There’s nothing in the Western medical world equivalent to Adaptogens. I tried, but couldn’t say it better than David Winston did in his book with Steven Maimes, Adaptogens, Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007. “Adaptogens are remarkable natural substances that help the body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic functions, and help restore balance. They increase the body’s resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors and provide a defense response to acute or chronic stress. They are unique from other substances in their ability to restore the balance of endocrine hormones, modulate the immune system, and allow the body to maintain optimal homeostasis.”
As a new herbalist, I missed the time when American Ginseng, a native adaptogen, could be found growing wild in many states. They were over-harvested to near extinction in the wild. I missed other useful herbs like the “best” Echinacea which covered parts of Nebraska, or Goldenseal when it could be found all over the Ozarks. I will probably never see a wild Lady’s Slipper. To use these precious herbs and many more, we now have to grow our own, or get them from folks who grow and/or harvest herbs sustainably. If we don’t do something about it, we won’t have these and other wonderful herbs for ourselves, let alone for the next generation.
Growing herbs for our own use as consumers and practitioners is not only sustainable, but fun. It takes time to learn what the plant wants to give you back its best qualities for medicinal use. How can you truly know a plant without planting it first in its best spot, nurturing it or not, and then having a conversation with it? OK, so talking to plants is last on your list of fun things to do. So let’s instead talk about how to make a few choice adaptogens happy in Texas.
Most adaptogens are made from plant roots. Two adaptogens are different, made from the herb or upper part of the plant, Holy Basil and Jiaogulan. Both are very easy to grow.
