Fascinating article about the role of stress in illness and the role of adaptogens in helping you handle stress:

"For a plant to be called a true adaptogen, it must conform to the following properties:

• The herb should cause no harm and place no additional stress on the body.
• The herb should help the body adapt to many and varied environmental and psychological stresses.
• The herb must have a nonspecific action on the body, supporting all the major systems, such as the nervous system, hormonal system and immune system.
• It should regulate the functions of the body (such as the blood sugar); if they are too high, an adaptogen will lower it and vice-verse.
• An adaptogen is protective. It raises an individual’s resistance to physical, chemical or biological stress."

This article concludes that:

"

• Adaptogens make the stress response less damaging
• They help maintain homeostasis in the face of stress by regulating the body’s adaptive reactions
• Adaptogens reduce most signs of the alarm stage of the stress response, and delay or promote avoidance of the exhaustion stage
• The use of adaptogens eliminates or significantly decreases the classical signs of the prolonged stress reaction described by Hans Selye as the stress triad
• Adaptogens help the body utilise fuel more efficiently, with fewer toxic or waste byproducts (like lactic acid), which can contribute to fatigue and reduced function
• Efficient use of energy means greater reserves are more readily available when needed for performing difficult tasks.

Ginseng is a well-known adaptogen, and DAAN carries a wide variety of it. We also have some special formaulations designed to help your body with overcome the potentially debilitating consequences of stress.