When it comes to Eastern Medicine, acupuncture has perhaps enjoyed the greatest mainstream attention, but if all the new herbal apothecaries popping up in trendy neighborhoods of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Portland, and Burlington, are any indication, herbal medicine’s time has come.  

In these pharmacies some of the most popular herbs are known as adaptogens.  As the name implies, adaptogens are a category of herbs that help the body “adapt” to stress.  As an herbalist and holistic health practitioner I have incredible respect for the body’s innate intelligence, which helps us adapt to our environment and maintain balance. These herbs fit seamlessly into this framework as facilitators of the body’s adaptation processes. 

When stressors in our life, both internal and external, exceed the body’s capacity to adapt, these herbs provide the additional support the body needs to reestablish balance.