The Prelude

It began with a decade of medical-humanitarian assignments in war zones—harsh, natural environments with the most hygiene-challenged and disease-ridden regions worldwide—where we came into close contact with indigenous, resilient, and resourceful people with in-depth knowledge and understanding of adaptogenic and nutraceutical-like plants. A collection of plants emerged: resistant, versatile, nutrient-rich, strong, and sublime in the adaptation process from their respective regional growth conditions (e.g., soil, altitude, moisture, temperature, absence or surplus of growth substances). For hundreds of years, these adaptogenic plants have been significant for survival. Throughout the centuries, they became included entities in traditional medicine, but have also been used as substances to treat deficiencies as well as to enrich and enhance the body and mind.

The Idea

Projecting into our own modern lifestyle, we perceive a different definition of the word "deficiency". Less as a shortage of sustenance, as in classical sense, due to external factors e.g. extreme climate conditions, natural or modern catastrophes, extreme poverty, epidemics etc., modern-day deficiencies evolved from our current way of life e.g. through additional stress stemming from work and family demands as well as societal dynamics (trends, specific dietary dogma, etc.). Therefore, in addition to other countermeasures like sports, yoga, and meditation, adaptogenic and nutraceutical-like plants play a major role in stabilizing, strengthening, and enriching our body and mind; thereby promoting a more robust immune system, prolonging performance capabilities, and enhancing libido as possible outcomes.

The Experience

During our active years as doctors for humanitarian projects, limited budgets, political upheavals, natural catastrophes, and epidemics created major obstacles to [safely] obtaining adequate medicine, supplements, and even water. The people were starkly weakened, both physically and mentally, and sometimes it became a race against time. In a time of crisis, life-changing and creative ideas often came from the people themselves, who were using adaptogenic and nutraceutical-like plants known to and trusted by them for centuries. While hunting for plants in their respective environments, we gained first-hand experience and a deep understanding of how evolution and adaption must have shaped the plants that managed to survive and thrive under these circumstances over the course of centuries. It was as if Nature created its very own bespoke survival composition.

The Outcome

Using adaptogenic and nutraceutical-like plants as a supportive and long-term add-on treatment has proven extremely effective. We witnessed reduced incidence and severity of sickness, quicker recuperation, and enhanced resilience. The general improvement of physical, sexual, and mental health has also been reported. Artefact’s Concept is a bespoke adaptogenic product borne of this experience. Using nature’s very own made-to-order composition from different regions, the aim is less presentation of a supplement solely for deficiencies and more a stabilizing, strengthening, enriching, and combative complement to our modern, demanding, and thus stress-burdened lifestyle.