Himalaya’s herbal supplements are driven by one of the world’s oldest traditional systems of wellness, Ayurveda, which dates back more than 4,000 years. The word “Ayurveda” comes from the Sanskrit root words “ayur,” meaning “life” and “veda,” meaning “to know.” Ayurveda literally means "to know life,” or in today’s language, “the science of life.”

Ayurvedic medicine is a “whole body” approach to wellness. It’s based on the belief that a balanced mind, body, and spirit promotes well-being. The practice leverages time-honored adaptogenic herbs that help our bodies “adapt” to everyday stressors and help bring our bodies back to balance. One of the most popular adaptogenic herbs used in this science is one you’ve likely heard many times before, “The King of Adaptogens,” AKA, Ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha can help bring balance to the body both mentally and physically. Himalaya’s Organic Ashwagandha helps you rejuvenate adrenal function and balance normal cortisol levels (which is the hormone that produces stress). Whether you prefer to take it as a supplement or a root powder, its properties may help lower stress levels, improve energy, and help with occasional sleeplessness.  

This herb is used in many of Himalaya’s herbal formulas for its well-known adaptogenic properties and is one of the main ingredients in Himalaya’s Hello® line for its ability to help us manage both good and bad stress while keeping our mood balanced.

Stress Isn't All Bad

Did you know there’s a difference between “good” stress and “bad” stress? There is a word for bad stress among psychologists: distress. Distress is jittery. It can wear you out. It's tied to things like mood, poor concentration, and confusion. It can have a serious impact on our lives, mental states, and overall health. It's important to look out for bad stress and do whatever possible to combat it. “Bad stress” can show itself in a number of ways from digestive discomfort and occasional heartburn to decreased drive. Clearly, stress can be a big culprit in a lot of health problems.

“Good stress” on the other hand, is called eustress. It’s characterized by the kinds of stress that can help motivate or inspire you. This type of stress can actually help push you to get things done. Another term for this is "challenge by choice." If you decide on your own to go headfirst into a challenge, it may still be stressful, but in a positive way. Regardless of what kind of stress it is you’re facing, it still is stress nonetheless. There are ways to ensure that you can face whatever challenges come your way (whether those are by choice or not), with your best foot forward. 

Many people try to combat this with exercise, healthy eating, and herbal supplements, such as Ashwagandha and other adaptogenic herbs, which can help with stress levels and improve mood. Luckily, Himalaya has already formulated herbal blends to help you get more of what you need when it comes to completing your day-to-day to-dos.

Stress in Peace

Because good stress can actually help us function and achieve our goals, it’s worth knowing exactly what it is. What does good stress look like? It comes down to four factors: attitude, control, rewards, and time.

Attitude matters a lot. When you think about a task or situation that makes you feel stressed, do you feel like you "have to" do that task, or that you "want to" do the task? Things we want to do can still be stressful, but in the good eustress way that helps motivate and enrich us. Remaining calm in stressful situations is a superpower that is within your reach. Hello Peace® is formulated with Ayurvedic herbs like Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Saffron, and Chyavanprash, which provide peace, support daily stress relief, support your adrenals, and help ease nervousness.

Control is another huge factor. When we feel in control, even negative stress is more manageable. Situations entirely out of our control can feel overwhelming, sending us into a spiral of negativity and panic. Finding ways we can feel in control and return to calm can turn bad stress into a positive thing. With Hello® Calm Mind, you can enhance your focus, improve concentration, and stay relaxed thanks to key ingredients like Bacopa, Gotu Kola, and L-Theanine.

Count the Joys, Not the Troubles

A stressor with a big reward is going to change that stress from bad to good. More than anything, being aware of your body's reactions can help you assess what kind of stress you are dealing with, whether it’s good or bad and how you should address it.

Rewards come in many forms. Planning a wedding, for example, can be seriously stressful. But the eventual reward (marrying the person you love with friends and family all around you) changes that negative stress into a big positive. Hello Joy® supports mood and emotional wellness when you need it most. No matter what we face in our day, our ability to find joy in the little moments is what’s most important. Hello Joy® includes time-honored herbs like Ashwagandha, Amla, Bacopa, and Holy Basil to help improve your mood, support your motivation, and put that pep back in your step so you can actually enjoy the fruits of your labor.

And as always, we have to factor in Time. Is this stress permanent or temporary? Stress that is temporary can be harnessed for good. Stress that seems permanent can quickly overwhelm and turn into bad stress. It may feel like we don’t have enough time to get things done, or we’re falling behind, which can be really discouraging and can easily set us back from reaching our goals. Get the energy you need, give yourself more time, and sustain that energy. Himalaya’s Hello Energy® has been clinically studied to restore energy levels, improve mood, and support normal cortisol and DHEA levels, all leading indicators of adrenal health and increased vitality.

In a stressful world, people are going to continue to look for new ways to reduce their stress in gentle and supportive ways. While exercise, a healthy diet, and even avoiding alcohol are all important parts of the puzzle, herbal supplements for the mind, our mood, and our adrenal-glands that leverage time-honored herbs like Ashwagandha, can promote the healthy function of your body's various systems and improve your overall health, well-being, and how you manage good stress and bad stress.

Learn more about Himalaya and the benefits of Ashwagandha.