Adapting to Stress

Adapting to Stress

By: Erica Eddleman Rogers

"Where do I start?"

That’s the same question I asked myself over 11 years

ago.  As a

sophomore in college, I anxiously questioned the direction of my life.

 There are many transitional moments in the course of our

lifetimes that

spark similar questions. "What do I want now?" "Why am I in this

situation?"

"How can I change things?" From such introspective moments we can often

obtain

the right answers.  And sometimes those answers may lead to an

inspired

life, which is exactly what happened to me.

After much study and practice in holistic health and wellness,

I came to believe

that in order to build an ideal life we must build a solid foundation,

and the

foundation we must invest in is in our health. I’m referring to our

whole

health, or wholeness, as the origin of the word denotes. The online

etymology

dictionary defines health as, "wholeness, a being whole,

sound or well."

(http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=health

)

Whole health or wholeness is more encompassing than what’s

practiced in

allopathic medicine. Wholeness is even more engaging than what an

acupuncturist

or naturopath can treat. True whole health requires the highest level

of

personal responsibility. It incorporates all of the dimensions of our

being:

physical, emotional, mental, energetic and spiritual. Whole health is

the

result of embodying whole consciousness, and that is a whole lot.

There are many systems that outline a path toward wholeness

and you may already

have a routine that works for you. Likely it may include exercise,

meditation

and a nutrition regimen, and, when followed diligently, it works.

 However

there are times when we are unable to apply our routine and there are

times

when maintaining healthful habits seem impractical.

Why? What happens then? Why are those times tougher than

others? Does

something get in our way?

That something is known as stress. It

sounds like a mischievous

goblin looking to sabotage everything that hard work builds. Think

about it.

When someone describes an obstacle, more often than not, stress is the

culprit.

Call it an invisible sidekick to adversity. Fortunately, stress isn’t a

masked

bandit running amuck, and we can better manage

its impact on our

lives.

For many of us, the word stress is somewhat ambiguous.

Wikipedia states,

"stress is how the body reacts to a stressor, real or imagined, a

stimulus that

causes stress."  According to another definition, stress

relates to the

pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one thing by another. The

source of

the tension is a stressor, and the quantity, quality and duration of

the

tension helps to categorize it as a specific type of stressor. To

better

understand stress, we need to take a closer look at the types of

stressors:

Mental stressors—all

mental illness, chronic unresolved issues, major life changes,

overburdened with responsibility, self-image issues, and obsessive

thinking

Emotional stressors—anger,

rage, irritability, worry, anxiety, fear, fright, terror, depression,

desire, lust, sadness, grief, and over-excitement

Physical stressors—too

much strenuous activity such as overwork and too much exercise,

physical trauma, starvation, medical issues, suffocation, alcohol and

drug use, lack of sleep, illness, and child-birth

Environmental stressors—sudden

changes in climate or exposure to severe climate conditions,

electromagnetic waves (Wi-Fi networks), excessive exposure to sun,

exposure to harmful microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, molds, and

parasites), exposure to chemical toxins (pesticides, herbicides,

fungicides, insecticides, heavy metals, households and industrial

chemicals); also, consumption of nutritionally deficient foods such as

refined foods, irradiated foods, trans fats, caffeine and other

stimulants

Spiritual stressors—loss

of direction and life purpose

As we can see there are many kinds of stressors. Certainly, it

is important

to minimize our exposure to unnecessary stressors even though stressors

are a

part of life. Therefore our focus should be on how we process stress.

 Our

bodies metabolize stress in two different ways; either as helpful

eustress,

which is anabolic in nature (meaning it builds us up) or as destructive

distress, which is catabolic (meaning it breaks us down). The old

saying is

true, "what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger."

Hans Selye outlined our stress response in more detail, and

earned the

nickname "the father of stress research." In his General

Adaptation

Syndrome, Selye delineates a sequence of reactions the body

goes through

when responding to a given stressor. First, in the alarm

stage, we

experience an internal alert where the body prepares for action with

adrenaline

and cortisol. This is commonly known as a fight-or-flight response.

Next if the

stressor persists, the body goes into the resistance stage.

Here the

body reallocates its primary force to deal with the stressor. This is

the "cope

and adapt…or else" stage. If the tension persists, then the body will

fall into

the exhaustion phase. This is the danger zone. In

the exhaustion phase

we are vulnerable to illness and weakness. Selye’s research proves that

the key

factor to our body’s survival is its ability to adapt. Our ability to

adapt

depends on our adaptive energy. He coined that

phrase because in

situations when our adaptive energy is high, we move through stress

unscathed.

But when our adaptive energy is low, all things can go wrong and likely

do.

Bravo Hans! Good job.

The importance of adaptive energy has been a part of ancient

wisdom for

centuries. Adaptive energy is the same force that mystics and scholars

realized

is the foundation for spiritual growth, as well as physical health and

well-being.

They called it prana, ki or qi (sounds like chi). Because of its vital

significance, sages of antiquity sought out ways of enhancing qi.

 They

found help through Mother Nature. There’s an actual solution—a group of

rare

botanicals that enhances adaptive energy more than anything else. These

plants

cultivated strong adaptive power because they grow and thrive in harsh

conditions. When consumed, the body absorbs their extra adaptive power.

