MEET HER ROYAL HIGHS: MACA ROOT FROM PERU

Let's start this article with a common and simple question, what is maca? Maca (Lepidium meyenii, to give it its botanical name) is a storage tuber that grows only in the Andean highlands of Peru, at altitudes of over 4,000 meters — in a region of intense sunlight, strong winds, and sub-freezing temperatures, in which no other plants can survive. Maca originally comes from the Junin Plateau, a vast, flat area where maca has flourished despite these adverse conditions.

The plant grows from a seed and root maturation takes about seven months. It looks like a bush with elongated mat-like stems, small white flowers and scalloped leaves, similar to others in the cruciferous family. The root can be a variety of colors (yellow/white/cream, red/purple, or black/brown) and the shape resembles that of a turnip or radish—it even tastes like it!
Maca root is an exceptional food and source of a significant amount of amino acids, complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

In addition to its multitude of essential nutrients, maca also contains a significant amount of bioactive components, some if not all of which are responsible for its numerous benefits.

So what is maca good for? We can break down the benefits into three main components:

• hormonal balance
• energy
• General well-being

Hormonal balance? Definitely yes and at the top of the list and without any hormones. So how does it work? Very simply, the synergy of all the nutrients contained in Maca root (present naturally in the right balance) work together mainly in the hypothalamic and pituitary glands, assisting the body in the production of hormones, thus restoring hormonal balance and all resulting therefrom benefits for sure.

Energy? Again, a resounding yes, but first we need to understand the root of the problem. Due to deficient nutrients in our food (at least not enough of them) our body puts itself in a chronic state of fatigue and even if we "eat well" we are certainly not feeding our body enough nutrients. A typical solution would be coffee or some kind of sugary energy drink, but will that really help us? We all know it won't, at least not the way we want it to; This will definitely only be a temporary fix, which in turn will crash our system and put a lot of stress on our adrenaline levels. Coffee or ginseng, both commonly used as "energy sources", combined with sugar acts as a drug with a stimulating effect, which definitely affects our nervous system. Maca, on the other hand, provides energy in a different way, mainly by simply providing the body with the essential nutrients it needs!

Maca is also seen as a superb adaptogenic plant (now it's getting really royal!). An adaptogenic plant is a substance (food or nutritious herb) that increases the body's resistance to disease through physiological and emotional health.

The word "adaptogen" was first coined by Russian scientist Dr. Nickolai Lazarev used in 1947. His research revealed that several native plants were responsible for enhancing the body's natural resistance to environmental stress, for which he later used the term "adaptogenic". Plants classified as “adaptogenic” are known to increase non-specific resistance to disease, normalize bodily functions, be non-toxic and harmless, and be safe to take as a prophylactic dietary supplement over a long period of time. Maca is one of the most powerful adaptogenic plants known to meet all of the above criteria. The effects of Maca on the body are multiple,

As an adaptogen, maca can help balance, strengthen, and support any area of ​​the body affected by stress. Stress, both mental and physical, affects the hypothalamus and causes the adrenal glands to increase production of cortisone (aka the "stress hormone"). We are definitely not designed to function under prolonged stress as it has a negative effect on our health. Cortisone has negative effects on numerous areas of the body including digestion, glucose and fat metabolism (leading to weight gain), sleep (keeps you awake), and memory (forgot something?). Stress also impairs sexual function, leads to reduced libido, emotional coldness and fertility also suffers.

As an adaptogenic plant, Maca works automatically in your system by providing a variety of nutrients that allow the body to be balanced and support many important functions such as:

• energy
• Physical and emotional well-being
• mental clarity and memory
• stress
• Good physical condition and reflexes
• endurance and athletic performance
• muscular strength
• vitality
• regeneration
• Better looking skin
• bonehealth
• Pains
• Occasional headaches
• hormonal balance
• menopause (hot flushes)
• PMS (mood swings)
• libido
• Sexual Endurance
• anemia
• insomnia
• blood pressure
• cholesterol
• immune system

... can be treated with Maca, isn't that wonderful?

Don't forget, when your endocrine system works well, the rest works well again!

Jorge Urena is Founder, President & CEO of UHTCO Corporation, a Canadian company with Peruvian roots dedicated to developing, manufacturing and distributing unique, high quality Peruvian products.