Adaptogens

Adaptogen herbs must conform to these 3 standards:

• Must be nontoxic and cause very few, if any, side effects 
• Produce nonspecific resistance in the body to all types of stressors (physical, chemical and biological) 
• Produce a normalizing influence on the body. 

What do those three standards really mean? An adaptogen herb will be nontoxic and cause few if any side effects. An adaptogen herb must help build resistance to all areas of stress that may effect our body. For example, if an herb helped with physical exhaustion, but did nothing to protect against viruses (biological stressor) it would NOT BE AN ADAPTOGEN. Finally, an adaptogen herb will be able to normalize the body and place the body in proper balance.

The key with an adaptogen is being able to adapt to what the body needs and balancing the body. A herb that could increase energy if your body is fatigued and also decrease energy if your body is over stimulated, would be an example of an adaptogen herb.

From a Western medical perspective adaptogens sound too good to be true. An herb that adapts and helps our body with whatever it needs, and does no harm... how could this be? Western medicine is based on using one drug to treat one specific problem, and then use another drug for another problem. Adaptogen herbs take a completely different approach and treat any problems we have as all connected to a balance issue in our body. Return balance to the body and you correct all the problems.

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