Mahatma Gandhi has been quoted as saying, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” This quotation uttered many years ago rings truer today than ever before. Our ever-growing, fast-paced society shows no sign of slowing down. We’re in a constant state of “on.” Most of us are linked to digital devices as if they were appendages, receiving and reacting to posts, texts, tweets and news published in milliseconds—with little down time to recalibrate and recharge. 

All the daily stressors we experience can have a negative impact on our health. Too often, many don’t take notice until it’s too late. The constant barrages inflicted upon us from high cortisol levels, poor digestion, inadequate sleep and the release of catecholamines are just a few of the manifestations that stress can unleash within our bodies.

For the first time in over a decade, anxiety and stress prevention rose to the top as Americans’ leading health concerns, according to findings reported in The Hartman Group’s Health + Wellness Report. Mental and emotional health are gaining importance, serving as key indicators of how consumers understand health and wellness.

Thankfully, significant research has been conducted in the area of stress and potential natural solutions for managing its effects, including a wealth of solid, scientifically-backed information that can help us handle stress in a responsible way. 

Lessons from the Plant Kingdom
Plants, like humans, deal with stress in order to stay healthy. While plants don’t worry about deadlines, getting kids to school or dealing with pandemics, they do have to fend off insects, shield themselves from cold, and deal with drought. Plants have built-in mechanisms that help them thrive despite threats and stressors. Resveratrol, for example is a polyphenol synthesized by grapes and is an important part of their defense. It helps protect the plant from pathogens that could otherwise lead to its demise. The knowledge we have gained from doing research on these kinds of mitigating compounds can provide many benefits in human applications.

Resveratrol for Managing Mood
A new study completed at the University of Buffalo titled, “Compound found in red wine opens door for new treatments for depression and anxiety”¹ concluded that resveratrol displays anti-stress effects in the body by blocking the expression of the enzyme phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), an enzyme that influences the stress hormone corticosterone. An excessive amount of this hormone has been shown to lead to the development of depression and other disorders.

Rhodiola Rosea Supports Healthy Mood & Sleep
Another botanical that holds great promise is Rhodiola rosea. Also known as golden root, Rhodiola is an adaptogen and has been used for centuries in traditional therapies. Today, science continues to validate its efficacy, and uncover some its mechanisms of action. One of the active constituents found in Rhodiola is a glycoside called rosavin. The anti-stress properties of rosavin, as well as another component called salidroside, have been attributed to the ability of these compounds to engage the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and act as mediators to stress.

Research has also shown that Rhodiola can reduce corticotropin levels which are produced in response to biological stress.² This in turn can lead to higher cortisol levels that can also have an effect on circadian rhythm (sleep/wake) cycles. Cortisol levels should ideally be at the highest levels in the morning and lowest during sleep. However, higher levels of cortisol at night make it more difficult to relax and fall asleep. So, rather than feeling alert and rested in the morning, fatigue and restlessness can become the norm.

Magnolia Bark & The Endocannabionoid System
Magnolia bark extract holds promise as a facilitator to sleep, and has also been shown to work as an anxiolytic; it may also provide neuroprotective benefits. Phenols from the bark of the Magnolia tree, in the form of honokiol and magnolol, have an affinity for CB1 and CB2 receptor sites in the body.³ These receptor sites are part of the body’s own endocannabinoid system that helps facilitate homeostasis (balance) within all metabolic processes that occur in the body.

CB1 is directly involved with the nervous system and brain, while CB2 is associated with immunity. Because these lignans have an affinity for these receptors, they can stimulate the body’s ability to produce its own internal “CBD” or endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids such as anandamide and 2-AG have anxiolytic, anti-depressive effects on the body, and have also been shown to boost immunity. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Magnolia bark also holds promise in improving cognition and reducing mental decline.

Hemp Extracts & Phytocannabinoids
Full-spectrum hemp extracts are replete with not only CBD but minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids as well. The collective activity of these constituents working together, is defined colloquially as the “entourage effect.” These phytocannabiniods are gaining a reputation for their ability to promote sleep, reduce anxiety, improve joint mobility and bolster the immune system.

Thanks to the work of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and his colleagues, we now have a better understanding of how the endocannabinoid system works and its importance in preserving human health.⁴ CBD along with THC are the two major cannabinoids in hemp extracts, but unlike THC, CBD is non-intoxicating and has been researched for its ability to manage inflammation, pain, sleep, anxiety, and may also have a positive effect on immunity.⁵

Terpenes, such as beta caryophyllene and the flavonoid kaempferol, along with the other minor cannabinoids (cannabigerol, cannabidivarin, and cannabichromene to name a few) contained in hemp, all work in concert to support and optimize the endocannabinoid system to help keep us in balance and allow us to deal with stress and anxiety in a more holistic way.

Manage Stress Naturally
By aligning ourselves more with nature and utilizing the tools plants use as part of their own metabolic processes and defense systems, we can be better equipped to deal with stress on a daily basis. While botanicals are not a panacea, there is much science-backed evidence that utilizing them in supplemental form along with a healthy diet, exercise, meditation and good sleep habits can help reduce stress, allow people to enjoy more productive lives, and realize long-term health and wellness benefits.

1. The anti-depressant and anxiolytic like effects of resveratrol: Involvement of phosphodiesterase-4D inhibition Neuropharmacology 2019; 153:20 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.04.022
2. Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea: a review International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice Volume 22, 2018 – Issue 4
3. Magnolia Extract, Magnolol, and Metabolites: Activation of Cannabinoid CB2 Receptors and Blockade of the Related GPR55 American Chemical Society Med Chem Lett. 2013 Jan 10; 4(1): 41-45
4. Mechoulam R.1973 Cannabinoid chemistry Marijuana Mechoulam, R. pp. 1–99. New York: Academic Press
5. Mechoulam R.1986 The Pharmacohistory of Cannabis sativa Cannabinoids as Therapeutic Agents. Mechoulam, R. pp. 1–19. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press