This month PART 1: background, digestion, muscle tension. Next month PART 2: bones, heart, brain, and emotions. 

Magnesium is necessary for brain, nerve, and muscle function. It helps calcium absorb into the bones, regulates blood sugar and blood pressure, and supports DNA synthesis. Magnesium deficiency is associated with bone loss, high blood pressure, muscle cramps, brain disorders, tension and anxiety, and type 2 diabetes. Yet it is estimated that more than half of Americans do not consume the recommended (minimum) daily value (310-420 mg, depending on age and gender).  Outright deficiencies are known to occur, and borderline deficiencies are strikingly common. 

In the diet, we find magnesium in whole (unrefined) grains, beans and peas, nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables, some mineral waters, and dark chocolate. In other words, the things we leave behind when we adopts a modern, industrialized diet. Refining grains (the process that converts whole wheat to white flour) removes 80-90% of the magnesium. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar deplete magnesium; calcium increases our need for magnesium.   

And our dietary choices are only half the problem. Even if we choose the right foods – traditional whole foods – we still run the risk of deficiency. That’s because foods today are lower in magnesium than they used to be. First, modern high-yield crops tend to run lower in magnesium then their heirloom counterparts. And the soil they’re growing in is growing increasingly depleted. The difference is so large, scientists originally thought the nutrition measurements from the 1940s and 50s were flawed. The labwork was sloppy. The methodologies were inadequate. Finally, we’ve come to realize that labwork is valid. Instead, decades of NPK fertilizers have allowed the soil itself to become magnesium-deficient.   

So we should all consider a magnesium supplement.   

WHAT DOES MAGNESIUM DO?

Resolve Constipation: Magnesium can loosen and move the bowels. For some, this is a welcome improvement. For others, an unwanted side effect. Not to worry: we have a surprising amount of control over whether or not this is going to happen.

Here’s the deal: magnesium that doesn’t absorb stays in the gut (obviously…), where it creates a diffusion gradient that draws in water, which in turn moves the bowels. It’s simple, effective, safe and gentle (barring any crazy over-use), and non-habit forming

So, the trick is to take magnesium in such a way it overloads the body’s ability to absorb it. You do that by taking a lot all at once and/or by taking a form that absorbs poorly. Most people aim for 300-1,000 mg of elemental magnesium, all at once, as magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate. 

Conversely, if loosening the bowels is an unwanted side effect you’d rather avoid, you’ll want to focus on smaller doses, and better-absorbing forms like magnesium glycinate, aspartate, orotate, taurate etc. 

Muscle Tension and Muscle Cramps: Magnesium relaxes muscles. To be clear, this isn’t some kind of high-level horse tranquilizer where you’ll be flopping around like a soggy fish. It just decreases baseline muscle tension. This is great if you’re naturally tense (include tension in the blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure: more about that later), or if you have frequent cramps, especially night-time leg cramps. 

If you’re always tense in the shoulders… try some magnesium.

If your neck keeps on seizing up… try some magnesium. 

Menstrual cramps… try some magnesium.

Back spasms… try some magnesium. 

You can use magnesium orally, or a lotion or spray topically. I’ve honestly had mixed results with the topical stuff, although I find it’s more likely to help with chronic, baseline conditions than something acute like an emerging cramp. You can also go all-out with an epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) bath. 

Where all this can really can be life changing is around night-time leg cramps. Magnesium has been researched for night-time leg cramps, more than once, and in these studies, it usually barely works. However, we sell a ton of it, to easily hundreds of customers, who keep on buying and using it, because it absolutely works. Why such a discrepancy between the research and real life?  Well, all the published research uses poorly absorbing magnesium oxide and citrate. So a) it doesn’t work well to begin with; and b) even if it does, people drop out of the study due to “digestive disturbances.” Well, extrapolating from magnesium oxide to magnesium glycinate is like extrapolating from a moped to a Ferrari. Yes, they’re both motor vehicles. But only one of them is going to make it up the hill.

A standard dose to reduce muscle tension throughout the day is ~250 mg of elemental magnesium as magnesium glycinate, 2-3 times a day. You can diverge from that, though. A standard dose specific to night-time leg cramps is around 400 mg about an hour before bed.

Next month PART 2: bones, heart, brain, and emotional health. 

Creatine has been on the market for decades.  Well-researched for decades.  Established as safe and effective, for decades.   So I don’t know why it’s having its moment in the sun right now.  Why the New York Times and the BBC covered it within a week of each other this May.     

