adaptogenic herbs

Revisiting Adaptogens

by
Jar of homemade blend of adaptogens

A few years ago, you couldn’t walk down a functional drink aisle without seeing a plethora of bottles boasting adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha or maca. Those products still exist today, but the popular herbal trends have moved toward mushrooms while adaptogens have moved into the background. The next new trend will surely bubble up and over throughout grocery and supplement aisles, but just as it’s important to have a staple wardrobe that can ride the fashion trends through the yearly changes, having a foundational wellness practice will serve you lifelong through ages and stages. Adaptogens are still a fantastic place to start when looking to integrate herbs into health and wellbeing daily practices. 

Why start with adaptogens? 

Adaptogenic herbs are a classification of herbs that hold specific similarities in their actions and interactions with humans. Adaptogenic herbs have traditionally been viewed as ‘causing no harm’ (*more about this later) because they adapt to what the individual body needs and always move that body toward balance. For example, Tulsi is an herb historically known to regulate blood pressure, which is most often used when people have high blood pressure, but people with low blood pressure can also safely use it without fearing the herb will dip their blood pressure further down. It adapts to what the body needs and balances it without causing further issues. These herbs also help the body adapt to stress, meaning physical, emotional, mental, and environmental stress. Aptly named classification of herbs, am I right?! Balance is the ultimate goal in herbalism.  

*Caution 

Herbs can interact with pharmaceuticals in unpredictable ways, so if anyone is on any sort of pharmaceutical, they should consult with someone who understands herbs and potential interactions before assuming it is safe. This likely means a naturopath or an herbalist found on the AHG website (in the U.S.), or a registered herbalist or other practitioner in other countries. Also, anyone can have an allergy to any plant material, so keep that in mind as well. The last caution with adaptogenic herbs has to do with the most common one, ashwagandha. It is generally avoided by anyone with thyroid issues, especially hyperthyroidism, because of how it acts through the thyroid. It’s important to note that this is a caution due to looking at how the herb acts, not on reported issues.  

Adapting to Stress 

We likely all have at least one thing in common; our lives are stressful. Life has always included stress, but modern life is stressful in a multitude of ways, layered upon each other in a competitive sandwich of threats, demands, responsibilities, and anxieties. Adaptogenic herbs can help make this sandwich more palatable by helping the body move from constant fight-or-flight high-cortisol mode to a more relaxed and responsive baseline. Adaptogenic herbs have traditionally been used in the following ways: physically, to improve energy and stamina; mentally, to improve mental processing and learning; emotionally, to regulate moods, reduce anxiety, and lower stress levels.  

This all matters at a fundamental level which is hard to overstate. Having a body amped up on stress affects all areas of life, including sleeping and eating, moods and energy levels, immune system function and mental processing, and that’s just the start. All of these dictate our baseline health, how we feel day to day, and how we grow and age over time. When looking at long term health, stress, and inflammation are huge markers that reflect our present and likely future states. 

Endocrine System 

Adaptogens have wide reaching overall health promoting affects because they work mostly through the endocrine system. The endocrine system is responsible for stress response and management, and our hormone production and movement. Hormones are the body’s messengers responsible for regulating moods, growth, sex, sleep, energy, metabolism, stamina, and more. They move throughout the entire body and are involved in almost every bodily system, making them key players in all aspects of health and healthy functioning. Considering the snowball effects of stress and unbalanced hormones on health, beauty, and aging, it is easy to see why adaptogens have a long history of traditionally being used as longevity herbs that promote overall health, improved immunity, beauty, and well-being.  

Five Common Adaptogens: 

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) 

  • Ayurvedic herb with the name meaning “smell of a horse” because it imparts strength and vitality 
  • Traditionally used for energy, stamina, and coping with stress, as well as for helping with sleep issues 
  • Also used as a restorative after illness or trauma, or for failure to thrive (children) 
  • Used to benefit cognition and focus, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce cortisol 
  • Also used to help with anxiety and depression 
  • Capsules 
  • Extract 
  • Powder 

Schisandra (Also spelled Schizandra) (Schisandra chinensis) 

  • Has all five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent (TCM) 
  • Known to be a powerful adaptogen (stress and energy) 
  • Used for liver protection and to tonify heart, lungs, and kidneys 
  • Traditionally used for blood cleansing and nourishing and in blends for longevity and beauty  
  • Although you can find capsules, schisandra is an herb best tasted when taken because of its unique 5 flavors aspect. 
  • Powder 
  • Extract 

Eleuthero, often called Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero senticosus) 

  • Used by athletes and students in Russia and China as a powerful adaptogen for stress management 
  • Known to fight fatigue and improves cognition 
  • It has anti-inflammatory activities and boosts immunity 
  • Powder  
  • Extract 
  • Eleuthero can also be found in many blends in extract and capsule forms.  

