Revving up your springtime supplements.

• Author: Joyal, Steven V.
• Position: Health & Fitness

LENGTHENING DAYS and warmer temperatures signal that it is time for the body to wake up alter its long winter "hibernation." Activities such as bicycling, jogging, and hiking translate to a necessary boost in energy levels---and they need to be fueled. Even if you do not plan on running a half-marathon or hiking the Appalachian Trail this spring, you still need that extra fuel: gardening or cleaning out the garage also requires extra energy. This is doubly important as you get older, since your body has to work harder to fight off fatigue from insufficient sleep, poor eating habits, and stress.

In an effort to counter these drains on energy, science has been focusing on the powerhouse contained in natural supplements. The seven supplements below can help kick your body into high gear, elevating natural reserves and providing protection against harmful environmental toxins. As always, be sure to check with your doctor before starting any supplements, especially if you are taking prescription medications.

Ashwagandha. An exotic Indian herb used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine and other Asian healing systems to treat sties& ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also known as winter cherry, is considered by modem scientists to be an adaptogen (a natural herb that increases the body's resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety, and fatigue). Indeed, ashwagandha boasts stress-relieving properties comparable to some prescription drugs commonly used to treat depression and anxiety. One recent clinical trial demonstrated that taking the herb resulted in a 26% decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. Other studies show ashwagandha can help fight stress that can damage skin--an obvious benefit on those warm, sunny days.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Ashwagandha also can activate certain cells in the immune system, priming them to become more effective at fighting off disease by recognizing and neutralizing pathogens. In laboratory studies, the herb has revealed promising cancer fighting activity through similar immune system-activating mechanisms, while ashwagandha extract may help to preserve cognitive function, including memory.

Rhodiola rosea. Like ashwagandha, rhodiola rosea is an herb with adaptogenic propenies. Rhodiola is found naturally at high altitudes in Arctic areas of Eu rope and Asia. Russian researchers have known for

decades that this native herb can boost energy and treat mental fatigue. Western scientists similarly are confirming that...