But here we are.  And here it is.  And here I am, writing about creatine again.   

First, we’ll talk about what creatine is (and is not).  We’ll talk about how creatine works.  Then we’ll jump into what creatine does: support strength and fitness, add nourish the brain

What is Creatine?   

Let’s start by dispelling some myths.  Creatine has been called a steroid (it isn’t).  It has been called a stimulant (it is not).  It has been called a testosterone booster (it is not; it has zero hormonal activity).  My best guess is that creatine originally came to market through bodybuilders and football players, and that triggered some stereotypes.   There’s no basis in reality for any of these scares.   

Creatine is a simple, safe, natural substance.  We both get it from the diet (mostly meat), and make it in our bodies.  On average, without supplements, we get around 2 grams a day.   

Who is Creatine For?  

A lot of the original research on creatine vs. physical function focused on college football players, weight lifters, etc.  Almost exclusively male.   

However, creatine can be for everyone.  There’s nothing gendered about it.  It’s not going to turn female (or male) users into ungainly hulking giants.  It can build strength for regular people who try to exercise sometimes.  Plenty of research now looks at adults over 50, and senior citizens who don’t exercise.  We see benefits in people with low muscle mass.  We see benefits in neuromuscular disorders.  The brain benefits are also available to everyone. 

But what is it – how does it work – and what does it do? 

To answer that, we need to talk biochemistry.  And we need to talk about how creatine relates to one of the most important molecules in the body: adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.  You probably know that protein, fats, and carbohydrates all have calories, which is to say energy.  Well, before that energy can fuel our cells, it has to be converted into ATP.  In other words, ATP is the common energy currency in the body.  Like I said: important. 

For something so important, we have surprisingly little of it.  Our muscles only hold  enough for 4-6 seconds of maximal exertion.  That’s not as dire as it sounds, because we’re constantly replenishing it.   Except during intense exertion, when we can’t replenish it fast enough. 

Normally, we replenish ATP through a process called aerobic metabolism – metabolism with oxygen.  However, we can only deliver oxygen to the tissues so fast.  When our energy needs outpace that delivery, our cells switch to anaerobic metabolism – metabolism without oxygen.  This buys us some time, but at a cost.  Anaerobic metabolism is exponentially less efficient, and throws off a waste product called lactic acid, which makes muscles achy and sore. 

Here’s where creatine comes in.  Creatine recharges ATP.   Remember, our ATP reservoir holds enough for 4-6 seconds of maximal exertion.  Creatine can add an extra 5-10 seconds before we’re pushed into anaerobic metabolism.  (Of course, it ends up being more than that, because we’re refilling the reservoir while we’re emptying it).   

Let’s put this in perspective: a few more seconds is useless in the context of a marathon.  But it can make all the difference in the world if you’re trying to add 3-4 more reps to your workout.  Or to hold the offensive line in football.  Or to struggle from point A to point B if you’re in a  weakened state.  And since creatine regenerates just like ATP, you get your “extra seconds” back during little periods of rest in between bouts of exertion.  Again, great for strength training and football; less so for marathons. 

Creatine and Physical Performance 

Down to brass tacks, creatine may get us a few extra reps, or a little extra power at the gym.   Creatine makes us stronger, and adds to our endurance, but only as long as we’re taking it.  Soon after we stop taking it, those benefits evaporate.  BUT – and this is an important “but” – if you use those temporary increases in strength to work out harder, you translate those temporary gains to real, lasting ones.  Short-term creatine supplementation may increase strength and performance increases around 5-10%.  Using it combined with strength training for 1-3 months may show increases up to 20%.  We also see increases in lean muscle.   

Beyond athletics, creatine can help weekend warriors, and even those of us who aren’t warriors at all.  There’s a standard test, often applied to elderly folks, called the Sitting-to-Standing Test.  You sit in a chair, stand up, sit back down, etc…  People are scored on how fast they can do it, how steady or unsteady they are… Creatine improves function even here.   

Creatine and the Brain 

There’s a lot of research here, but it’s not quite as overwhelming or conclusive as the research on physical function.  A large recent meta-analysis (statistical summary) of 16 clinical trials showed benefit across a number of cognitive abilities.  The researchers conclude that the evidence is reasonably strong that creatine can improve memory; a little weaker on attention time and processing speed.   There was no benefit on executive function or overall cognitive function.  On average, people seemed a little likely to do better with creatine if they had preexisting problems or disorders.  