Tulsi, also called Holy Basil, (Ocimum sanctum)

  • Known to be calming to the nervous system and healing to digestive and respiratory systems 
  • Also traditionally used to protect the cardiovascular system 
  • Considered a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-aging and to prevent hypoglycemia and migraines 
  • Can lower cholesterol levels and repair skin damage and eases fevers 
  • Tulsi makes a delightful tea and can be found in various tea blends, such as this chai, which is a fantastic way to take it.  
  • Extract  

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) 

  • Used for centuries in TCM, Russia, and Scandinavia, and recently has become popular in the U.S. and Canada 
  • In the Soviet Union it was used to support Olympic athletes and cosmonauts because of its reputation for boosting stamina and supporting both mental and physical performance 
  • Rhodiola is often found in blends focused on brain health and performance 
  • Powder 
  • Extract 

How to take adaptogens 

In general, adaptogens act slowly and deeply, therefore they are to be taken over a long period of time. It is almost always best to taste herbs, so capsules are the least recommended way to take them, but it’s better to take capsules than none at all. The other reason capsules generally aren’t the best option is because they take a bit of effort through the digestive tract, and knowingly or not, most people do not have optimal digestive systems, therefore, extracts, teas, and powder delivery are generally preferable. Expect to notice changes gradually, 6-8 weeks after the start of adding them to your daily regimen. It’s a good idea to use different adaptogens over time, so starting with one herb or a specific blend for 2-3 months, then moving on to a different one is ideal. They can be found in pill, tea, powdered, and extract form, and it’s always best to follow the directions on the bottles or your natural health practitioner’s guidelines. Personally, my favorite way to take them is to make blends of the powdered herbs and add them to my morning protein smoothies. There are also extracts of blends, such as this adapt care blend, or this bundle of simples in extract form. 

Summary 

To recap, adaptogens can benefit the following: 

  • Anti-aging 
  • Beauty 
  • Brain function 
  • Energy 
  • Growth 
  • Metabolism 
  • Mood stabilizing 
  • Sleep 
  • Stamina 
  • Stress management 
  • Sex function/desire 
  • Weight management 
  • And More… 
  • Adaptogens affect all these aspects of life, and more, to varying degrees, depending on the specific herb. 
  • Herbs with adaptogenic properties have affinities for certain parts of the body or bodily systems, but all have key actions through the endocrine system. 
  • To be considered an adaptogen, an herb must be at low risk for causing harm, meaning most people can take them without risk of negative side effects. (Always discuss with a health professional, especially if you routinely take pharmaceuticals as herbs and pharmaceuticals can interact in unwanted ways.) 

References 

As a reminder, I’m an affiliate with Mountain Rose Herbs and recently became an Amazon affiliatiate, but all statements and opinions are my own. 

Optimal health to you and yours! ✨ 

Herbs and Essential Oils for Love

by

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission or other incentive for purchases made through these links.

Happy Valentine’s weekend! If you are snowed in and worried about not having a gift yet, my post about making your gifts might come in handy. Love is a full time preoccupation though so this information is hopefully for the long-term, not just on special occasions. This won’t be a NSFW post btw, it’s more of a look at how health affects our love life, especially our mental/emotional health, and what we can do to help ourselves be healthier. I was thinking along these lines for two reasons, the first being that I wanted to recommend an herb to someone who is still a teenager and I knew that particular herb was also recommended for adult men for sexual health, so I had to do a bit of research to see if it would be a problem. (I’ll give more info about that herb in a moment.) The second reason is because I’m starting to do some marketing around my book about essential oil perfumes and the topic of which essential oils are aphrodisiacs often comes up, especially this time of year. (More on that below as well.)

