Adaptogens have become the new buzz word thrown around the health and wellness world of late – especially on Instagram. I’ll admit, I am one of those bloggers and tend to forget not everyone knows about adaptogens or their amazing superpowers. I have been taking a variety of Adaptogens for the better part of 3 years. They have done wonders for a hormonal system that was so unbalanced. My period was absent for 6 years until I incorporated adaptogens. I’m happy to announce, it’s been regular every month for the past 3 years.
I’m sure a lot of you out there think of adaptogens as some kind of herbal potion with a high ticket price. And something you continually see food bloggers blend into their morning elixirs on IG stories. But whatever brought you here and regardless of the knowledge you may or may not already have. I’m going to dig a little deeper, to give you an understanding of what Adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms are. And explain why I feel everyone should be adding them to their morning drink of choice.
What are Adaptogens?
Simply put. Adaptogens are naturally derived herbs/mushrooms that help your body ‘adapt’ to mental and physical stress. These powerful substances can help your body recover from physical and mental illness, surgery, hormonal imbalances and a number of health problems.
Our stress hormone is one that gets a lot of abuse, we expect a lot from our adrenals (which produce the stress hormone ‘cortisol’). Even if you don’t lead a “high stress life’, as humans we are always going to experience some kind of stress. Mental stress can be something as trivial as peak hour traffic, or having to study for your final. Additionally, physical stress could be experiencing a heat wave in the middle of summer with no AC or even something as trivial as eating a diet of non organic foods. All of these external factors affect our insides – more namely our hormones, which can cause a myriad of health problems.
How do they work?
Adaptogens bind to receptor sites on cells in the gut. Then, these trigger the release of chemicals that stimulate and balance the hormonal, immune and nervous systems, which improves the health of your adrenal system. When your adrenals are burnt out, it can reek all kinds of havoc on your body. Then, a myriad of health problems can follow.
Adaptogens work to support your hormones and increases the activity of immune cells which make it easier for your body to combat disease, bacteria and viruses. This results in healing your body more quickly and efficiently.
Which ones should I take?
This obviously depends on what your motivation is for taking Adaptogens. Because they each work in powerful yet different ways. Everyone in this world is different and our bodies need different things to thrive. So, what works for one person might not necessarily work for another. But, here is my top list of Adaptogens with their benefits so you can decide for yourselves what works best for you.
1. Ashwaganda (Indian Ginseng)
This is my go to, every day, Ayurvedic herb. The taste is something to be desired, however you can work up your palate and tolerance. This is one of the most popular herbs due to its potent mental, emotional and physical healing properties. It improves symptoms of alzheimer’s, depression, and anxiety as well as supporting optimal thyroid function. It’s high concentration of withanolides, have been shown to fight inflammation and tumor growth!
Benefits
- Tonify the Immune System
- Inspires Vigor and Strength
- Relieves Mental, Emotional & Physical stress
- Balances thyroid function
- Supports the adrenals
- Anti Cancer properties
2. Chaga
This fungal herb is one of the most recommended by health professionals. It has a high mineral content that boosts mental health. However, it’s a little different to other herbs as it doesn’t grow out of the ground. But more so on trees that are at least 40 years old. Then, Chaga is only extracted once the tree has been dead for 3-4 years! This herb also contains polysaccharides which provide energy, support cardiovascular health, intestinal and liver health, and healthy blood sugar levels.
Benefits
- Relieves anxiety and calms nerves
- Helps boost a low mood, improving mental health
- Promotes healthy blood sugar levels
- Immune boosting properties helps support intestinal health
- High in antioxidants
3. Astragalus
Also known as milk vetch, this plant comes from the beans/legumes family. It’s been used in Chinese Medicine practices for thousands of years. Astragalus is one of the most powerful immune-building plants on the planet! It pumps up your immune system, slows or prevents the growth of tumors and has also been known to relieve insulin resistance. There are a tonne of different species of this plant. However, only 2 of them are used medicinally.
Benefits
- Fights free radical damage and prevents oxidative stress.
