We are continually subjected to stress of all kinds: physical stress (heat, cold, radiation, altitude), emotional stress, and chemical stress (toxins).  The body maintains healthy by adjusting or adapting to these influences to maintain internal balance. Too much stress can overwhelm the body's ability to cope. When this happens we experience a variety of mental and physical symptoms. We may feel stressed, anxious, nervous, irritable, or simply "burned out" and exhausted. Our sleep may be disturbed, and our energy levels drop. We may also develop problems with brain fog, loss of normal sexual desire, disturbed sleep, weight gain, reduced immunity, and various aches and pains.

Traditional systems of medicine have used various herbs as tonics to fortify the body against stress. The modern term for these remedies is adaptogens. While the term is usually applied to remedies believed to down-regulate stress hormones, adaptogens actually work in a variety of ways to help the body return to a state of mental, emotional, and physical balance. Our articles this month will focus on various adaptogens and adaptagenic formulas.