When it comes to herbs, although there are some recommended for aiding sexual pleasure, such as damiana (more specific to women but either gender can get benefits) and Horny Goat Weed, subtle name, I know, this one is more specific to men but again, both genders can benefit from it. The herbs that are going to provide more long-term sexual health are the ones that are going to work deeply on our stress response, anxiety, and hormones. Which herbs do that? The class of herbs that are adaptogens are the ones that will have the most long-lasting health giving affects in terms of sexual health and I’d argue, even love. Adaptogens, such as ashwagandha, eulthero, and rhodiola work on our endocrine system which houses our organs which make and transport hormones. Hormones are involved with our entire body and are responsible for our stress responses. Most people have heard of cortisol, which is the fight or flight stress hormone that is activated more than ever in our modern world, and most have heard of ‘adrenal fatigue’ from too much stress responders firing at all times. Stress plays a huge role in not only our health, but also our relationships. Any bartender can attest to the aphrodisiac affects of lowering stress through having a drink or two, and this is often the go-to way to socialize and date. Taking adaptogenic herbs can help the body have more moderate and healthy stress responses and also recover from stress more quickly, and by stress I mean all kinds, such as physical, mental, emotional, financial, environmental, relationship, and on and on. It’s no wonder we could use some extra herbal support and rely on alcohol as much as we do! I’m not knocking alcohol by the way, but the more we can do for ourselves on a daily basis that has multiple bonus benefits, then we won’t need alcohol quite so much which has multiple negative side effects.

The herb I was talking about above that I questioned if a teen should take is ashwagandha, and the conclusion I came to was yes, teens can take it. (Though if you have a teen with a high libido already, choose a different adaptogen.) This is an herb traditionally used to balance emotions and moods, improve well-being, reduce stress, improve focus and dispel brain fog. It is often also used in men’s ED herbal products and can increase libido. Ashwagandha should be avoided by those with hyperthryoidism. To learn more about adaptogens, I have a free mini-class about them that you can access through the classes tab on the top of the page.

This is getting to be a rather long read so I might make a video as a companion, but in the meantime I’ll just bullet point other herbs to consider:

For women~ Raspberry leaf is overall reproductive health tonic, as is shatavari which roughly translates to “having many husbands”. Damiana was mentioned above, and having the tea of it with cinnamon can be a great way to try it out.

For men~ Saw Palmetto (remember this was the hot herb for prostate cancer for a while) is an overall sexual health tonic. Gingko Biloba can help with ED. Horny Goat Weed has already been mentioned but bears repeating. Pine has traditionally been used to help with low testosterone.

For everyone~ Eleuthero can strengthen the reproductive system and is another adaptogen. Ginseng is only recommended for adults and in Asian countries it often only given to adults over 60. (I’ve also read over the age of 40 so it depends, I assume, on what country we are talking about.) It is known as a libido and energy enhancer but is not to be taken long term nor by those with high blood pressure. Two months on, one month off, is a traditional way to take it, but listen to your body. Cacao is a relaxing mood booster which is often included in aphrodisiac concoctions.

Essential oils:

The focus should be on what relaxes you and makes you feel good. There are some that are traditional aphrodisiacs, but, just as above where the focus is on stress relief, essential oils can aid in relaxation and help fight anxiety which, let’s face it, is often involved in dating and relationships. The more you can take anxiety out of the equation, the more open you are to your intuition, to the other person, and to the reality of what is taking place. If you are operating in a state of stress and anxiety, you are not going to be your authentic self and will instead be either performing in hopes of being chosen, or so focused on being chosen that you hide your true self and ignore red flags. Being relaxed and in a state of authenticity is how to best connect without losing yourself. Essential oils can help you do that by diffusing them or wearing them as perfume, and I mean all the essential oils. Whatever resonates for you will be supportive to you, and will help you show up ready for the connection in front of you and not creating a false storyline due to stress and anxiety. Notice I said supportive, not a cure-all. If you have chronic anxiety or other mental/emotional issues, please seek the advice of a therapist and/or doctor.

Traditional Aphrodisiac essential oils:

Vanilla, although not a true essential oil, has been rated the number one aphrodisiac scent and is also known as a relaxing scent. I use it by making the base of my perfumes either vanilla extract or vanilla oil, and add vanilla absolute to the oil based perfumes. Rose essential oil is known for supporting all kinds of love and heart chakra health. Jasmine is a scent associated with romance, and the spicy essential oils like cinnamon and nutmeg can indeed add spice to your love life.