- Antiviral properties help prevent disease and illness
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Can slow or prevent the growth or tumors
- Can help relieve insulin resistance, helping fight diabetes
- Has anti-aging benefits at a cellular level
4. Schizandra Berry
This potent adaptogenic berry has contradictory effects. Because it helps wake you up AND calm you down. Either way, as an adaptogen, Schizandra will redirect you from any extreme, back to an ideal, balanced state. Although Shizandra is a berry, it’s not in the same realm as goji or golden berries. No, this is a medicinal berry and is actually one of the most popular adaptogenic herbs in China. Because it’s taken to beautify the skin, strengthen the sex organs, and promote mental function. It’s also named the ‘five flavored berry’ due to the fact that it’s all at once sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent.
Benefits
- Improves mental performance
- Enhances physical performance
- Natural aphrodisiac
- Lowers inflammation
- Possible protection against cancer
- Combats stress
- Enhanes the immune system
- Assist in the digestion of fatty foods
- Helps soothe cases of insomnia, stress or dizziness
- Known as an anti aging herb that fights free radical damage
5. Reishi
Red Reishi, is know for its miraculous health benefits. And has been seen as the single most important herb for Chinese longevity. Dubbed “mushroom of immortality” and the “medicine of kings”. When taken regularly this adaptogenic mushroom can restore the body to its natural state, enabling all organs to function normally. Although it assists the whole body, Reishi mushroom mostly benefits the Liver and Heart organs.
Benefits
- Regulates and fine tunes the immune system
- Inhibits histamine release
- Improves blood circulation
- Helps balance hormones
- Fights against diabetes
- Helps defend against tumor growth, and cancer
- Improves liver function and detoxification
- Slows the aging process
- And so much more!
6. Pine Pollen
Collected from various Pine Tree species. Pine Pollen has over 200 bioactive nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in high concentrations. And is easily one of the most important and beneficial herbal medicines on the planet. This extract is especially beneficial for both Men and Women between age 40-50. Because it help raise the testosterone levels in the blood and balances the ratio of sex hormones, androgens and estrogen.
Pine Pollen is available as both a powdered supplement and tinctured extract. However, there is a bit of a difference between the two. The powder contains less androgenic substances. But more of the other nutritive whole food qualities like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Pine pollen tinctures are significantly higher in androgens, like testosterone. This may be particularly relevant depending on your age or current health goals. Both are very beneficial, but in different ways.
Benefits:
- Helps reduce sensitivity to pain
- Natural testosterone booster
- Aids with recovery time in exercise and helps build muscle mass
- Anti-Aging benefits
- Help maintain a healthy libido
- Helps speed up metabolism
- Balances hormones
- Increases brain function and attention span
- Plus so much more.
7. Cordyceps
Although classed as a fungus, Cordyceps also has adaptogenic properties. For years it was thought to be a living worm rather than a mushroom and was nicknamed the caterpillar fungus. However, this herbal mushroom is known to increase oxygen capacity and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) levels in the body. ATP’s are what your body uses for energy. That is once the mitochondria (what your cells are made up of) have converted your nutrients into fuel. So, to put it simply – Cordyceps optimizes the production of energy and nutrients from your food intake. Which in turn, allows a surplus of ATP. Thus, giving you an overall energy boost. Although the energy boost is physical, this also refers to cellular energy. For optimal function of your vital organs and systems, your body needs enough energy (ATP) to deal with emotional stress, sickness and disease.
Benefits:
- Improves the immune system
- Increases energy levels
- Improved cardiovascular systems
- Detoxes the body
- Helps manage blood sugar levels
- Increases libido
- Decreases tumor growth in specific types of cancer including lymphoma, melanoma, prostate, breast, liver, and rectal
- Supports adrenal fatigue
8. Lions Mane
Also known as a hedgehog mushroom. Most people take Lions Mane for optimal brain function. Whenever your brain needs some love, or if you have something you need to study for. This is the go to shroom. Lion’s Mane looks much different to other mushrooms, because it grows in globular masses and has long flowing spores. This adaptogen has nothing to do with an actual Lion. It gets its name from the white cascading tendrils that resemble a Lions Mane.
This mushroom has been studied to be extremely effective at stimulating Nerve Growth Factor in the brain. And is especially beneficial for those with epilepsy or nerve cell injuries.
Benefits:
- Supports long term cognitive function, and concentration
- Improves anxiety and depression
- Helps fight against cancerous tumors
- Regulates blood by combating levels of fat and sugar in the bloodstream
- Fights against free radical damage
- Support the digestive tract, helping with ailments such as gastritis or stomach ulcers
