Stress

Stress is a necessary part of life, and our bodies are very capable of dealing with regular life difficulties. Stress has its benefits, but too much stress can break down the body, and create an environment for disease.

Some benefits of stress:

• Moderate stress increases productivity, improves memory, increases attention span, and it strengthens the connection between neurons in the brain. This explains why we often work better when we have a deadline.

• Stress causes our bodies to go into a state of fight or flight. This state can actually help our bodies fight off sickness, when experienced short term.

• The more you operate under moderate levels of stress, the stronger and more resilient you become.

  
  

Too much stress, especially long-term stress, is hard on the body. Stress causes:

• Cortisol and adrenaline to course through the body long-term

• There's an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing

• Glucose is released, so the body has the energy it needs to deal with stress, which can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, and vision problems; diabetics are at an increased risk of diabetes worsening

• Important functions like digestion, reproduction, immunity, and growth are suppressed in times of stress

After an incident of stress, it takes about 90 minutes for the body to return to its normal state. Long-term stress causes the body to remain in an abnormal state, known as fight or flight, for too long. During this state, the adrenal glands continually release adrenaline, which can lead to adrenal insufficency, and eventually adrenal fatigue. Eating too much sugar can cause a higher release of adrenaline as well.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue are:

• Fatigue

• Trouble going to sleep

• Trouble waking up

• Sugar cravings

• Salt cravings

• Lack of motivation

• Brain fog

• Irritability

• Mood swings

• Needing stimulants to function

  
  

Stress reduction is vital whether you feel rundown or not. Here are some ways to do that:

• Rest when you feel tired

• Get 8-10 hours of sleep at night

• Go play! Do things YOU enjoy

• Remove things, and people, from your life that cause stress

• Exercise on a regular basis

• Ditch processed food products and eat foods that nourish your body

• Self-talk is so important! Only speak positive things to yourself

Herbs for Stress

Herbals that help the body adapt to stress are called adaptogens. Adaptogens offset the effects of stress, bring the body back to a state of homeostasis (the body's self-regulating process by which balance is achieved), and help restore the body from damage caused by stress.

Generally, adaptogens do not target one specific organ, but enhance the entire body's ability to handle stress. They do not effect the way the body functions, they just help it function better, by increasing the body's tolerance to stress.

Here is a list of adaptogens and their particular benefits:

Ashwaganda aka Indian Ginseng - improves resistance to stress, regulates thyroid levels, has neuroprotective benefits for the brain, protects against bacteria-induced stress (infections), protects cells from oxidative stress, protects against gastric ulcers caused by stress, protects the adrenal glands, helps the body come out of the "fight or flight" state, stabilizes cortisol levels

Panax Ginseng aka Asian Ginseng - Panax comes from the word "panacea", which is a cure-all, it is considered one of the most potent adaptogens, it promotes central nervous system function, relieves stress, protects cells against oxidative stress, strengthens the chronically ill, protects against gastric ulcers, protects adrenal glands, reduces stress-related hormones, used to treat stress-induced disorders, increases noradrenalin and serotonin in response to stress, improves mood, and improves mental performance during stress

Holy Basil - known as an anti-aging supplement, it lowers stress hormones, supports the neurotransmitter system of the brain, enhances congnitive skills, reduces recurrence of canker sores from stress as well as gastric ulcers, supports adrenal glands

Licorice - helps regulate hormone levels related to stress, like coritsol, protects against gastric ulcers from stress, boosts the immune system, improves gut health, not recommended for people with high blood pressure

Reishi mushroom - helps regulate hormones, helps the body return to homeostasis, regulates the central nervous system

Rhodiola - protects the body against stress, has an anti-fatigue effect, increases mental performance and concentration during stress, decreases cortisol effect, especially in people with burnout, helps to boost stress defenses

Schisandra - boosts mental performance and endurance, supports the adrenal glands, helps with memory, focus, concentration, and mental energy, lowers cortisol levels, helps the body better handle stress

Reduce stress and take care of yourself. It will take time to recover from long-term stress, but the benefits are worth the effort. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Resources

1. Higuera, V. (2018, August 14). 4 benefits of stress you didn’t know about. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-stress-you-didnt-know-about#1.-It-improves-cognitive-function

2. Levy, J. (2023, October 27). Suffering from chronic stress? learn ways to Cope. Dr. Axe. https://draxe.com/health/chronic-stress/

3. Dhabhar, F. S. (2018, April). The short-term stress response - mother nature’s mechanism for enhancing protection and performance under conditions of threat, challenge, and opportunity. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5964013/

4. DiGiacinto, J. (2021, August 16). Adrenal fatigue treatment. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/adrenal-fatigue-treatment#1

5. Axe, Dr. J. (2023, October 25). Is adrenal fatigue real? yes. Dr. Axe. https://draxe.com/health/adrenal-fatigue/

6.  Liao, L., He, Y., Li, L., Meng, H., Dong, Y., Yi, F., & Xiao, P. (2018). A preliminary review of studies on adaptogens: comparison of their bioactivity in TCM with that of ginseng-like herbs used worldwide. Chinese Medicine, 13(1), 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-018-0214-9

7. Ayres, S. (2021, September 23). The Ultimate List of Basic Herbal Actions | Herbalism 101. Botany Culture Co. https://www.botanyculture.com/herbal-actions/

8. 12 Adaptogens to balance, restore and protect the body - Dr. Axe. (2024, September 13). Dr. Axe. https://draxe.com/nutrition/adaptogenic-herbs-adaptogens/

9.  Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep? (2025, May 2). National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved November 10, 2025, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ashwagandha-HealthProfessional/

10. panacea. (2025). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panacea

11. Wee, J. J., Park, K. M., & Chung, A. (2011). Biological Activities of Ginseng and Its Application to Human Health. Herbal Medicine - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92776/

12. Gupta, P., Yadav, D. K., Siripurapu, K. B., Palit, G., & Maurya, R. (2007). Constituents of Ocimum sanctum with Antistress Activity. Journal of Natural Products, 70(9), 1410–1416. https://doi.org/10.1021/np0700164