Adaptogens

Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief

Description

An updated and expanded edition of the definitive guide to adaptogenic herbs

• Includes a Materia Medica with monographs covering 25 adaptogens, including eleuthero, ginseng, rhodiola, schisandra, ashwagandha, licorice, shatavari, reishi, and holy basil, as well as complementary nervines, restorative tonics, and nootropics

• Explains how adaptogens increase the body’s resistance to adverse influences, increase energy and stamina, and counter the effects of age and stress on the body

• Details the actions, properties, preparation, and dosage for each herb and their uses in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine and as remedies for animals

Every day our bodies strive to adapt and stay balanced, energized, and healthy, yet chronic stress and the resulting elevation of stress hormones such as cortisol have been shown to be major factors behind not only fatigue and weight gain but also many chronic and degenerative diseases. In this updated edition of the definitive guide to adaptogenic herbs, clinical herbalist David Winston and researcher Steven Maimes provide a comprehensive look at adaptogens: non-toxic herbs such as ginseng, eleuthero, and ashwagandha that help the body “adapt” to the many influences it encounters and manage the stresses it experiences. They also increase stamina and energy, boost cognitive function, restore the immune system, and counter the effects of aging, especially when used in appropriate combinations.

Beginning with a history of the use of adaptogens, including in Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and Russian medicine, the book examines how these herbal remedies work and why they are so effective at combating stress-induced illness and ailments. The extensive Materia Medica includes monographs on 25 adaptogens, including eleuthero, ginseng, rhodiola, schisandra, ashwagandha, shatavari, reishi, and holy basil, as well as complementary nervines, restorative tonics, and nootropic herbs, such as milky oats, astragalus, St. John’s wort, and ginkgo. Each monograph presents the latest scientific research and details the origin, traditional and clinical uses, actions, properties, preparation, and dosage for each herb. The book also includes guidance on adaptogenic remedies for our animal companions.

Aimed not only at herbalists but also those interested in natural health, this guide to adaptogens will allow you to safely and effectively use these herbal remedies to enhance your health and improve your chances of living a longer, healthier, and well-balanced life.

About the author(s)

David Winston, RH(AHG), is an herbalist and ethnobotanist who has practiced Cherokee, Chinese, and Western herbal medicine since 1969. He is the president of Herbalist and Alchemist, Inc., a company that manufactures over 300 herbal products, author of Herbal Therapeutics and Saw Palmetto for Men & Women, and coauthor of Herbal Therapy and Supplements and Adaptogens. He lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Steven Maimes, the former owner of an herbal products business in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a researcher, freelance writer, and principal of SALAM Research in Rochester, New Hampshire.

Reviews

“There has never been a time when more people at once have suffered from anxiety, sleep disorders, stress, and immune system dysfunction. Conventional medicine provides us only with tools that suppress at best, harm at worst. Yet there is another way, one that is both ancient and modern, a class of herbs called adaptogens. And who better to enlighten us on the history, benefits, and use of these herbs, trusted across cultures, than an herbalist’s herbalist, universally trusted for his knowledge of both botanical medicine history and use. In this book, David Winston provides us with a tool for resilience that we need now more than ever and that is readily accessible to all who want to welcome medicinal plants into their healing path.”

“Here is an herbal gem! Few people know and understand the properties and actions of herbs as well as David Winston. His expertise lies not only in how herbs were used historically but in the latest scientific research as well. Melding information from many traditions, David paints a complete picture of their use and effectiveness. This updated and expanded Adaptogens is a welcome addition for anyone looking to improve their health. This book will expand your understanding of adaptogen herbs, their history, and their relevance in today’s chronic-stress society.”

“Authoritative, indispensable Herbalism at its best. A welcome second edition that confirms the place of this exceptional book on every herbalist’s bookshelf.”

“David’s new edition of Adaptogens offers so much more than most of the herbal books available today. His wisdom, insights and experience shine through every page, guiding and inspiring the reader to find higher health and vitality and protect against the harmful effects of daily stress in a practical and clear style that is imminently accessible.”

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