Adaptogens for Winter Immunity
With the onset of a cold and dark winter comes the inevitable assault on our immune systems. This is a time when there are numerous challenges to our health and well-being, and we often look to a range of supplements to assist us in fortifying our body against the elements, the lack of sunlight, and also that post-Christmas slump that affects so many.
Here at Puresport, we have developed the finest set of nootropics that can boost cognitive function and also enhance other cerebral activity. We have scoured the globe for the finest natural ingredients and organic adaptogens that will help your body and mind mitigate the harmful effects of stress and promote homeostatic balance.
When your body is at its most balanced and calm you are able to produce your best, whether that be in the gym, on the track, or in the workplace. Furthermore, by taking your immunity into your own hands you can help defend yourself against unwanted attacks on your body and ensure the highest level of performance throughout the day.
What Is An Adaptogen?
An adaptogen is a plant extract or herb that can increase the body’s ability to resist the damaging effects of stress, and can support cognitive function. Here at Puresport we have researched, produced, and curated an extensive range of products that contain various adaptogens.
These products will equip you with the internal ammunition needed to shoot down inflammation, stress, and fatigue. You can browse our amazing range of nootropics that contain various adaptogens here. Let’s look into a range of our adaptogenic ingredients that have been suggested to counteract the effects of stress on the mind and body. Put simply, these are nature’s health agents which work to support your internal environment through anything life can throw at it.
Which Adaptogens Can Help Boost Your Immune System?
Several scientific studies have found adaptogens to have neuroprotective qualities, anti-fatigue properties, anti-depressive effects, and act as a stimulant for the central nervous system. It has been suggested by some scientific research that stress actively reduces the strength of your immune system and its ability to stave off disease.
Whilst a small amount of stress, and the corollary cortisol hormone it produces, may be good to help regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and also manage your metabolism, sustained stress can really hamper the body’s every day functioning. Chronic stress can cause heightened inflammation around the body which in turn produces a variety of harmful side-effects. This inflammation can see the accretion of plaque on your arterial walls, and also reduce your body’s production of lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are key agents in attacking and warding off pathogens that seek to infiltrate the body and reproduce within the bloodstream. It therefore follows that reducing the amount of stress in the body will help fortify your immune system and prevent it from ailing during challenging periods of the year such as winter.
Ginseng:
American and Asian Ginseng share multiple qualities: enhancing strength, stamina, and sports performance; improving blood sugar and insulin function in type 2 diabetes; protecting against cancer; and enhancing immunity, leading to fewer colds, for example. American ginseng has also been shown to improve memory in healthy people and in those suffering from schizophrenia. Asian ginseng has reduced menopausal symptoms and improved postmenopausal heart health, relieved cold hands and feet in women, and helped alleviate chronic fatigue syndrome.
Bacon Monnieri:
This adaptogen is unique in that it possesses antiepileptic properties — meaning it may act as an anticonvulsant — and it also contains a “class of powerful compounds called bocasides … believed to be responsible for” its health benefits. Bacopa is a “staple plant in traditional Ayurvedic medicine” and has been around and in use for centuries. It’s most widely used to improve memory, reduce anxiety, and treat epilepsy, yet it’s also a great stress reducer, meaning it’s also great for your immune system. Bacopa Monnieri features within our Unwind capsules to help relieve stress and prepare you for a good night’s sleep.
Rhodiola:
Rhodiola — known as an “arctic root or golden root” — is native to the cold mountainous regions of Asia and Europe and has been a traditional natural medicine in these parts for thousands of years. This impressive herb contains “more than 140 active ingredients, the two most potent of which are rosavin and salidroside.” Rhodiola is most widely used to treat depression and anxiety, yet it’s also known to enhance energy, improve mental performance, increase endurance, and reduce a fatigued state. As with all adaptogens, Rhodiola is also able to calm the central nervous system, boosting overall wellness, which makes it easier for your immune system to function properly.
Cordyceps:
Possessing the nickname the “caterpillar fungus,” cordyceps are an extremely potent and versatile type of mushroom that have taken the world of wellness by storm. Its shape resembles a mushroom, but it is a fungus, and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t grow on caterpillars. It comes from a Himalayan region of northern India, where it grows on caterpillar larvae that lie about 6 inches underground.
Cordyceps has been subjected to many new medical and scientific studies, which have shown that it can be a powerful natural ingredient for the heart and the lungs. Cordyceps is often taken by professional athletes, or people looking to increase their performance as it can increase ATP (which supports your ability to deliver more oxygen to key muscle groups). This raises your VO2 Max - which plays a key role in aerobic fitness.
Cordyceps has also been found to be a powerful natural energy booster and can support the immune system through its high antioxident properties, which help to reduce the effect of free radicals on your body.
Cordyceps is an important ingredient within our Mind + Body Mushroom complex and we also have crafted a single-ingredient, high-strength Cordyceps capsule.