How Much to Take 

When I first learned about creatine in 1999, I was taught to use loading doses of 20 g a day for 1 week, then go down to 5 g a day.  These days, we tend to forego loading doses, and just take ~5 g a day for athletic performance, 5-10 for cognitive benefits.  Usually, initial benefits will be noticed within a week. 

Safety and Side Effects 

Creatine is remarkably safe.  In theory, you may want to approach it with just a little caution if you have preexisting kidney impairment.  The major side effect is, creatine can hold a little more water in the muscle cells.  This may make you 1 or 2 pound heavier.   Considering the water  gathers where the muscles are, this is usually a cosmetic bonus.  However, that extra weight may do more harm than good in some endurance sports.  Again, not the best supplement for running marathons.   

For those who read last month’s newsletter, you’ll remember that Part 1 was all about jet lag. I talked about melatonin a bit, but mostly I focused on the two herbs, Cordyceps and Rhodiola. Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom that helps oxygen uptake from the lungs.  It helps us feel more wakeful and energized. Rhodiola is an adaptogenic root that helps the body adapt to stress, including sleep deprivation. They’re both great in dealing with jet lag. 

And, oddly enough, they’re the same two herbs I suggest for altitude sickness. 

Maybe it isn’t that odd after all. When you think about it, it makes sense that bringing more oxygen to the tissues would help with fatigue and altitude. It makes sense that facilitating adaptation to stress helps acclimate to change of sleep cycle and change in altitude.  

I won’t fill up too many pages here restating what I already said last month. You can probably still nab a copy of last month’s newsletter at the checkout. Or read it online at www.DebrasNaturalGourmet.com. Use the herbs the same you would for jet lag – and consider the same combo formula. 

Traveler’s Stomach can mean a lot of things. It can be everything from the slight constipation some people experience on vacation food all the way up to crippling diarrhea. 

Let’s start with crippling diarrhea.

(Or, let’s not).

And let’s assume that crippling diarrhea is due to some kind of opportunistic “bug,” bacterial or viral. Here, your best defense is avoidance. Obviously, different regions have different risks. But wherever you’re going, do all the stuff they tell you to do: bottled or boiled water, ice cubes with holes in them, careful around raw produce, careful around street food, etc.

Beyond that, you may find that taking high-quality probiotics while you’re traveling can be helpful, especially if you start at least 2 weeks before you go. Probiotics aren’t antidiarrheals in the normal sense of the word. They’re actually normalizers. So whether you tend to be not regular enough, or too regular, probiotics should move your elimination in the direction of a healthy comfortable normal. Beyond that, having a full complement of healthy gut bacteria can also increase our defenses against opportunistic gut pathogens – bacterial and viral – that you might be exposed to.

I’d be looking for a broad-spectrum probiotic (at least a half-dozen different strains), in a potency somewhere upwards of 25 billion live cells. Now, you can buy shelf-stable ones and refrigerated ones, and I don’t care which one you choose.  BUT – bear in mind, “shelf stable” does not necessarily mean “heat resistant.” In other words, they’re fine for room temp, but they’ll go downhill fast when it gets above 80. Something to bear in mind when you’re trekking across some desert or other in July.

If, despite your best precautions, the diarrhea hits – honestly, I’d hit the local pharmacy. I do believe in herbal medicine, just like I believe in pharmaceutical medicine. And I believe that the local pharmacy will likely have your best options from both sides of the aisle to deal with local pathogens. Having said that, if you want to travel with something, little capsules of bentonite clay can help alleviate some kids of food poisoning and stomach flu. And it’s always nice to travel with some electrolyte packets.   

For relief of just garden-variety mild traveler’s constipation… first, stay hydrated. Be especially mindful on the airplane, so you don’t get off on the wrong foot. Try to stick to a normal, balanced diet that includes plenty of healthy roughage, i.e. fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc. I’m also a big fan of triphala, the classic Ayurvedic (Indian traditional medicine) formula. Again, not a traditional laxative, and not a lot of risk of taking too much, overshooting the mark, etc. It just gently helps you “go” when you need help going. Good to travel with, for many of us.

