Edna Gigush+

Adaptogenic herbal extracts for children and adolescents. The herbs in the formula are traditionally known to support cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and concentration, promote emotional stability, support an adequate oxygen supply, and improve learning, organization, and general functioning. The formula helps children and adolescents cope with stress and overload and supports calm, balanced functioning.

It also contains Undaria seaweed as a source of iodine and minerals that are essential for normal cognitive function.

Background: The effects of prolonged stress on general functioning, attention, and concentration

A small hormonal gland located above each kidney influences many processes throughout the body. A significant part of its activity is activated by hormones produced in the brain. This gland is known as the adrenal gland, or suprarenal gland, and it releases many hormones into the bloodstream, including stimulating hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

The adrenal glands are activated by glands in the brain in response to stressful situations. They affect the body by increasing muscular responses and movement capabilities, raising the heart rate, accelerating breathing and oxygen delivery, suppressing inflammatory responses, and influencing many other processes.

Stress may result from a physical or emotional threat.

A physical threat may include conflict, war, illness, or exposure to harmful substances such as coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol.

An emotional threat may include various forms of emotional harm, circumstances that are experienced as negative, difficulty adapting to reality, and similar situations. It is important to note that emotional threats may be subjective. For example, a sensitive and vulnerable person may experience a situation as threatening even when another person would not consider it a threat.

When stress continues for an extended period, or sometimes as a result of trauma, disruption may occur. This disruption results from the excessive activation of a system designed for emergency situations. It may create imbalance, fatigue, or exhaustion of the adrenal glands and may consequently lead to a variety of health problems.

What effects may develop as a result of prolonged stress or trauma?

What may result from excessive adrenal gland activity, which is primarily expressed through hormonal imbalance and disrupted cortisol levels?

Traumatic events increase cortisol production, which may interfere with the formation of synapses—the connections between nerve cells—and may cause significant damage to them. Persistently high cortisol levels may impair learning abilities, memory function, attention regulation, and emotional responses.

Children living under conditions of prolonged distress have been found to have elevated cortisol levels accompanied by reduced intellectual, motor, social, and emotional functioning, as well as uncontrolled impulsivity. It is important to emphasize that distress is subjective: a situation that appears stressful to one child may not be stressful to another.

An excessively rapid rise in cortisol levels may interfere with learning new information, retrieving memories from long-term memory, and may cause confusion.

On the other hand, it is important to emphasize that balanced cortisol levels support optimal attention.

Prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels suppresses the immune system, including the production of white blood cells, and may consequently lead to inflammation and infections.

Disrupted cortisol levels may interfere with sleep and lead to chronic fatigue.

They may also increase cravings for sweet foods and contribute to weight gain, particularly abdominal weight gain.

The digestive system is highly sensitive to stress hormones such as cortisol and may develop nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. Cortisol and adrenaline associated with high stress levels may contribute to irritable bowel syndrome, feelings of panic or anxiety, and, in extreme cases, paranoia.

High cortisol levels suppress the production of serotonin, the hormone associated with feelings of well-being and calmness.

This partial list explains why such an extensive introduction to the adrenal glands is relevant when discussing attention and concentration.

Our approach to supporting attention and concentration involves the use of herbs that help the body cope with stressful situations.

The core herbs in the formula are adaptogens. This means that they help brain cells, the adrenal glands, and the entire body cope with prolonged stress. They support memory, learning, and concentration and may also assist with emotional and psychological difficulties.