Golden Root
Rhodiola Rosea
This fragrant plant
was a favorite of the Vikings, who used it to increase mental and physical endurance. Unlike many other adaptogens, golden
root has been used in the folk and traditional medicines of Western Europe for decades. The herb appears to optimize serotonin
and dopamine levels, thus enhancing feelings of well being, rest, and relaxation.
Eleuthero Eleutherococcus
Senticosus
This plant helps the body adapt to stress, enhances mental acuity and physical endurance, and
improves the way muscles use oxygen. It grows throughout Siberia, northern China, Korea, and northern Japan. Russian studies
on eleuthero indicate improved stamina and recovery, increased oxygen intake, better performance, and improved quality of
sleep.
Chinese Magnolia Vine Schizandra Chinensis
The seed of this herb can increase productivity and physical strength, and improve coordination, focus, and attention.
It also promotes antioxidant activity. The Chinese call schizandra wu wei zi, which means “five flavors fruit”
because the berries contain all five of the traditional Chinese flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. Research
indicates that this herb helps increase glutathione, an important liver antioxidant.
Korean
Red Ginseng
Asian Red Ginseng
This root supports
healthy sexual and immune function while enhancing stamina and performance without altering male hormone levels. Manchurian thorn tree Aralia Mandchurica
This herb works in synergy with other plant ingredients to stimulate the central nervous system, which helps improve
immune system function and increase stamina. The Aralia species contain some ginseng-like triterpenoid saponins (Aralosides
A, B, and C), which contribute to Aralia’s ability to increase athletic performance. The extract of Aralia was approved
for official therapeutic use in the Soviet Union in 1957.
Hawthorne Berry Crataegus Oxyacantha
The leaf of this plant is high in bioflavonoids, which support the heart and its ability to use calcium, increase the body’s
ability to use oxygen, and maintain healthy blood pressure. This berry is high in antioxidants and has been employed as an
herbal remedy since ancient times. In Europe, it is widely used as a preventative “heart tonic.” Its antioxidants
help protect arteries from plaque buildup and help dilate the blood vessels, which results in more effective use of oxygen
and nutrients.
Chaga Mushroom Inonotus Obliquus
This mushroom grows on birch trees and has been used therapeutically for centuries in Russia to support immune
function. The earliest evidence of chaga being used by humans comes from the 5,600-year-old “Ice Man” found in
the Italian Alps. Chaga contains large amounts of betulinic acid, a substance currently being studied for its anti-inflammatory
properties.
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Holy
Basil
Tulsi
Holy basil is an important symbol in the Hindu religious tradition. It supports the health of the digestive system
and strengthens the body’s ability to manage stress. Holy basil enhances strength and stamina while increasing mental
clarity. Goji
Wolfberry
Lycium Barbarum
Renowned in Asia as a highly nutritious food, wolfberries have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for about 1,900
years. The nutritionally dense Goji berries (or wolfberries) are the richest source of bioactive polysaccharides in the world,
enhancing cell communication and providing powerful support to the immune system. Astragalus
Astragalus Membranaceus
This plant is native to northern Asia, but it now grows in most cool climate areas of Europe and North America as well.
Astragalus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, often in combination with other herbs, to
strengthen the body against disease. It contains antioxidants, which protect cells against damage caused by free radicals.
American Ginseng
Panax quinquefolius
As an antioxidant, American ginseng boosts the immune system, enhances healthy circulation, and strengthens the body’s
response to illness or injury. The root of American ginseng is light tan and gnarled, sometimes resembling the shape of the
human body. Ginseng is used in many different cultures for its ability to support human health and recovery. Shilajit
Asphaltum
The name of this herb is Sanskrit for “conqueror
of mountains and destroyer of weakness.” This herb is harvested from some of the highest regions of the Himalayans in
Nepal. Shilajit helps the body manage stress, supports the digestive system, and is rich in antioxidants, which counter the
aging effects of free radicals. Maral Root
Rhaponticum Carthamoides
This herb
promotes improved muscular performance and faster conversion of fat proteins into muscle mass. Named after the maral deer
that eat its roots, Russian athletes use this herb to improve performance, endurance, and recovery. Regular use helps maintain
healthy blood sugar levels, promotes the building of muscle tissue, helps increase excretion of uric and lactic acid, and
stimulates blood flow to the muscles and brain.
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Reishi Mushroom
Ganoderma lucidum
This herb supports a healthy respiratory system. For four millennia, the Chinese and Japanese have used reishi mushroom
as an herbal support to liver function and for its general antioxidant properties. Indian
Winter Cherry
Ashwagandha
Also known as Winter Cherry, this herb improves the body’s ability to maintain physical effort and helps the body
adapt to various types of stress. Ashwagandha is a rejuvenate that helps maintain proper nourishment of the tissues, particularly
muscle and bone, while supporting the proper function of the adrenals and reproductive system. Russian Mountain Ash
Sorbus Aucuparia
This member of the rose family is grown
throughout northern Europe as an ornamental tree. The berries of the mountain ash have been found to have antiscorbutic (Vitamin
C deficiency preventative) and astringent properties.
Elderberry
Sambucus
Nigra Elderberries contain concentrated amounts of anthocyanins,
which may have more antioxidant value than Vitamins C and E. According to German research, elderberry anthocyanins enhance
immune function by boosting the production of cytokines, proteins acting as messengers in the immune system to help regulate
immune response experiments.
Jiaogulan
Gynostemma Pentaphyllum
This plant is best known for its use in traditional Chinese medicine. It is included in Wu Qi-Jun’s 1848 botany book,
Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao Chang Bian, and is cited as a survival food in Zu Xio’s 1406 book, Materia Medica for Famine.
Until recently, Jiaogulan was known only in regions of southern China, where it is described by local people as the immortality
herb because people in Guizhou Province, where Jiaogulan tea is consumed regularly, have a history of living to a very
old age. He
Shou Wu
Fo-ti
This
is one of the most popular and highly revered tonic herbs in Asian herbalism. He shou wu is the prepared tuberous root of
Polygo num multiflorum, a plant that grows in the mountains of central and southern China. He shou wu is rich in iron and
zinc, contributing to the health of the immune system, neurological function, and reproduction. This herb is unsurpassed in
its ability to provide deep, primordial energy (Jing, or essence) to the cells of the body via the kidney system as described
in Chinese health philosophy. Sargent Viburnum Viburnum Sargenti
This plant delivers high antioxidant, antiradical, and antitoxic benefits,
and contains more Vitamin C and iron than raspberries.
Licorice Root Glycyrrhiza Uralensis
Used in traditional Chinese
medicine, this herb is known for its soothing, coating properties, which help digestive, respiratory, urinary, and intestinal
systems.
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