Did you know that a certain level of stress is actually beneficial? Researchers have long known that lifestyle stress plays a vital role in keeping our immune system in good working order. But if the inevitable stress pendulum swings too far to the right or the left, meaning too much or too little stress, it may result in an imbalance of your immune health and also what’s known as your adaptogenic response.
Allow me to explain.
Our bodies experience stress every day. We have a certain amount of internal stress which includes filtering toxins, eliminating waste, or destroying aging blood cells. And then we have external stress, which is much more insidious and can be far more harmful to your health. External stress can be real (being chased by a tiger) or perceived (worried about being chased by a tiger). To keep you from always being in a state of ‘fight or flight,’ your body has a very unique way of keeping you in balance. It’s known as your adaptogenic response.
This response is one of the most protective responses in the body, yet it can easily become derailed and dysfunctional. One of the primary drivers of an imbalanced adaptogenic response is exposure to chronic stress. Despite your best attempts at minimizing stress exposure, sometimes the body gets confused and can perceive a specific circumstance as being stressful. And before you know it, you’re in an all-out meltdown, feeling the effects of stress you cannot even see. And subsequently, not handling life as well as you otherwise could.
So, are you ready for the good news? This stress response is entirely fixable!
The way your body manages stress through the amazing adaptogenic system is extremely easy to modify. In fact, this has been well known for centuries, with some of the earliest notations dating back to the B.C. era. One of the best and easiest ways to support how your body handles stress is through the use of certain herbs known as adaptogens! Not surprisingly, these herbs help the body better adapt to any kind of stress, whether internal or external.
In short, adaptogenic herbs are non-toxic plants that help the body resist and deal with stress stemming from physical, chemical or biological challenges. And one of our absolute FAVORITE adaptogenic herbs is Korean ginseng. As a medicinal herb, the effects of ginseng have been documented for thousands of years. Not only is it a natural antioxidant, helping to preserve the integrity and health of your cells, but it is one of the best adaptogens to help you chill out when a crisis comes your way.
Although there is no ‘cure’ for stress, adaptogenic herbs are about as close as you can come to an ‘anti-stress’ remedy. But caution is needed: many over-the-counter herbal supplements have been shown to have traces of heavy metals or do not contain the important phytochemicals listed on the label. Our recommendation is to use Korean ginseng from MediHerb because of its pharmaceutical-grade quality and predictable results.
If your efforts at managing stress are becoming less effective, now would be a good time to add in a little Korean ginseng!