What Are Adaptogens and How Do We Include Them in Our Daily Life?
Did you ever feel that tension building up in your muscles, a knot twisting in your stomach or a twitch of fear traveling down your spine? Everyone experiences moments of stress and anxiety — it’s part of being human. However, these emotions can sometimes become too much to handle and become debilitating.
There are many ways to better equip yourself to handle stress and anxiety, like exercising, mindfulness and therapy, but how does food come into play? Adaptogens are active ingredients in plants and mushrooms that help your brain regulate stress responses and fatigue.
Including adaptogens and the benefits that accompany them in your life could mean untold benefits for your health and wellness.
How Do Adaptogens Work?
These active ingredients ultimately help the body return to homeostasis, or a balanced state. Your body might be unbalanced if you’re experiencing mental and physical symptoms, like a flurried mind or excessive sweating and shaking. How do adaptogens work, though?
Adaptogens regulate chemical reactions to manage these stress symptoms. Cortisol, the chemical responsible for anxiety or fatigue, often returns to normal levels with proper adaptogen dosage.
Although they are not long-term or cure-all solutions, the soothing qualities of adaptogens are helpful guides in stressful situations.
What Are the Benefits of Adaptogens?
Adaptogens and their benefits come in many varieties. Some might even sound familiar to you, such as ginseng. The American and Asian types are steeped in a rich history of medicinal practice, known to recharge and refresh the user.
Ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng. For thousands of years, people have adapted its use as anti-inflammatory and soothing aid.
Rhodiola is sprinkled across the mountainous regions of Europe, Asia and the Americas and is said to enhance stamina and strength.
As a group, adaptogens claim to produce calming and strengthening symptoms, such as:
● Minimized fatigue
● A soothing mindset to cope with depression and trauma
● Decreased anxiety
● Regulated emotional reactions
● Boosted energy
● A supported immune system
Women worldwide are using adaptogens to overcome high-stress situations and doubt, whether recovering from addiction or not. How would adaptogen usage change your life?
How Do I Include Them in Daily Life?
It’s vital to understand the complete picture of adding adaptogens to your life before rushing to the store or adding anything to your cart. You’ll get the best results from proper dosage, medical consideration and finding fun ways to ingest them.
1. Talk to Your Doctor
The first step of any medical decision should be to contact your doctor. Discuss your current medications and diagnoses, as well as the types of adaptogens you are considering. This will give your physician a clear picture of any adaptogens your body might have trouble with or how your other medications might interact.
2. Determine Your Method
Adaptogens can be taken in capsule form after reading the label and proper dosage. Some studies found that adaptogens and benefits were only effective for six months after starting dosage, so be sure to research beforehand and not plan a long-term reliance.
3. Add Them to Your Plate
You can empower your body to process food and emotions healthily by sprinkling adaptogen powder onto stress-reducing meals. For example, avocados are rich in potassium, which lowers blood pressure. Reflecting on these healing powers helps you practice mindful eating and have a better relationship with food.
Take adaptogens in tandem with foods that regulate the body in other ways. For example, pears, potatoes and bread can help improve your digestive and urinary systems. A breakfast of avocado toast sprinkled with adaptogen powder provides a delicious serving of balancing nutrients.
4. Drink Adaptogens
Some adaptogens can be dried and ground like tea leaves, making for an extra-soothing sip experience. Read all directions carefully to get the best benefits and taste possible.
Combine teas and flavors to target other areas of worry or stress. Turmeric and ashwagandha are a great combination to fight inflammation and reduce stress. Teas like this offer many benefits for daily pains like arthritis or a nasty cold.
5. Update Your Lifestyle
Always use adaptogens in tandem with other healthy practices to reduce stress in the long term. These activities are the key to managing difficult emotions and surging forward with renewed vigor:
● Regular exercise for at least 60 minutes per day
● Eight hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep
● Some self-care time
● Moments with friends and family
● Time with loving pets, including taking healthy walks
A Healthy and Calm Future
Including adaptogens in daily life can benefit your health. As a powerful and health-conscious person, you have the tenacity to understand and swim through any difficult emotion that comes your way. You are the key to a calmer lifestyle, and adaptogens will be excellent companions on your journey.
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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.