In

Chinese Medicine these plants are called tonic herbs for their

tonifying effects.

This group of herbs is also found within Ayurveda’s rasayan formulas

for spiritual

alchemy.  As fate would have it, these botanicals were

rediscovered in the

West in the 1940’s when Russian scientists unlocked their secret and

named them

adaptogens.  The Russians used adaptogens to help alleviate

the distress

their Olympic athletes experienced from over-training and they were

also used

as healing aids after the nuclear accident in Chernobyl. Their modern

research

proves that adaptogens have a unique ability to bring the body to

homeostasis

and lessen the effects of stress on a person, be it physical,

emotional, mental

or environmental stress.

These herbs are amazing.  Just take a look at some of

these herbs and

their benefits!

American Ginseng

By far the most popular adaptogen, Ginseng (pronounced

"gin-sing") is

considered the most lucrative legal crop in the world. Ginseng has been

used

for thousands of years to prevent an extraordinary amount of problems,

from

premature aging, to low libido, low energy and cancer. It can, to a

certain

extent, be supported with scientific research regarding its

anti-carcinogenic

and antioxidant properties. American Ginseng is the best variety of the

ginsengs because of its neutral healing properties.

Astragalus

Astragalus has been considered one of the most potent immune

tonics by

ancient physicians and modern researchers alike. For over 2,000 years,

it has

been used for lifting the mood, strengthening muscles, increasing

metabolism,

reducing stress, and strengthening the body as a whole.

Atractylodes

Atractylodes is a powerful energy tonic. Also, it is

well-known for

balancing the digestive system. It is widely used by athletes and those

interested in weight loss because of its mild diuretic action, and

ability to

increase metabolism and vitality.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is renowned as a powerful energy and endurance

tonic, because, it

increases oxygen capacity, battles weakness and fatigue, and boosts

lung

function and capacity. Also, it strengthens the immune system and

improves

sexual vitality. Cordyceps is a superstar among the longevity tonics!

Gynostemma

Gynostemma is the all-time stress-fighting botanical.

Gynostemma calms the

mind, eases tension in the body, and increases vitality and energy;

plus, it

acts as an anti-inflammatory and powerful immune tonic.

Licorice

Licorice root has been used for thousands of years to rid the

body of

unwanted toxins, increase energy, and harmonize herbal formulations. It

is one

of the most commonly used adaptogens.

Fo Ti

Also called Polygonum Multiflorum Root, it has incredible

rejuvenative

effects. It is often used to bring about mental clarity and to

invigorate the

brain. However, its real claim to fame is its ability to restore youth

to a

tired, old body! In China, it is said to help return an aged person to

youthfulness.

Reishi Mushroom

Reishi is one of the most powerful, potent tonic herbs known

to man. It is

an immune booster as well as a mood regulator. It is widely used among

meditators for calming the mind and inducing expanded states of

consciousness.

Shiitake Mushroom

Shiitake mushroom, one of the most highly prized botanicals of

Chinese and

Japanese herbalism, is used to improve energy, blood circulation, and

strengthen the body as a whole.

Ashwagandha

Ancient physicians have used ashwagandha for everything from

hiccups to

cancer. No doubt it has impressive adaptogenic properties. This

powerful herb

is one of the best adaptogenic herbs for restoring homeostasis!

Lycium

It is said that Lycium will brighten the eyes, promote

happiness, and

strengthen vitality, plus, it is a strong sexual tonic! In essence, it

restores

and builds the hormones that keep us vital and youthful!

Rhodiola

The story goes that those who regularly took Rhodiola lived to

see 100

years. Science has now proven this herb to have powerful longevity

attributes,

and helps control stressful situations that lead to chronic diseases.

Rhodiola

also has been observed by researchers to have a potent detoxing effect

on the

body’s systems.

Gotu Kola

Gotu Kola boosts the body’s energy reserves, thus

strengthening the brain.

This is why it is referred to as a brain tonic. This action of boosting

the

brain by revitalizing the body’s energy is known as the "secret of

immortality."

Siberian Ginseng

Siberian Ginseng strengthens sexual performance, builds energy

and stamina,

and improves mental abilities. It was given its fame by Russian

Olympians who

used it to expedite the recovery process from over-training.

 

 

Adaptogens are my safety net or insurance policy. They help me

stay in

control of my reaction to stress and with their help I avoid the

desperate choices

that I could make because of exhaustion. And most often they provide a

boost of

energy and mental clarity.

We are fortunate to have access to these herbs with the click

of a mouse. In

the book, Adaptogens; Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress

Relief, by

Winston and Maimes, multi-herb formulas are recommended for the

harmonizing and

boosting effects. Though single herb preparations are fine, a wide

array of

adaptogens in a single combination prove to be more powerful and

balanced.

Because these herbs primarily restore balance in the body they are safe

to take

on a regular, long-term basis, unlike treatment-oriented formulas.

Supplementing with adaptogens is the easiest step I’ve taken

to build an

ideal life. Of the many choices available, my personal favorite

adaptogenic

product is ShenTrition. I think it is the most powerful and effective.

Do yourself a favor and take these herbs regularly! Safeguard

your health

and growth with adaptogens.