What are adaptogens?

Adaptogens are increasingly becoming a buzzword in the wellness industry but what exactly are they?

Adaptogens are non-toxic plants that have been proven to help the body ADAPT to stressors of all kinds, whether physical, chemical or biological. These herbs and roots have been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing traditions, but they’re having a renaissance today. 

These plants possess natural healing abilities when it comes to stress, normalising physiological functions that occur in stressful situations

Each one claims to do something a little different, but on the whole, “adaptogens help your body handle stress,” says Dr. Brenda Powell, co-medical director of the Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. “They’re meant to bring us back to the middle.” To maintain homeostasis.

Powell says “the plants do this by interacting with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathoadrenal system, both of which are involved in the body’s response to stress. Adaptogens may tweak hormone production and physiological responses to stress to ensure that your body—from your mind to your immune system to your energy levels—functions as it should,” Powell says.

Speak to any wellness guru in the luxury spas in the world and overpriced clinics on Harley Street, all will say life is about balance. Strive to maintain balance. It’s true but how hard is it to maintain balance in such a fast-paced demanding modern lifestyle. We all need a little help in the form of adaptogenic plants. They won’t change your personality but they may just make you become your ‘holiday self’ at home.