Okay, let’s talk Travel Anxiety. Because a lot of people really hate flying… There are no magic herbs for travel anxiety specifically. However, there are plenty of solutions for anxiety, generally. I’ve written about this so many times… there are so many options. To keep it super-simple, start with CBD. It really is a one-size-fits-all solution to transient anxiety – fear of flying, stage fright, exam stress, you name it. The feeling of calm it can provide is quick, effective, and real. A standard dose is 20 mg, but you can certainly exceed that (within reason) for fears that are stronger and more overpowering.  

Part 2 Next Month: Altitude, Traveler’s Stomach

Let’s talk jet lag! You land somewhere you’ve been dying to get, and… the first three days you’re too much in a fog to even function, let alone enjoy it.

Luckily, there are supplements that can help. However, before we go there, I want to acknowledge the judicious use of caffeine. Coffee can be a lifesaver.

I’m a big fan of three things: the medicinal mushroom, Cordyceps; the adaptogenic herb, Rhodiola; and the sleep hormone melatonin.

Cordyceps is an energizer without being a stimulant. It works, to a large degree, by increasing oxygen uptake through the lungs. And it really works. Running, biking, hiking, swimming… with Cordyceps, you’ll find you can go farther and longer without feeling winded. Trained athletes will notice a difference, and the weekend warriors will at least keep up with the kids. I don’t normally speak in superlatives, but here I will say, Cordyceps can sometimes feel magical. 

Beyond the physical, C0rdyceps can help you feel more wakeful and alert. Again, it is not a stimulant: it won’t jolt you awake, or keep you awake. In fact, some people take Cordyceps right before bed — they find it helps them wake up feeling more rested. Others take it upon waking. Others use it in the evening, to get a few more hours out of their tired brains. Others will do all three.

All this suggests profound benefits around jet leg. And those benefits are real. You can use it as needed, and it won’t interfere with sleep. What’s not to love?

I will say: the dose recommendations I see on most brands is based are based on regular, daily, moderate use. That’s fine, and it very well may work for you. But I was taught to use much higher doses. So while the Host Defense brand (which I’ve remained loyal to since 1999), suggests 15 drops twice a day of the liquid, I might use two full droppers at a time. But then I don’t necessarily use it daily.  

At doses this much higher than it says on the back of the bottle, it’s worth talking about safety. Cordyceps is pretty safe. We may want to be cautious around immunomodulating drugs. And some people will find it boosts libido (for better or for worse) although more by supporting general wellbeing (like ginseng) vs. it having direct hormonal activity.

Rhodiola is a Tibetan/Chinese/Russian high-altitude medicinal root, sometimes called “Arctic Ginseng.” Like actual ginseng, Rhodiola supports the body’s adaptation to stress. So, where stress might suppress immunity, energy, mood, etc., Rhodiola can support our resilience. Compared to the other “ginsengs,” Rhodiola especially shines in what I like to call “white collar stress” – sleep deprivation and cognitive fatigue.

Rhodiola has been the subject of some fascinating research around the effects of overwork combined with sleep deprivation. One study focused on doctors on night call. Another involved med students during final exam period. Another was subjects given proofreading challenges over 24 hours without sleep. In every instance, Rhodiola didn’t necessarily make them smarter, but it certainly kept fatigue from making them that much dumber.  Some results were dramatic: benefits with cognitive abilities, mood, physical stamina, etc. People found it easier to sleep, and woke up feeling more rested. All of these results translate very directly to jet lag.

Usually, the dose recommendations on the back of the bottles are pretty solid. Safety-wise… Rhodiola is another pretty safe one. Some reasons to be cautious around bipolar disorder are the only cautions I know.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a favorite formula here. “Cordyceps Tablets,” by the Pine Mountain company, is more than just Cordyceps. It’s a Cordyceps plus Rhodiola (and a third herb which is sort of a cousin of Rhodiola). It’s a great all-in-one. It’s what I travel with. I start taking it as soon as I get on the airplane. 

Melatonin is hormone produced in the pineal gland at the base of the brain, when light stops hitting our eyes. It’s the body’s primary mechanism to synchronize our internal cycles of waking and sleeping to the external cycles of light and dark. It’s for this reason that melatonin is so often used (and researched) as a sleep aid. It doesn’t necessarily make you sleepy, but it suggests to the body that now is the time to sleep. That can be powerful. 

And that’s why melatonin outshines other sleep aids when it comes to resetting your sleep rhythms. Many people will take 3-5 mg melatonin at bedtime at their destination, and a few days afterwards. Others will start on the plane – 3-5 mg at what would be bedtime at their destination. Yes, it will help you sleep. But its real strength is in cutting down on the number of days jet lag lasts. 

