By John H. Biggs BSc, NCP - Owner Optimum Health Vitamins                                    Share on Facebook    

Every once in a while a natural herbal product comes along that really lives up to its claims, and works for a very large proportion of people. The plant, Rhodiola rosea, is just such a herb. I was introduced to it back in 1997, and at first the claims for increased energy, improved mood, mental clarity, and ability to handle stress sounded promising, but I thought it would come and go like so many others. But I was wrong. Rhodiola is here to stay, and if you haven’t tried it for its myriad of benefits in our busy and stressful world…you should. It is classified as an adaptogen, which means that its benefits are general and normalizing. Adaptogens rebalance you, regardless of the direction of the imbalance, (i.e. if you are too low they bring you up, and if you are too high they bring you down). Rhodiola is quickly replacing Ginseng as the king of adaptogens.

Initially popularized in Russia where it grows wild, Rhodiola also grows very well in the climate of northern Alberta. Some years ago, an agricultural project was started to cultivate Rhodiola in Alberta, and the plants now being harvested are extremely high quality. Specifically, an Albertan company called Nanton Nutraceuticals has now come out with a product called “Rhoziva” utilizing the local plant. Not only does it have many years of study behind it, but it also utilizes cutting edge technology to ensure a consistent, desirable profile of Rhodiola’s active constituents. With several complementary nutrients added to increase its effectiveness, I have found the product to do what it claims to do, i.e. enhance energy, stamina, memory, and focus, among others. So if you could use help in these areas, investigate it. You will be hearing much more about Rhodiola in time to come.