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Page 8
| Stress and Herbal Remedies |
| Herbs can help the body and mind cope with the stress response in a number of ways, in addition to the rather simplistic ones of stimulation and relaxation. In Western herbalism today, it is common to differentiate between groups of herbs that have similar physiological effects on people. Herbs that act on the nervous system are collectively called nervines, and are grouped into nervine tonics, nervine relaxants and nervine stimulants. There are also muscle-relaxing antispasmodics and sleep-inducers known as hypnotics. Of most direct relevance for stress management are the adaptogenic herbs. |
| Adaptogens |
| As we approach the 21st century, we live in a world of stress, pollution, lack of meaning and lack of purpose. In the face of such a cultural alienation from nature, the plethora of diseases assailing the ''civilized'' world should come as no surprise. To heal these ills, the underlying causes must first be addressed and these causes are not only within the individual but within our culture as a whole. When a health problem is related to lowered resistance due to the impact of a hostile environment, we must |
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