Very rarely, people get strange vivid dreams with melatonin. Probably best to give it a test drive at least one night before you take it on the plane.

Next Month: Supplements For Travel, Part 2: Altitude Sickness & Travelers’ Diarrhea+

Plenty of people are medically, diagnosably constipated. However, many more are somewhere in the range of “normal,” but still a little backed up sometimes. These suggestions are for everyone who could use a little help “going.”  None of these are the strongest, most “dramatic” remedies. But all of them are reasonably safe in the short term, and non-habit-forming in the long.

Water: make sure you’re drinking enough. How do you know what’s enough? Especially when the experts can never agree with each other? Here’s a simple rule of thumb: the darker your urine (pee), the more likely you are to be dehydrated. If your urine is pretty dark, try drinking more water over the course of the day. Of course bearing in mind some medications, plus vitamin B2, make urine unnaturally dark. 

Fiber: Fiber is a generic term for indigestible starch. Since it’s not digested, it pretty much goes in one end, and comes out the other. On the way through, it acts like a brush (insoluble fiber) or a sponge (soluble fiber). And since it absorbs water, it takes up space, and creates bulk in the stool.

So, how does fiber work?   Bearing in mind fiber takes up space in the gut, here’s an analogy: it’s easier to squeeze toothpaste out of the tube when the tube is full. Beyond that, soluble fiber feeds healthy probiotic gut bacteria, which also help.

I could go on and on about research studies, but I won’t. After all, I don’t think anyone needs me to prove to them fiber works.

Instead of adding fiber-rich foods to the diet, try replacing foods you already eat with higher-fiber versions. Instead of pasta, try half pasta/half broccoli. Or sub out regular pasta for a higher-fiber bean pasta. Try carrots dipped in hummus vs. tortilla chips dipped in sour cream.  Bean chips instead of tortilla chips.  Roasted parsnips instead of baked potatoes[1].

If you’re looking to supplements, you can keep it simple with psyllium husks, which provides soluble and insoluble fiber, to form bulk, absorb toxins, and scrub the gut clean. Or ground flax seed, which contains omega-3 fats, plus detoxifying lignans to help balance hormones.  Or acacia fiber, which is gentle, and especially good at feeding your healthy gut bacteria.    

A standard dose is… enough for it to work. Although generally speaking, a total daily intake of 45 g fiber is a reasonably target. Make sure to ramp up slowly, and to match your fiber with plenty of water. Without enough water, fiber can actually be counterproductive.

Magnesium: most of us do not get enough magnesium. Magnesium-rich foods – whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, sea vegetables, and mineral water – are some of the first we left behind as we adopt modernized diets.  Magnesium is needed to maintain healthy bones and hearts, healthy blood pressure and kidney function. It can reduce muscle tension, especially night-time leg cramps.  It may also help with emotional tension: anxiety, and PMS mood swings.

And then there’s magnesium in the bowels. When we take magnesium orally, not all of it absorbs (because not all of anything absorbs). The magnesium that doesn’t absorb stays in the gut, where it draws more water into the stools. This leads to the #1 “side effect” of magnesium: loose stools. Well, one person’s side effect is another person’s side benefit… 

If you’re trying to avoid loose stools, stick to a well-absorbing form of magnesium. If, on the other hand, you want it to help loosen things up, take larger doses all at once, and/or a poorer-absorbing form like magnesium oxide.

When it comes to constipation, magnesium can help anyone.  But I especially like it when there are signs of magnesium deficiency, like night-time leg cramps.  Or with stools that seem especially dry and compacted. A standard dose is 400-500 mg in one dose at night. You can double or triple that if you need to, and you can also add more in the morning.

Triphala is a popular herbal formula from India. The name translates literally as “three fruits.” We have records of Triphala going back over 2,000 years.  Many scholars believe Triphala is the most-used herbal formula on the planet today.   

Triphala is a reliable, uncomplicated aid to intestinal peristalsis. In other words, it helps you “go” without any of the cramping or habituation we risk with stronger herbals.

In India, Triphala is considered a rasyana – one of the rare class of herbal medicines that promote health and vitality in almost anyone, at almost any life stage. It is not uncommon for people to use Triphala daily for decades. 

A standard dose is 1-3 grams nightly. It may work overnight, or take 3-4 days for others.