Thank you for reading and Happy Lunar New Year too!🐂🎆🎇

Adaptogens Reminder

by
Jar of homemade blend of adaptogens

It’s been a while since I wrote about adaptogens but if any year could use some adaptogenic help, 2020 surely is it. Adaptogens have that word ‘adapt’ as a root for two reasons: 1. Adaptogens help the body adapt to stress. This includes all stress such as mental, emotional, physical, and environmental stress. (More info on that further down). 2. Adaptogens adapt to the person’s needs in the body. Many herbs have adaptogenic qualities, but to be labeled first and foremost an adaptogen, the herb must ’cause no harm’ meaning most people can take adaptogens and only ever experience benefits. (There are always exceptions due to individual allergies or other personal conditions so check with your health professionals if you have any concerns.) This means if you take an adaptogen such as Tulsi (also known as Holy Basil) for its mood balancing effects but you also have low blood pressure, it will not lower your blood pressure further even though another person with high blood pressure might take the same herb to help lower theirs. These herbs are balancing and are best taken over a long period of time, mixing up the herbs instead of just taking one for years on end. The best way to take adaptogens is take one or a blend for a couple of months, then switch to a different one or blend for the next couple of months, and so on.

Back to that first point of adaptogens helping the body adapt to stress. That can sound very non-specific but all herbs have affinities for certain bodily systems, and adaptogens work mostly on and through the endocrine system. The endocrine system involves the organs that create and transport hormones, such as cortisol known for instigating the fight or flight response. Adaptogens help create balance in the hormonal system, therefore adapting to stress in healthier ways. They replenish exhausted adrenals, lessen the peaks of stresses, and are known to nourish energy levels for the same reason. If your energy is not being sharply peaked and lowered as much as what happens each time cortisol is activated, then that energy is more balanced and can support stamina better. Adaptogens are in fact used by athletes to encourage stamina and lessen recovery time.

To learn more about adaptogens and how to take them, check out my post from a couple of years ago or watch my mini-class on them for free.

Take care of yourself this crazy year in any and every way you can.

💜🌿

Adaptogens Mini-Course

by

To be considered an adaptogen an herb must have the quality of not causing harm. Adaptogens are said to have plant intelligence in the way they support what each individual needs. To learn more about this quality, click the play button on the video below, and to learn more about adaptogens in general, check out my mini-course:

https://botanical-alchemy-and-apothecary.teachable.com/p/adaptogens

Thank you! Be well and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this mini-course.

 

Herbs and Supplements for Students

by

Students have specific needs whether they are in middle school or pursuing their third Master’s Degree. Some of these suggestions meet the needs of all students, while some are just for the older set. Most of these herbs and products are focused on either brain function or stress management so people other than students can certainly benefit from them as well.

There are several herbs known for brain functioning enhancement, and interestingly enough, a few of them happen to be adaptogens too which help with overall stress management. Adaptogenic herbs Ashwagandha, Tulsi, and Gotu Kola have also been traditionally used for brain functioning as well as their adaptogenic over-all body balancing benefits. Ginkgo Biloba is another herb known to enhance brain functioning with benefits to clarity, mood, and memory also traditionally observed and is especially good for the aging brain.

Blends are a great option for getting several ingredients that work together in a synergistic way in one supplement. Gaia Herbs makes one that comes in capsules, while Herb Pharm has one in tincture form. Herb Pharm also has an alcohol free one for kids to help with concentration. There is another tincture option from Anima Mundi which is a newer line of herbal products that are well-formulated and well-made. The video below has a brain function supplement from Neurohacker Collective that actually came to me through the New Hope Blogger Box of which I am a member. The packaging of this supplement called Qualia is so beautiful that it is gift-worthy, and honestly, pictures didn’t do it justice so I made the video below. You should check out their website for more information because these supplements are packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, and surely other ingredients I didn’t even catch.

Also in that video is Spice Pharm‘s Chocolate Elixir which is a great herbal drink that tastes like hot chocolate, has Ashwagandha and Turmeric in it, and helps reduce stress and hunger pangs. They also make a Golden Chai which is another delicious, healthy option for students and anyone else who is a chai lover.

Other herbs for stress management include herbs under the classification of adaptogens and nervines. Adaptogens are for long-term balancing and should be taken on a daily basis throughout a lifetime, while nervines are more for getting through specific events or tough times, unless there is a continual need to fight anxiety or depression, in which case the nervines can be taken long-term as well. I have rather lengthy posts already on adaptogens and nervines so click the links if you haven’t already read your fill about those. If I were to send a care package to a college student, I would definitely include a powdered mix of adaptogens that are also brain specific like the three mentioned above, and a tincture or two of an anxiety/stress-buster blend.

