Wouldn’t it be great if an herb could help you handle stress better and stimulate your body’s own ability to bring itself back into balance (instead of “forcing” it to do something the herb “makes” it do)?

Well, there IS an entire category of herbs that do just that – Adaptogens!

Adaptogens have been known in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing systems for thousands of years. But it was not until the second half of the 20th Century that adaptogenic herbs underwent major scientific scrutiny and began to become better-known in the Western World.

Do you remember the dominance of the Russian Olympic athletes in the 70′s and 80′s? Many believe that this was due, at least in part, to the application of a major research project led by a Russian scientist named Dr. Israel Brekhman. In a series of major experiments, adaptogenic herbs were shown to increase worker productivity, improve athletic performance, and normalize many body processes.

Russian athletes benefited from the use of these herbs, and went on to dominate many Olympic sports for a period of time.

Adaptogens have been shown to reduce the release of stress-related cortisol in humans. An excess release of cortisol has been associated with weight gain, hypertension, depression, many degenerative diseases, as well as accelerated aging.

Adaptogens help people:

• “adapt” to stress
• sleep deeply and more soundly
• balance body systems
• improve immune resistance
• focus and concentrate
• improve recovery time
• improve athletic performance
• decrease anxiety
• improve muscle tone
• increase strength
• increase energy and stamina
• improve feeling of overall well-being

An excellent adaptogenic formula I use in my private practice includes the following nine adaptogenic herbs: Ashwaganda, Schizandra, Tribulis terrestris, Siberian Golden Root, Siberian Ginseng, Rhododendron caucasicum, Shilajit, Maca, and Wolfberry.

Due to their balancing effect, adaptogens are usually very safe to take, even on a long-term basis. I have personally taken the formula mentioned above six days per week for the last 2 1/2 years. I wouldn’t leave home without it!

If you’d like to learn more about the health benefits of adaptogens, a highly-rated book for a general audience is Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, by David Winston and Steven Maimes.

[Ed Note: David Kamnitzer, D.C. is an expert at helping people achieve high levels of health and well-being -- far beyond what is available simply through drugs and surgery alone. He combines his 20-year clinical experience and extensive knowledge in structural, nutritional, and energetic balancing to offer individuals cutting-edge approaches to healing. To learn more, click here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.