Herbs have been a part of our daily life for generations. They are very effective in many health issues with fewer side effects and are cheaper than drugs. Just be sure to have a good knowledge of their uses. A herb in your kitchen cabinet can act as an effective drug, and you need to be familiar with its functions and interactions with other herbs to be more effective.
The herb Rhodiola Rosea, an adaptogen herb, has long been accepted as a valuable agent that enhances the ability of the body to cope with mental stress. Historically it was used as a herbal tonic to enhance body stamina and strength, so was highly prized. It is commonly known as “Arctic root” or “golden root” and is traditionally very popular in Eastern Europe and Asia. It is widely available in the Arctic and mountainous regions of Eastern Europe and Asia. It has strong ability to alleviate depression, reduce stress-induced anxiety and loss of appetite. It has been widely studied in Russia and Scandanavia for over 35 years and is reputed to stimulate the nervous system, decrease depression, enhance work performance, and eliminate, or reduce, fatigue (Petkov et al., 1986).
Research has shown that the consumption of Rhodiola rosea for 20 days significantly improved physical fitness, and significantly reduced mental fatigue (Spasov et al., 2000). During World War II Russians used this herb to boost the body resistance of their soldiers to enable them to cope with physical and environmental stress like hunger and cold. Rhodiola is known to strengthen the immune system of the body making you less susceptible to stress. It reduces the amount of corticosteroids, a hormone released during stress by the adrenal glands, in the body so to protect your heart and other organs from damage due to stress.
Rhodiola has a very positive effect in controlling blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels and blood glucose levels. Other positive effects of Rhodiola rosea supplementation include: protection against stress induced damage to the heart muscle (Afanas’ev et al., 1993; Kelly, 2001), have a protective effect against cancers (Udinstev and Schakhov, 1991a; Udinstev and Schakhov, 1991b) and may reduce liver toxicity (Udinstev and Schakhov, 1991b). Rhodiola has proven to be invaluable to athletes helping them to increase their body strength and stamina. It also enhances fatigue resistance in athletes after training exercises.
Rhodiola herb usage:
The extract of Rhodiola herb is available in capsule or tablet form. You can use the dried root in your daily cup of tea to alleviate your fatigue after stress. It works as an herbal tonic good for daily use with no known side effects.
Regular walk in fresh air, cutting down your caffeine and sugar consumption will all help in keeping you away from stress. Body consumes a lot of Vitamin C during stress.
So increase your intake of vitamin C with fruits and vegetables to better cope the episodes of stress.
Afanas’ev S. A., Alekseeva, E. D., Bardamova, I. B., et al., (1993) Cardiac contractile function following acute cooling of the body and the adaptogenic correction of its disorders. Biull Eksp Biol Med. 116, 480-483.
Azizov, A. P. and Seifulla, R. D. (1998) the effect of Elton, leveton, fitoton and adapton on the work capacity of experimental animals. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 61, 61-63.
Kelly, G. S. (2001) Rhodiola rosea: A Possible Plant Adaptogen. Alternative Medicine Review. 6, 293-302.
Author: Dr Rubina Mushtaq