information. These messages influence how you function now and in the future. Send the right messages to your cells with stress-busting choices of food, drink and thoughts. And, build a bulwark against stress with adaptogens every day!1-806-874-3314
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