Other products that can help students, especially those living in dorms, are powdered greens. It’s hard to get all the fresh produce that a working-hard brain needs when living away from home, so a greens mix is a nice supplement to include to enhance daily nutrition. There are several good ones out there but this one by Food Science of Vermont which I received recently in that same New Hope Blogger Box is doctor formulated and enhanced with probiotics and enzymes. Just mix half a scoop in 8 oz. of water or juice.

Essential oils can also be used for students of all ages for stress reduction and also for clarity and memory enhancement. Rosemary essential oil is the best known scent for memory, and actually the fresh or dried herb can be used for cognitive functioning as well so it’s a great plant to have in study areas, although not the best for sleeping rooms since it is stimulating. Any essential oil can be used for studying though, and in fact it is best to change up the oils used according to the subject being studied. If you or your student is studying for a math test for example, you could diffuse the essential oil of orange in the room while working on it, then during or just before the test sniff that same scent. Then when it’s time to study for History, you would use a different scent, such as cinnamon, then again have the scent available to smell during or just before taking the test. In other words, it doesn’t matter what scent you use as long as it is a scent you can smell at the time of studying, and then again at the time of test-taking. You can take the scent along with you by putting it on a cotton ball, sticking it in a sealed plastic bag, then sniffing it before the test, or even better, you can make an oil with it and put it on your neck before the test. (Use 6 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of base oil.) Scent really helps with memory so it is a great tool to use for studies.

Students of all ages are working hard and handling stress to differing degrees. There is plenty of help for them in terms of nutrition, brain functioning, and stress management. Please share this with any student or parent of student that you know who might be looking for natural help with the hard work associated schoolwork. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

 

Adaptogens

by

 

As I said in my last post, adaptogens are herbs that help our bodies respond to stress. I like to think of them as ‘slow health’ workers, akin to the slow foods movement, where you are thinking strategically about long-term health goals and supporting those goals through small daily doses of herbs that help get the body out of ‘fight or flight’ mode and into a healthier zone. We want our bodies to be relaxed so imbalances can be addressed before they turn into illnesses. The demands of modern life are such that if we don’t consciously address the pace, stress, overwhelm, and information overload, we can get caught in a continuous day-in and day-out stress mode cycle, which is definitely not a thriving place for our health and well-being. We hear a lot about self care lately and that very often translates into hot baths or massages which are great things to do, but we also have herbal allies to keep it real on a daily basis, keep us healthy long-term, and remind us that there are no prizes for being the most stressed out.

You can take adaptogens in pill form, tinctures, teas (herbal infusions), or as powders. In powder form, you are getting the whole herb and nothing else, which is a nice way to do it. I like to add one of my adaptogen powder mixes into coffee or tea, and the other mix I make, which currently includes Eleuthro and Rhodiola, I put into smoothies for my family and myself. You can also mix them into juice or just water, or add them to foods such as yogurt or cereal. It’s best to start with just a 1/2 teaspoon per day of an herbal powder, then add another 1/2 teaspoon later in the day once the first half teaspoon is perfectly tolerated. More can be added in time if desired, but adding too much too fast is a recipe for digestive issues and that will only add stress, not help it. Concentrating on being consistent is more important than how much you take because only a small amount is needed if taken over a long period of time.

Switching up your adaptogens is advisable, and don’t worry, you will still get the benefits of sticking to adaptogens over time. If you are new to adaptogens, this article will introduce you to probably the best known adaptogenic herb, Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is a great place to start if you are new to adaptogens, but there are plenty of others to choose from as well, from many different traditions around the world. This article gives a brief overview of a few others, and these are some of my favorites you might want to look into: Tulsi, Rhodiola, Reishi, Fo-ti, and Schisandra, and keep in mind that combining adaptogens lets them work in a synergistic way.

280F9A5A-A3EE-4CF2-9387-2AEACC88EBEE[1] Ashwagandha and other adaptogens are showing up more and more in functional foods and drinks, such as SpicePharm’s Golden Chai (pictured above) and Chocolate Elixir, and Gaia’s Golden Milk as well as Amazing Grass’s Brain Elixir. There are cold drinks by REBBL that have adaptogens in their full line of flavors which I’ve found at my local Whole Foods but not online yet. (They are tasty!)

All this is to say, that adaptogens are abundant in numbers, available in ready-made products, and easy to incorporate into daily life so there is no reason not to make a conscious choice to have them in whatever way works best for you. Don’t let stress mode become your everyday mode and if it already is, then know you can make choices to get to a healthier space. You deserve it. The holidays are fast approaching so this just might be the perfect time to start building up your body’s stress response for the better. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.