The Power of adaptogens
I’ve always been curious about Chinese medicine and dabbled in Ayurvedic healing modalities, both of which have used Adaptogens for centuries. Gaining more mainstream popularity, Adaptogens are natural herbs and roots that help our body adapt to stress and create a balanced state. They can also assist with immunity, relaxation, overall happiness, stamina and more.
In his New York Times bestselling book, The New Health Rules, Frank Lipman, M.D. is a proponent of Adaptogens. He explains how many of us deal with adrenal fatigue due to our relentless work hours and juggling of priorities, all while sucking down caffeine for a perk up.
Living in this constant state of stress, exhausts our adrenals, which in turn depletes the thyroid, which then messes with our metabolism…you get the point. Weight gain, and stress-related diseases become our reality.
Ashwagandha, also called Indian Ginseng, is one of a few Adaptogens Lipman recommends and it’s the first one my family had tried a few years ago. My husband works as an insurance sales broker and deals with pressure from upper management to meet daily sales goals. One day he’s flying high with good conversion numbers and other days, he's one big stress ball, that doesn’t have time for lunch. So I thought why not add a half teaspoon of Ashwagandha from Sun Potion into his coffee (or smoothies). Within a couple weeks I began seeing shifts. John had way more good days then bad and both of our moods, behavior, and communication between each other leveled out.
Its important to note that this wasn’t overnight, it took consistency in our routine and tracking, to notice the subtle shifts. And hey, maybe Ashwagandha isn’t the right fit for you and you’d benefit more from calming Reishi with cholesterol-lowering, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Or maybe the Dopamine boosting and neuroprotective properties of Macuna is a better option or Cordyceps for increased stamina. Shilajit is another all-around mineral-rich adaptogen, that boosts immunity and energy levels among other things.
I’ve always been a tester of diets, health trends and new products on the wellness market, but pay close attention to your body and air on the side of caution with any introduction of something new into your life. Make sure to touch base with your naturopath or functional medicine doctor before integrating anything like this into your diet, even though these are natural substances, there can be side effects with other medications, so always do your research.
These days you can find a myriad of products with Ashwagandha built right into things like protein and collagen powder blends, vitamins with mood boosters and the highly influencer-marketed AG1. There’s also a great brand called Four Sigmatic that utilizes Adaptogens and Superfoods like Chaga, Cordyceps and Lions Mane in its coffees and elixirs that you conveniently just add hot water too.
Adriana Ayales, founder of Brooklyn-based Apothecary Anima Mundi Herbals, provides a brief history of Adaptogens in her book, Ritual Wellness Adaptogens - Herbs for Longevity + Everyday Wellness. She also discusses how stress response works in our body, provides recipes and a brief guide for each primary and secondary Adaptogen, noting the benefits and scientific studies behind each one.
“Plants are nature’s alchemists - masters at combining the curative powers of water, soil and sunlight into the precious substances that we now call medicine.” - Adriana Ayales
If this concept of utilizing Adaptogens seems daunting, just think of it as expanding upon more common wellness practices you’ve already heard of like the benefits of sprinkling anti-inflammatory turmeric in your soups or aiding your digestion with ginger tea. Mother Nature truly has supplied us with all the healing power we could ever need in these modern day times.