Higher Energy Equals Outstanding Results

Today's quote: 

"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel  and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results." - Anthony Robbins 

If you need a little help with your energy...http://tinyurl.com/cawq4sx

In Health,

Naturally Botanicals

www.naturallybotanicals.com

The Essence of Life

Today's quote: 

"Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus." - Oprah Winfrey  

If you need a little help with your energy...http://tinyurl.com/cawq4sx

In Health,

Naturally Botanicals

www.naturallybotanicals.com

Food for Thought

Today's quote: 

"Every goal, every action, every thought, every feeling one experiences, whether it be consciously or unconsciously known, is an attempt to increase one's level of peace of mind."

- Sidney Madwed

Or, if you need a little help...http://tinyurl.com/cawq4sx

In Health,

Naturally Botanicals

www.naturallybotanicals.com

"Those pills are awesome!"

Yesterday, I received a text from a long time customer that said "Those pills are awesome!"

What was he talking about? Well, he recently found himself overworked and exhausted and unable to recover to normal energy levels. He couldn't take it anymore, as it had been going on for weeks. So, over the weekend, he purchased ADR Complex and Adaptostym and right way felt a difference. Hence, the text, "Those pills are awesome!"

We know our "pills are awesome."  However, we are delighted to hear it from you!  We love the feedback!  Let us know how you are doing.  Feel free to leave a testimonial on the website, so other customers get the benefit of your experience, and in return other customer comments may be helpful to you.

In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Adrenal Fatigue | Helpful and Easy Diet Suggestions

Helping your adrenal health with the foods you eat is easy.

Vitamin C is stored in the adrenal glands and is very important to adrenal health. Being mindful of what you eat, and making a few changes to your diet can really help. Try increasing your dietary levels of vitamin C with the foods you eat, such as, citrus, red bell peppers, papaya, and broccoli. Also trying adding more foods with high levels of vitamin B5, available in sunflower seeds, mushrooms, yogurt, and corn. Adding these important constituents to your diet,and/or with supplements, may help ease symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Drinking too much caffeine may also take its toll on your adrenal glands. Try reducing your caffeine intake, and/or try to gradually replace coffee and soda with lower-caffeine beverages like green tea or natural coffee substitutes from your local health food store.

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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Psychological Stress, the Adrenals, and the Immune System

What kind of person are you?

Are you the kind of person who just rolls with the punches, doesn’t get upset much by life’s ups and downs? Or you do you find yourself reacting and overreacting to the slightest thing? That would make you either a “low reactor” or a “high reactor”, two distinct types of people, who are affected by “stressors” very differently. High reactors are significantly affected by stress, as shown by a significant increase in heart rate, blood pressure, catecholamines, and CD8 cells which are cells that occur in response to infection.

Catecholamines are hormones produced by the adrenal glands, which are found on top of the kidneys. Catecholamines are released into the blood during times of physical or emotional stress. The major catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (which used to be called adrenalin). Low reactors show little or no change in those areas during times of stress (Manuck, et al, 1991). Additionally, studies on monkeys have shown that ulceration showed up most severely during the rest and recovery periods, rather than during the stress period itself (McEwen & Stellar, 1993). Studies by Manuck, et al in 1991 showed that psychological stressors induced cell division among CD8 cells, thereby increasing the number of CD8 cells and suppressing immune function. However, this response was only seen in those subjects who also showed high heart rate change and catecholamine change during the stressors. In conclusion, psychological stress does have a significant effect on the immune system. It raises catecholamine and CD8 levels, which suppresses the immune system. This suppression, in turn, raises the risk of viral infection and illness.

Using natural ways to increase stamina and to stimulate the immune system is a good way to go. Of course, the basics are always a good place to start. Check your diet to make sure you are eating enough fruits and vegetables, especially leaf greens. Monitor your exercise program to make sure is it appropriate for your age, physical condition and the time of year. Make sure you are getting at last 8 hours of deep restful sleep. Adequate sleep is very restorative to the body. Additionally, herbs can really help the body deal with physically and mentally stressful exposures, such as heat, cold, physical exhaustion, viruses, bacteria, chemicals, extreme working conditions, noise, and pollution.
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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals, Inc.
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Stress, Adrenal Fatigue and the Immune System

Everyone experiences stress.

Whether it is everyday hassles, such as being stuck in traffic, or more acute forms of stress, such as pain or traumatic experiences, stress plays a part in everyone's lives.

