Adaptogens. You’ve probably heard of this super on-trend topic of conversation in the wellness space. Ashwagandha. Reishi. Lion’s Mane. Cordyceps. Ginseng. Chaga. Maca. Among a whole host of others are all adaptogens. I first came across them + was drawn in when Moon Juice launched in 2011 + to be quite honest, I didn’t really understand them or know exactly why I was using them but I was intrigued by their Eastern roots, the powerful + natural properties I read about + to be really frank, I admired the way Amanda Chantal Bacon, the founder of Moon Juice lived her life + shared about her own health journey. Something I was struggling with so intensely + in every part of my life at the time.
Truthfully, I am in the process of learning more about their individual uses + understanding the why of each one’s existence + appropriate consumption on a personal level but to put it simply + at a general level, adaptogens are natures way of offering the body a real way to heal itself; they are adaptogenic substances ( herbs) extracted from plants + mushrooms that assist the body in it’s response to a variety of real or perceived traumas including stress, anxiety + fatigue. Adaptogens have been avaialble - and in use - for millions of years in Eastern healing methods. Working WITH the body to counteract the resulting effects of stress that can manifest physically, mentally + emotionally, the more consistent one is in using adaptogens in your day-to-day routine the more the body begins to positively adapt toward the desired outcome of the specific adaptogen being used. It’s about coming home to your center-point, that state of homeostasis where the body + each of it’s functional systems flow in harmony, toward a more sustained + favourable equilibrium; all in support of + in co-existence with a healthy + rewarding state of well-being. It is really about regaining balance in the overall working of our physiological processes. Adaptogens are a natural way of calming the nervous system in the moment while also working to alter the bodies ability to regulate itself over time.
In sourcing adaptogenic products, I am quite choosy, as like many of the wellness products on the market, some are not created with integrity or enough knowledge. Brands that work directly, + in some cases solely, with adaptogens that I can personally recommend, trusting they work at a very authentic level with the power of adaptogens are: Supernova Living, Anima Mundi, Moon Juice, Four Sigmatic, ARTAH, Pukka, Hone + Wild Nutrition. Each of these brands use them in a variety of ways from coffee substitution to pure forms to be added to your morning coffee or smoothies. There are endless others on the market but upon my own experience, these are the ones I’ve tried + loved. Have you tried them? What do you think?
