Using Herbs to Adapt to the New Year
Happy New Year! 2020 has officially rolled in, and whether you think its a new decade or not (https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/decade.html), a new year is here either way. :)
Sometimes January can throw us a curveball, getting back to schedules after holiday time off, taking in New Years resolutions & challenges after splurging, and dealing with winter illnesses & stressors. Seasonal depression is also common during January & February, making it hard to get back up and going when the world demands so much in the New Year.
Liferoot loves using herbs as a New Year habit to help with whatever life is pitching and demanding of you. The following herbs are adaptogens in our book, and can assist you in keeping your body resilient and thriving in your current or desired lifestyle.
What is an adaptogen?
An adaptogen is a non-toxic plant (or fungus, as in the case with mushrooms) that help the body resist stressors, both physical and mental. They have been used for centuries across many cultures and medical modalities, and can be used in the kitchen, as a tea, on the body as a cream or oil, in a supplement or tincture form, or inhaled as smoke. There are many different types of adaptogenic plants or fungi, but overall, they are designed and used to bring the body back into balance and homeostasis.
Donnie Yance, an American herbal doctor, holds a view that adaptogens come in three categories, including primary adaptogens, secondary adaptogens, and adaptogen companions (1). Many herbalists still have opinions on what an “classifies” adaptogens (for those herbalists who are classifiers and official thinkers), but many herbalists (myself included) think IF the plant or fungi is a tonic and balancing to the body, doesn’t put undue stress on the immune-neuro-endocrine system or HPA axis, and works to create harmony in the whole being, then it can be classified in one of the adaptogen categories.
I would also like to take this time to point out that many of my clients can not tolerate certain adaptogens, but work beautifully with others. EVERY BODY is different, as they are a combination of experiences, so trying different ones and getting the help of a professional can make a world of difference. With that being said, the following are the adaptogenic plants that have helped the masses in my clinical experience. :)
So lets get to it!
Ashwagandha (or Indian winter cherry, Indian ginseng)
Is an evergreen shrub that grows in India and Africa. This plant has many unique properties. It is known as one of the most complete adaptogens, due to the active components of the root help maintain balance in many body systems. They literally adapt to what your body needs. Both in independent clinical trials and in thousands of years of traditional use, this plant can be beneficial for adults and kids. Both a rejuvenative and a sedative herb, it can both relax and increase energy at the same time. It is a great herb for combating stress and can reduce anxiety and improve heart conditions. Ashwagandga is also great for cancer patients and also helpful in the recovery of any disease, as it give us “the strength of a horse.” It is a great tonic for winter woes, and can be used in broths, teas, and in powder form. Try our Immune Chai Tea which contains this amazing herb!
Moringa
Which is grown all over Asia and Africa (but can be grown in warmer areas of the United States, including the Liferoot homestead), is a plant containing both super nutritional and adaptogenic values. A wonderful herb to use in soups or in green smoothies, Moringa can help reduce stress, stabilize blood sugar levels as well as increase energy. One of it’s benefits is that it can help to increase the body’s resistance to stress by balancing cortisol levels. Several studies have also shown that Moringa may help lower blood sugar levels too.
Tumeric
Turmeric is probably one of the most studied herbs today, in large part due to its amazing anti-inflammatory functions. Turmeric supports the body’s innate antioxidant function by decreasing inflammation and boosting the immune system, as well as helping the body to maintain healthy levels of stress hormone production. Try out turmeric herb in our Good Glow Oil Serum.
Elderberry
Elderberry is used as a general nutritive tonic, and is classified as a companion adaptogen, providing a high concentration of flavonoids, as well as an immune tonic to prevent and alleviate many cold and flu symptoms including runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever, and muscle pain. Elderberry is especially great for children in the fall in winter as an overall immune tonic. Try out elderberry in our Winter Wellness Syrup DIY kit here.
Rhodiola or Rhodiola Rosea
Is a perennial succulent plant with a thick medicinal root. When cut, the root has a roselike fragrance, hence its Latin specific name, rosea, and one of its common names, rose root.
Rhodiola has been proven to increase stamina, mind and memory problems, and reduce stress. According to a comprehensive review published in HerbalGram, the journal of the American Botanical Council, it reduces levels of stress-related hormones, and boosts levels of the body’s own feel-good compounds, endorphins. It was also studied at length by Russian scientists in the 1960’s, concluding its many beneficial properties.
Sources:
1. Yance DR, Tabachnik B. Breakthrough solutions in herbal medicine adaptogenic formulas: the way to vitality. Townsend Lett. 2007;282:86–90. [Google Scholar]
2. Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review Lakshmi-Chandra Mishra, MD (Ayur), PhD, Betsy B. Singh, PhD, Simon Dagenais, BA http://altmedrev.com/archive/publications/5/4/334.pdf