Probiotics: “probiotic” (noun or adjective) is a general term for the “friendly” bacteria that live on, and in us. Probiotics help our immune systems, help our livers, help our… everything.

And intestinal probiotics help us stay regular.  They don’t work quickly.  Generally, you take them for a few weeks, sometimes as long as three months, before they establish themselves. But once they do, you don’t suddenly get backed up again if you skip a day or two. After all, probiotics are living organisms: they can grow and multiply on their own.

I like to recommend probiotics to people who have spent a long time eating less-than-ideal diets. Or who developed constipation around antibiotic use.  I especially like them when there are poorly formed stools, or when people suffer from IBD or IBS (inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome).  And in children, even infants, especially with a history of colic. 

You can increase your probiotics consumption through the diet, by adding traditional fermented foods.. There’s yogurt, of course, and all the other kinds of fermented dairy. And fermented vegetables, like the kind of sauerkraut and kimchi you find in the fridge. 

And of course there are probiotic supplements. For daily use, I’d look for something that has a strength of at least 10 billion CFUs, and at least a few different species. For a corrective or therapeutic potency, or to kick-start your probiotic regimen, look for something with 25-70 billion. Or more: you don’t have to worry about overdosing on probiotics. You don’t absorb them. You don’t metabolize them. They don’t get into the bloodstream.

Probiotics are more of a nudge than a push. You take them for a month or two and – nothing dramatic – just things get… easier.

Finally, for those looking for a more emphatic solution… there are stronger, stimulant laxative herbs, too. So by all means, come in and pick up some senna, cascara, aloe latex, etc.  Just remember that they’re better suited as short-term fixes, vs. long-term solutions. They’re more likely to give you cramps, more likely to be habit-forming. Try the gentle stuff first, okay?

• [1] Because potato is not a vegetable! Okay, technically it is… But nutritionally, we really ought to think of it as a starch.

A lot of people are reaching for zinc, based on some of the research where it shortens duration of viral infections. The original research involved lozenges. Meanwhile, the research on pills has been decidedly mixed.   So that would seem to suggest lozenges are preferred, no…?

Well… not so fast. Zinc lozenges almost always use a form of zinc called zinc gluconate, which is well-absorbing. Mostly because it doesn’t taste awful, and it’s easy to put in a lozenge. So almost by accident, lozenges end up using a superior form of zinc, and then it works.

Meanwhile, there are no such limitations with zinc pills, so many of them (including in clinical trials) involve poorly-absorbing, less effective forms – destined to underperform.

To be honest, I’ve never seen a clinical trial that provides an apples-to-apples comparison of zinc lozenges to pills. But my advice is almost always: reach for the pills. They cost less, deliver more, and don’t have a metallic aftertaste. Just make sure to get the well-absorbing ones. Looks for forms like zinc gluconate, monomethionine (“Optizinc”) and picolinate.

• strengthen the immune system, significantly and consistently
• improve liver health, and protect the liver from toxic damage
• improve lung health, and protect the lungs from toxic damage
• reduce compulsive and addictive behavior in adults and adolescents
• protect the brain, heart, and kidneys from functional and structural deterioration due to strain and aging
• improve outcomes in high-risk pregnancies
• reduce and health from inflammatory bowel disease
• improve surgical outcomes
• decongest (thin mucous)

Let’s start with one true thing: the real holistic approach to intense stress isn’t to survive it so much as it is to remove yourself from it whenever possible! Let that sink in. 

But sometimes, no matter how calm and in-touch-with-nature you try to be, two or three weeks hit you like a ton of bricks. Sleep deprivation, overwork, physical and emotional exhaustion. You can’t concentrate, you can’t sleep (but you really need to!), your blood pressure up, and it seems like every time somebody sneezes you catch their cold.

This is an article about surviving those times. Here are some other true things. 

1. Perhaps the most important thing you can do when dealing with unavoidable stress is to avoid avoidable stress.

How’s that for a tongue-twister? Now let me explain. Feeling “stressed” is a stressor. So are

exposure to cold, overexertion, low blood sugar, and sleep deprivation is a stressor. What they all have in common is the body responds to them them the same way. And in that sense they add up, physiologically. So maybe you can’t control the current crisis. BUT – you can make sure to eat breakfast (or at least grab a protein bar). Maybe you can’t back out of running that marathon. BUT – you can make sure to get a good night’s sleep. Etc.

