In case you missed my recent article on the very best adaptogens out there, I would recommend going back and reading that before continuing, as I give a basic explanation of what an adaptogen is, and why they are so incredibly useful, especially during times of stress (Not appreciates likes the holiday season, after all!).
My stance on those adaptogens hasn't changed, and indeed I would rank them as the three most potent all-around adaptogens out there in terms of their effectiveness, but that doesn't mean that they are the only adaptogens. There are hundreds of compounds that could be classified as such, actually, so I could hardly cover every one out there in a single post (or even my upcoming fitness ebook).
One that I feel is very underrated, and just lost out at fourth place in the last article is an herb known as Gotu Kola, also known as Centella asiatica.
This herb is commonly paired with the aforementioned Bacopa Monnieri, and accordingly, these two plant compounds share many of the same benefits when it comes to cognition. Indeed, Gotu Kola has been shown to offer similar benefits in regards to the bolstering of memory and overall cognition, but Gotu Kola has a few unique properties that make it really stand out in a world full of plants containing potent compounds with the potential to have dramatic impacts both physiologically, and psychologically.
In the wide world of alternative medicine, Gotu Kola has long been revered as a "cure all" for all sorts of ailments: particularly wound healing, the improvement of skin conditions, reductions in fever, and even the amelioration of diarrhea.
While studies may not yet support all of the claims that have been made about Gotu Kola over the centuries of its use in India, it has been demonstrated to improve blood flow (including circulation to the brain), reduce anxiety and depression, and in fact show some promise for wound healing
Basically, this actually isn't that far off from being a cure-all, or at the very least a freakin' awesome herb all around to add to one's arsenal.
The active constituents of the plant are mainly the saponins, but rather than attempting to extract a certain, narrow range of compounds within the plant, this is one of those situations where I would actually recommend the whole herb, based on the available evidence.
Anywhere from 3-5 grams of the raw herb should be plenty on a daily basis, and the herb should be steeped into hot water in order to make tea. You could try adding it to foods if you like, but it basically tastes like a sort of... clean grass? I mean, there's no offensive or dirty flavors as there are with Bacops, but it just feels like chewing leaves with little to no taste.
Personally, I just add it into my morning protein muffin (recipes to come!) so that I hardly even notice anything other than a preferable, chewy change in texture.
As for brands, if you want the most high quality Gotu Kola out there that is certified USDA Organic, check out the widget in the top right of this page for a link to the very best out there.
Either way, this is definitely one more adaptogen to highly consider adding to your arsenal in the fight to obtain an optimal state of true fitness, in every sense of the word.
ALSO: If you haven't already, please consider voting for my first novel on Kindle Scout, allowing my childhood dream to come true. I continue to write for this blog with the explicit intention of helping others, but if you can find it in your heart to support me and this blog, a simple vote would be greatly appreciated.
My stance on those adaptogens hasn't changed, and indeed I would rank them as the three most potent all-around adaptogens out there in terms of their effectiveness, but that doesn't mean that they are the only adaptogens. There are hundreds of compounds that could be classified as such, actually, so I could hardly cover every one out there in a single post (or even my upcoming fitness ebook).
One that I feel is very underrated, and just lost out at fourth place in the last article is an herb known as Gotu Kola, also known as Centella asiatica.
This herb is commonly paired with the aforementioned Bacopa Monnieri, and accordingly, these two plant compounds share many of the same benefits when it comes to cognition. Indeed, Gotu Kola has been shown to offer similar benefits in regards to the bolstering of memory and overall cognition, but Gotu Kola has a few unique properties that make it really stand out in a world full of plants containing potent compounds with the potential to have dramatic impacts both physiologically, and psychologically.
In the wide world of alternative medicine, Gotu Kola has long been revered as a "cure all" for all sorts of ailments: particularly wound healing, the improvement of skin conditions, reductions in fever, and even the amelioration of diarrhea.While studies may not yet support all of the claims that have been made about Gotu Kola over the centuries of its use in India, it has been demonstrated to improve blood flow (including circulation to the brain), reduce anxiety and depression, and in fact show some promise for wound healing
Basically, this actually isn't that far off from being a cure-all, or at the very least a freakin' awesome herb all around to add to one's arsenal.
The active constituents of the plant are mainly the saponins, but rather than attempting to extract a certain, narrow range of compounds within the plant, this is one of those situations where I would actually recommend the whole herb, based on the available evidence.
Anywhere from 3-5 grams of the raw herb should be plenty on a daily basis, and the herb should be steeped into hot water in order to make tea. You could try adding it to foods if you like, but it basically tastes like a sort of... clean grass? I mean, there's no offensive or dirty flavors as there are with Bacops, but it just feels like chewing leaves with little to no taste.
Personally, I just add it into my morning protein muffin (recipes to come!) so that I hardly even notice anything other than a preferable, chewy change in texture.
As for brands, if you want the most high quality Gotu Kola out there that is certified USDA Organic, check out the widget in the top right of this page for a link to the very best out there.
Either way, this is definitely one more adaptogen to highly consider adding to your arsenal in the fight to obtain an optimal state of true fitness, in every sense of the word.
ALSO: If you haven't already, please consider voting for my first novel on Kindle Scout, allowing my childhood dream to come true. I continue to write for this blog with the explicit intention of helping others, but if you can find it in your heart to support me and this blog, a simple vote would be greatly appreciated.
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