What is an adaptogen?

Adaptogens are a class of plants considered beneficial for the body's ability to adapt to stress. Integrative medicine specialist Tieraona Low Dog, MD, describes some of these healthy herbs, including astragalus and ashwagandha.

Transcript

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Ginseng, for instance, is an adaptogen that tends to be used for people who have very cold extremities,

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people that are very kind of tired and rundown, because it's sort of energetic. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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Adaptogens are a class of plants that are considered to be beneficial for the body to help it adapt to stress, whether that's

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physical stress, emotional, or psychological stress, or environmental stress. There are a lot of different types of adaptogens.

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So part of the trick is finding the one that's right for you. Ginseng, for instance, is an adaptogen

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that tends to be used for people who have very cold extremities, people that are very kind of tired and rundown,

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because it's sort of energetic. On the other hand, an herb like ashwagandha is an herb that we often use for the wired and tired, right?

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Run, run, run, run, run all day. And then it's 9 o'clock at night and you're so exhausted, you lay down in bed but your eyes do this.

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You know, you're wide awake even though you're exhausted. We call those wired and tired. Ashwagandha is much more appropriate for that.

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And astragalus is an adaptogen that is used primarily for people when they're under stress, they get sick more often.

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I personally believe that more research will show us how to use these adaptogens more effectively in the future,

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and that when we look at 21st century life in America, the adaptogens may prove to be one

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of the most important classes of botanicals we'll be able to find. [AUDIO LOGO]