Coping with stress
As a nation we are getting more stressed. We all experience stress at some time in our lives, but ask most people if they feel more stressed now than they did ten years ago and the answer is usually ‘yes’. There are many research projects showing sharp rises in stress levels within the UK and this is thought to be one of reasons for the dramatic rise in many conditions, such as high blood pressure, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, sexual problems, heart disease and strokes.There are many things you can do to help reduce your stress burden such as increasing the amount of exercise you take or spending time using relaxation or meditation techniques. However the problem with these solutions for many people is that they often find trying to fit these types of activities into their busy lives simply puts them under even more stress. Often what they are looking for is something to help their body’s cope with the stress they are under and to reduce their anxiety levels enabling them to be able to cope better with the normal pressures of daily life such as a demanding job or family pressures. In the past medication in the form of tranquillizers such as Valium (Diazapham) have often been prescribed by doctors but because of the side effects such as drowsiness and the risk of addiction to these types of drugs, they are not now usually recommended.
Natural Remedies
The most commonly used remedy for stress is the group of herbs known as the Ginsengs. There are several different types of Ginseng but the most widely used are Korean (also known as Panax or Asian Ginseng) and Siberian Ginseng. Although they are actually from different plant families, both have been used traditionally for thousands of years to help combat the effects of stress on the body, as energy tonics and to help improve stamina. They are also great for improving immune function and can help in many other areas such as improving mental alertness and fertility. The main difference between these two Ginsengs is that Siberian is considered to be gentler of the two herbs. It works in a more subtle manner and is often considered more suitable for women whereas Korean Ginseng has a stronger and faster action and is usually recommended to men or women under severe stress.Recently a herb called Rhodiola Rosea has received much attention. This is also a herb with a long history of traditional use for helping the body to combat stress. Both the Ginsengs and Rhodiola are classified as adaptogens which means they help the body to adapt to demands of a stressful life, new read more
