There’s a reason mindfulness apps like Calm and Headspace get hundreds of downloads a day: stress is on the rise in America. From fear of domestic terrorism to pulling all-nighters at the office, the American dream has been rewritten to include heart palpitations and a Xanax prescription.
Unfortunately, escaping the grind to serve ice cream in the Bahamas probably isn’t realistic for most of us. And as appealing as tossing my iPhone over the Ben Franklin Bridge mid-run sounds some days, chances are, that’s not happening either. Stress isn’t going anywhere, so it’s important to learn effective tactics for managing it.
Our bodies react to stress in a variety of ways, such as anxiety attacks and slumping fatigue. What if there was something in nature to help alter these physiological responses? Enter adaptogens.
Adaptogens are non-toxic herbs and roots that stabilize the relationship between your brain and hormone system. They are most popularly touted for reducing long-term levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. When cortisol spikes, our bodies immediately enter the “fight or flight” mode of processing stress. Short term, this can lead to weight gain, anxiety, low sex drive, poor sleep, etc. As it continues long term, one can experience early aging, chronically decreased libido, and adrenal fatigue. Adding adaptogens to your diet, like ashwagandha and licorice root, attacks this on the cellular level, hacking your biology to achieve new levels of zen, among other noteworthy benefits like increased energy and glowing hair, skin, and nails.
How can you start introducing adaptogens into your routine? One easy way is adding them to smoothies. You can find them in powdered form on Amazon, at Whole Foods, and much more. I like adding a teaspoon of maca powder to mine, and have genuinely felt a difference since doing so. Suja Juice has also released a line of adaptogenic kombuchas sold at Target! Talk about a double whammy of health. I have tried both the ashwagandha and shizandra flavors and they receive my stamp of approval. Lastly, I recently started using a natural deodorant with the adaptogenic mushroom, reishi in it. However, this particular product is actually making me smell worse than wearing no deodorant at all, so I’m going through a trial and error experience in the armpit health realm.
Want to GET CHILL AF RN? Try my hella delicious, fat-packed, protein-rich, adaptogenic smoothie bowl recipe:
- Handful of steamed then frozen cauliflower
- Handful of frozen strawberries
- ½ a frozen banana
- ½ an avocado
- 1 tsp maca powder
- 2 scoops grass-fed vanilla whey protein
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- Top with all the things! Pictured here I have blueberries, coconut, nuts + seeds, and a drizzle of all natural peanut butter.
