You may know a few herbal remedies for specific ailments or improving specific functions, such as ginger for nausea, ginkgo biloba for mental focus, chamomile for calming. Ginseng is believed to possess specific benefits but it also belongs to a group of herbs called adaptogens, which promote overall well-being. So what are adaptogens?
One herbalist sums up adaptogens as being herbs that you “don’t take for any particular purpose other than that they’re good for you.” According to Dr. Israel Brekhman, a 20th-century expert in the field, adaptogens:
- do not disturb the organism or produce adverse side effects
- are effective in a variety of therapeutic uses, rather than specifically correcting one ailment
- increase resistance to a variety of harmful factors, with increasing benefit in response to increased stressors
Essentially, these herbs help the body adapt to adverse conditions by regulating internal functions and bolstering the body’s ability to respond to stress (including environmental factors, disease, and physical effects of psychological stress).
Ginseng and other herbs have been the subject of somewhat limited scientific study, but their adaptogenic qualities are part of the reasons these herbs have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine and alternative medicine. (Whether or not the scientific backing is important to you, please do your homework and consult a professional before making major changes to your diet/supplement regimen!)
What else besides ginseng qualifies as an adaptogen? Here’s a list of seven adaptogens that you may never even have heard of:
- Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng – not actually in the same genus as American or Asian ginseng)
- Schisandra chinensis (Chinese magnolia vine)
- Rhaponticum carthamoides (maral root)
- Rhodiola rosea (golden root)
- Japanese aralia (Manchurian thorn tree)
- Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Ural licorice root)
- Rosa majalis; rosa cinnamonmea (cinnamon rose)
What herbal remedies do you use to promote your body’s well-being? Do you use any adaptogens, or are your remedies ailment-specific?
Post written by: Rebecca Dobrzynski