The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson,

and is narrated by Tina Lehman.

More on Adaptogens, Ashwaganda, Estragalus, and Holy Basil.

Last week, I waded into the adaptogen theme, examining the many ins and not so many outs of

American and Asian ginseng. It got me thinking, why not keep the ball rolling? The ginseng varieties

I mentioned are only two among many adaptogens, after all.

Let's dive right in and take up three additional adaptogen choices,

along with some additional suggestions for discerning the safest and most potent formulas.

From dirt to dispensary, the life cycle of your adaptogen sources.

It's probably fair to say that as a nation,

we've got a pretty poor connection with the food we eat. Primal eaters, other nutrition buffs,

and some foodies aside, most Americans have no idea how the food they're eating got on their plates,

let alone what ingredients it actually contains.

Personally, I think it's important to have at least a vague sense of our food's origins.

Rapping your head around its life cycle, how it was grown, harvested, and distributed

often goes a long way towards understanding whether it's a good food choice, being healthy or sustainable,

and perhaps which brands or versions you should favor. The same applies to supplements,

including adaptogens. Oshwaganda

Oshwaganda is a perennial shrub native to the drier areas of India and South Asia.

Hailing from the same family as tomatoes, peppers, and other nightshades,

Ashwaganda is otherwise known as Indian ginseng, no actual relation, winter cherry,

and poison gooseberry.

...