A stressor is any stimuli that causes a nonspecific response in an individual, otherwise known as stress There are two main categories of stress: acute and chronic. Acute stressors include uncontrollable situations, physical illness, surgery, and traumatic experiences. Chronic stressors include sleep deprivation, daily "hassles", work overload or under-load, role strains, or social isolation. There are, of course, many more things that can cause stress, but these are the stressors most common.

Psychological stress has been shown to over-tax the adrenals and weaken the immune system increasing the susceptibility to viral infection. Subjects exposed to stress showed increases in infection rates from 74% to 90%, and clinical colds rose from 27% to 47%. This is not surprising, as stress does suppress the immune system; this is supported by studies showing that colds and other infections manifest themselves on weekends after busy and stressful work weeks.
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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals, Inc.
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Adaptogens Summed Up

We've had a great week of wonderful information on adaptagens as they relate to fatigue, memory and even sexual function in men. 

To sum up, while all nutrients are valuable and required for sustenance, only the adaptogen will prompt the body to release its own sluggish and often weakened powers of self-revitalization. Adaptogens help the body remain vital and healthy even under unfavorable conditions. Adaptogens affect the energy supply of cells in your brain, muscles, liver, kidneys, glands, nerves and just about everywhere else, energizing them and allowing them to function properly even when subjected to unfavorable and stressful conditions.

Also, there is a most important secondary effect of this normalization of the energy supply of the cells. All body cells are continuously renewed. This most basic function depends upon a pair of nucleid proteins known as RNA and DNA. An adaptogen energizes the RNA and DNA molecules to rebuild cells.

Taking an Adaptogen energy supplement is a natural way to improve the body's adrenal and immune function and ability to adapt to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue while having an overall normalizing and balancing effect. Herbs that have been around for thousands of years may help you meet the demands of today’s busy world and allow you to have the energy to enjoy life to the fullest. 
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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Research information that affects everything from fatigue and memory to sexual function

With the focus of our blog this week on the power of adaptogenic herbs, we have included some interesting information regarding research on Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) for you. 

Immune system
A four week study in healthy subjects found that those who received Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) extract had improvements in a number of measures that reflect the functioning of the immune system. Several combination supplements containing Siberian ginseng and other herbs have reported benefits in patients with colds and the flu. Laboratory studies also support the use of Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) to improve immunity.

Mental performance
A three month human study of Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) among middle aged volunteers found that there was a significant improvement in memory and concentration as compared to placebo. Another popular, but unproven use of Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) is to maintain or restore mental alertness.

Physical performance
Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) is frequently used to enhance physical stamina and increase muscle strength. Studies support the use of Siberian ginseng to decrease symptoms of fatigue.

Male fertility
Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) has a long history of folkloric use for male infertility. Animal studies suggest that Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) may be helpful in increasing reproductive capacity, including some reports of improvement with ED related issues when applied topically and taken orally.

Elderly quality of life
One study found Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) use in elderly patients improved their quality of life including aspects of mental health and social functioning after four weeks of therapy. When the ginseng was stopped, the improvements decreased.

Herb Facts
Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) supplements are made from the root. The root contains a mixture of components, common to many plants but occurring together in Siberian ginseng, called eleutherosides. Among the other ingredients are chemicals called polysaccharides, which have been found to boost the immune system and lower blood sugar levels in laboratory studies using animals.

Another Powerful Adaptogen, Ashwagandha
Another popular adaptogen often used in conjunction with eleuthero is Ayurveda Ashwagandha. It has been used for 4,000 years plus in India. Generally, Ashwagandha stimulates the immune system. It has also been shown to inhibit inflammation and improve memory. Taken together with Ginseng (eleuthero), these actions support the traditional reputation of Ashwagandha as a tonic or adaptogen.
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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Powerful Herbs, Eleuthero, as an Adaptogen

More on the Power of Adaptogens | Eleuthero

The most commonly known adaptogens are the family of herbs called Ginsengs: Korean, American, and Siberian. 

Siberian ginseng, also known as eleuthero, has been used for centuries in Eastern countries, including China and Russia. Although a distant relative of American (Panax quinquefolius ) and Asian ginseng (panax ginseng ), with some overlap in its uses, Siberian ginseng is a distinct plant with different active chemical components. Prized for its ability to restore vigor, increase longevity, enhance overall health, and stimulate both a healthy appetite and a good memory, it is widely used in Russia to help the body adapt to stressful conditions and to enhance productivity.

