Non-conventional medicine uses numerous natural methods based primarily on the healing effects of many herbs and other plants to support weakened health. Some of them have a particularly beneficial effect on the human body, we can say that they adapt to the specific conditions in which they are supposed to act, so we call them adaptogens. There are many of them, so it is worth finding outwhat properties they have and which ones we should start using.

The concept of adaptogens has already permanently entered the vocabulary of not only supporters of natural medicine in general and a holistic approach to health. Their mechanism of action still has many mysteries for us, but as we learn more about them, we already know that their effectiveness and positive health-promoting properties cannot be faulted much. The name was first used in 1940, when a Russian scientist studied the effects of certain plant species on strengthening the body weakened for various reasons.

The current and generally accepted definition defines adaptogens as plants whose function is to regulate and normalize the functioning of the body. They primarily strengthen our immunity to the negative effects of stress, which we sometimes find difficult to cope with, and can lead to the development of many more or less serious diseases. The action of plants with adaptogenic properties allows us to better and faster adapt to all changing external conditions, with simultaneous reduction of the effects of the damage already caused by them.

Phytotherapy, or herbal medicine, has been known to mankind for thousands of years, and we also use various plants and herbs today to alleviate the symptoms of many ailments. However, we should know that not all plants can be classified as adaptogens. They should be characterized by relatively specific properties, and must not, among other things, be addictive, interact with drugs, contain dangerous toxic compounds that can harm rather than help, and cause side effects.

If we do not know which plants meet these conditions, we can always consult a specialist, for example, in an herbal store. It is also worth learning about all the important properties of adaptogenic plants, beneficially affecting numerous aspects of health, the most important of which are:

Now that we know what adaptogens are and their properties that benefit our health, it’s time to find out which are the most effective and definitely worth having in your home herbal medicine cabinet. Specialists in the field advise the use, first of all, of such six natural plant-based adaptogens as:

Bearing the Latin name Withania Somnifera, also known in our country as sluggish vitania or Indian ginseng, by far the most highly regarded and most widely used adaptogen in the world. In the wild, ashwagandha grows in the Far East, primarily in India, and is classified as a plant of the solanaceous family. It has been used for nearly 5,000 years, primarily the powdered root, added to numerous dietary supplements, and its unique properties are due to the plant’s composition.

Among other things, it contains active biological compounds called vitanolides, vitamin C, phytosterols, flavonoids, numerous alkaloids, carotene, coumarins, saponins, dietary fiber and minerals, including calcium and iron. Thanks to them, you can count on the action:

The plant with perhaps the best-known health-promoting properties, not just adaptogenic ones, although they are particularly strong in its case. Panax ginseng, for that is its Latin, scientific name, is also a wealth of numerous nutrients even essential to our body’s health. Ginseng root has in its composition, among others, vitamin B1, or thiamine, vitamin B4, or choline, vitamin C, vitamin E and ginsenosides, which has implications:

Derived from a plant that grows in the wild in Peru, at an altitude of more than 4,000,000 meters, but has been known and valued in this region of the world for centuries. Maca root, Lepidium peruvianum, also called peppergrass or Peruvian ginseng in our country, is another adaptogen worth introducing. Studies have shown that it is an exceptionally rich source of numerous bioactive substances, flavonoids, anthocyanins, saponins and tannins. These are supported by B vitamins, thiamine and riboflavin, vitamin C and E, as well as the minerals zinc, copper, potassium, calcium and iron, together giving it properties:

A plant that has been used for centuries in Ayurveda, or traditional Indian medicine, and belongs to the lepidopteran family, it is also called brahmi. In our country, bacopa monnieri bears the less exotic name of small-leaved bacopa, and is another adaptogen worth using regularly for more than just fighting stress. Its action is based primarily on the presence of steroidal saponins, phenols, phytosterols and flavonoids, and consists in:

Another adaptogen used in ancient Indian Ayurveda, and its medicinal properties cannot be denied. To followers of natural medicine it is better known as Gotu Kola, and it contains, among other things, triterpene compounds, flavonoids, essential oils, phytosterols, tannins, minerals, including the much-needed magnesium. Regular use of preparations having in their composition Asian Centella, Centella asiatica, has a positive effect on:

The last adaptogen that we think is worth having in your home herbal medicine cabinet is mountain rhodiola, Rhodiola rosea, which grows in the wild in cold climates, including the Arctic. Also called the “golden root,” it is increasingly grown in other parts of the world, including Poland, and boasts a composition responsible not only for adaptogenic properties. There are phytosterols, catechins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, trace elements, chromium, manganese, copper and selenium, and it is to these that rhodiola rosea owes its effects:

Unfortunately, not everyone can enjoy the numerous benefits of regular use of dietary supplements containing the adaptogens mentioned above. It is necessary to carefully read the accompanying leaflet beforehand, first of all, the contraindications, and the ones you will need to take into account are: