Elevate Your Workout With Ginseng & Other Adaptogens
Guest blog post from Jamie Watson
If you want a supplement that can increase your endurance and give you more energy for exercising, you should try adaptogens. What are adaptogens, you ask? They are herbs that assist your body in dealing with stress. When you are exercising, your body reacts as if it is under extreme stress: your blood pressure raises, your breath is constricted, and your adrenaline levels are raised. To protect your body and support faster reaction times, you can take adaptogens. You can look through websites like Authority Health for information about different supplements. There are reviews of different products that you can peruse, comparing supplements based on their quality and price. Choose the supplement that is right for you to achieve your workout goal every time.
Certain herbs give you more energy, help adapt your body to more extreme workouts, and allow you to recover quickly by expanding your lung capacity. After rigorous research, experts have discovered that adaptogens are highly effective. For example, after drinking ginseng tea, athletes have shown improvement in their workout times, recovery, and energy levels. These herbs also help muscle strength. Keep reading to find out more about ginseng, green tea, and ginkgo gilboa
1. American Ginseng
American ginseng has been used in the past by Native Americans for medicinal purposes. Its Latin name, panax quinquefolius, means elixir, or remedy. This herb takes seven years to cultivate and produce. Historically, after the settlers moved from England to America, they used this root for help with digestion and support the nervous system. Nowadays, athletes take American ginseng to lengthen their endurance time and improve their reaction time. Ginseng has been proven to improve cognitive performance, move oxygen in the blood to help with muscle performance, and reduce lactic acid levels.
2. Ashwagandha (Indian Ginseng)
This herb is known to be much more powerful than the American version. The name ashwagandha is a combination of the Hindi words meaning “horse” and “smell,” mentioning the smell of this plant which has a heady smell. In Latin, it comes from the word somnifera which means “prompting sleep.” This herb has been used for centuries in India and Yemen for internal maladies as well as for curing burns and wounds. Ashwagandha is usually used by bodybuilders to increase their muscle strength and lengthen their workout. It is also proven to increase fat-burning levels and weight loss.
Green Tea
Moving on from ginseng, green tea is a beverage that has been consumed for thousand of years. It is still popular today and used to treat many disorders and diseases. It has been proven to ease digestion, heal wounds, improve cognition and heart performance, increase weight loss, and help metabolize sugars. Green tea contains a high amount of antioxidants, which promotes healthy cell growth. While you are lifting weights, green tea can boost your endurance and increase muscle mass.
Ginkgo Gilboa
The last adaptogen we will explore is ginkgo gilboa. It is from the leaves of a tree known to be the oldest tree species in the world today. Although the leaves can be used in a tea, it is more popular as a supplement. Gingko gilboa is found in other supplements to stimulate brain function and even hair growth due to its antioxidant effects. It helps increase your blood flow to where you need it: your brain, your skin, or your muscles. This builds stronger muscles and also reduces the pain you may feel after exercising.
Adaptogens: Summing Up
Put down the protein powder and start taking adaptogens instead. You will be able to work out longer and harder with the help of two types of ginseng, green tea and ginkgo gilboa. You can increase your endurance time, strengthen your muscles, and avoid soreness from taking these herbs.
Jamie Watson is a lifestyle writer. Originally born in the UK, she is now happily living in downtown NY with her dog, Queenie. She is a regular blogger and writer on numerous websites covering topics related to health, lifestyle, nutrition, and diet. She is currently writing her first novel - a work of fiction. In her spare time, Jamie loves walking her dog, cooking up healthy treats in her kitchen and socializing with friends.