In Chinese medicine, it is valued for its beneficial effects on "qi" and its ability to treat "yang" deficiency in the spleen and kidney. This means it helps in stressful circumstances and also helps return the body to a normal balance. The active ingredients in Siberian ginseng, called eleutherosides, are thought to increase stamina and to stimulate the immune system.

Until recently, most scientific research on Siberian ginseng was conducted in Russia. This research has largely supported its use to maintain health and strengthen the system rather than to treat particular disorders.  The studies indicate that Siberian ginseng may help the body deal with physically and mentally stressful exposures, such as heat, cold, physical exhaustion, viruses, bacteria, chemicals, extreme working conditions, noise, and pollution. By strengthening the system, it may also help prevent illness.
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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Adrenal Fatigue | Stage Two Resistance & Stage Three Exhaustion

General Adaptation Syndrome and Adrenal Fatigue | Stage Two & Three

In yesterday's blog we addressed the first stage "Alarm" of general adaptation syndrome.  Today, we will take a look at the final two stages "Resistance" and "Exhaustion."

Stage Two: Resistance
This stage is the stage where adaptive changes take place. Increased fitness is a perfect example of an adaptive response to physical stress. When the adaptation occurs, the individual returns to "homeostasis" or normal equilibrium. In other words, following a huge outlay of physical exertion or prolonged stress, the body returns quickly, without compromise, to normal function and a general state of well-being.  However, each individual’s capacity to adapt is limited and completely unique. When an individual’s adaptive capacity is overwhelmed, there is a greater risk of illness or injury. So, when the body fails to adapt to physical, emotional or biological stresses, then it enters the final stage – exhaustion.

Stage Three: Exhaustion
This stage is characterized by the observed onset of symptoms of extreme fatigue, including injury or illness. Fatigue is a constant feeling of tiredness, exhaustion, weakness, lack of energy, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and/or difficulty starting and completing tasks.

Adaptogens - The Power of Herbs 

With the addition of adaptogens, the first two stages are handled very differently. Adaptogens modify the alarm phase and increase the resistance phase. This is critical, as these benefits provide protection to a stressed person by helping to maintain optimal cellular function as long as possible before the onset of exhaustion.

When adaptogens are added, the person still has an appropriate response to a stressful event, but the changes in cell function that result are more moderate and have less of an adverse effect on the entire body. The general action of adaptogens is well demonstrated by looking at the effect of stress on blood glucose levels. Shortly after a person becomes stressed, the stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) cause a rapid increase in blood glucose. Once it peaks, the blood glucose rapidly falls to lower than normal levels. Adaptogens moderate this response. In other words, adaptogens do not block the stress response; rather, they smooth out the roller coaster highs and lows associated with the stress response. This conserves valuable energy in the alarm phase for use in the resistance phase.
http://tinyurl.com/7rkk8ce 

In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com

Adrenal Fatigue | Stage One - Alarm

General Adaptation Syndrome and Adrenal Fatigue

Today we are going to take a look at the first stage of “general adaptation syndrome” as it relates to prolonged stress, the adrenals and an impaired sense of well-being.  Intense and/or prolonged periods of stress can wreak havoc on the body.

Dr. Hans Selye, (1907-1982), the “father of stress research,” discovered that hormones participate in the development of many degenerative diseases, including coronary thrombosis, brain hemorrhage, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and kidney failure, arthritis, peptic ulcers and even cancer.

In general, the hormonal responses aid adaptation to environmental change or stimuli, but they are sometimes the cause of disease, especially if the state of stress is prolonged or intense. When this occurs, the body goes through the three stages of what is called the "general adaptation syndrome." Stage One: Alarm, Stage Two: Resistance, Stage Three: Exhaustion.

Stage One: Alarm
It is important for this stage to function normally as it generates a number of critical metabolic responses for any person.

Release of the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, occur in this stage. These hormones are valuable and highly desirable in the short term (when being chased by a tiger), but become disruptive to effective cellular function over a long period of time. Cortisol is a hormone with wide ranging effects on tissues throughout the body. Too much cortisol can have a negative on many body functions.  One of the most widely recognized is its immunosuppressive effect. It also has a negative impact on energy regulation. Cortisol decreases the movement of glucose from the bloodstream into muscle cells (and several other types of cell). This is meant to be a protective response during short bursts of stress, conserving blood glucose for essential functions and vital organs, such as brain activity. However, during any prolonged stress, cortisol depresses the immune system and decreases the availability of energy supplies, resulting in an impaired sense of general health and well-being.

Check back tomorrow for information on Stage Two - Resistance.

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In Health,
Naturally Botanicals
www.naturallybotanicals.com