2. Herbal adaptogens can be invaluable in dealing with all kinds of stress. Simply put, adaptogens are substances that increase the body’s nonspecific adaptation to stress, and the key word here is “nonspecific.” Think of it this way: a sweater will increase your resistance to the specific stressor of being cold, A cup of coffee may increase your resistance to the specific stressor of sleep deprivation.

Adaptogens, on the other hand, increase your resistance to all types of stress. They won’t make you feel warmer or more wakeful, but you will experience less immune suppression as a result of being cold, less fatigue as hard as a result of being sleep deprived, less blood pressure as a result of being anxious, etc.

What does this all mean in real-world terms? Well, let’s talk about the adaptogenic herb, Rhodiola rosea. In one study, Rhodiola or placebo was given to 60 medical students during a 3-week final exam period. After three weeks, the Rhodiola group outperformed the placebo group on tests of physical fitness and mental fatigue. They reported better mood and general well-being. They slept better. And they got better grades on their exams. 

In another trial 120 people were given either a single dose of Rhodiola or placebo before a series of proofreading tests over 24 hours without sleep. In the beginning, when everyone was fresh and rested, both groups performed the same. But by the end of the 24 hours, the Rhodiola group was making 88% fewer mistakes. Then there’s the classic swim-to-exhaustion test (which isn’t “nice” as animal research goes, but is classic way to measure fatigue). Mice are put in a tub of water and watched to see how 

long until they’re too exhausted to keep swimming. Rhodiola improved swimming times significantly – as did practically every adaptogen tested: ginseng (Panax ginseng), ashwaganda – (Withania somnifera), Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), etc.

Now, Rhodiola isn’t the only adaptogen. Here’s the super-quick and abbreviated guide to choosing an adaptogen that’s best for you:

• For healthy athletes under physical stress: Siberian ginseng.
• For stress with anxiety, insomnia: Ashwaganda.
• For stress with lethargy and fatigue, for someone’s whose constitution is “damp” and “cold”: Panax Ginseng
• For stress that interferes with your cognitive performance, or when you need something to work quickly: Rhodiola Rosea.

3. Adaptogens mediate the response to stress. Other herbs are more directly calming.

Adaptogens reduce the longer-term response to stress, the ways that stress drain and deplete and rattle you. But sometimes you just need to relax directly. Consider herbs like Passionflower for stress that’s skyrocketing your blood pressure – and then it stays elevated even when your trying to relax; Kava when you need a stronger direct anxiolytic; theanine for a well-researched compound that appears to work safely with medications; CBD as an all￾purpose stress-reliever that may be safe to take in higher doses.

4. Use stimulant herbs judiciously. The #1-selling herbal product on Earth is an extract of Caffea arabica (a.k.a. “coffee”), and that’s because it works. I will never denigrate coffee. True, some people are sensitive to it nd/or overuse it. But for the vast majority of us, it appears to be, not just an acceptable vice, but actually good for you in a lot of ways. 

For real. Heart health, liver health, etc. So don’t drink 5 cups a day, every day, because that can wear you out. Pick your moments. 

Having said that, for some, a better choice may be the Argentinian drink called Maté, which contains mateine instead of caffeine. Mateine is longer-acting, and when it finally does wear off, it doesn’t wear off as abruptly as caffeine. And of course there’s green tea, which contains caffeine, and may just be the healthiest drink on the planet. The research is astounding. It also contains theanine, which can blunt the jittery-making effects of caffeine for some people. 

5. If you can sleep, do. But if you can’t…

I have personally found the medicinal mushroom, Cordyceps, to be remarkable. Cordyceps increases oxygen uptake from the lungs, and that has broad-reaching ramifications. I know, I know… “oxygenation” is an overused buzzword, used to sell everything from overpriced tap water, to raspberry-scented actual oxygen in aerosol-style bottles. Cordyceps, however, is the real deal. You can take a full dropper before bed, and wake up feeling like you’d gotten a little more sleep. Or you can take it in the evening, when it will help you stay up, but not interfere with me eventually sleeping. It’s invaluable for older folks who often take afternoon naps, when they can’t. You’ll figure out dosage and timing that works for you. 

I don’t normally mention brands, but Host Defense Cordyceps is excellent. I’ve used it for 25 years. Also, the Pine Mountain company makes a product called “Cordyceps Tablets” which combine Cordyceps with Rhodiola and one more adaptogen. My favorite formula for physical, cognitive, and sleep stress combined – not to mention it’s great for adapting to altitude.