Stress & Hormone Management: A Introduction to Adaptogens

Work, family, home, health?

check, check, check, check!

Add in stress? Check (because inevitably, we all are)

The natural stressors of day-to-day life are unavoidable and are even perceived by the body (and maybe not the mind) when we’re doing the simple things: running late, exercising, reading a jarring email, not sleeping well - it all causes a stress response within the body impacting various, important physiological functions. 

Sure we have our fundamentals in place: Yoga, meditation, journaling, walking, therapy - but every cake needs its icing, and that is where adaptogens really come into play. 

“Sure we have our fundamentals in place: Yoga, meditation, journaling, walking, therapy - but every cake needs its icing, and that is where adaptogens really come into play.”

So What are Adaptogens?

Herbs, botanicals and plant matter (berry’s, flowers) that help your body adapt to physical and emotional stresses while improving sleep, mental clarity, immunity, health and ageing.

If you’re new to the world of this kind of goodness, it might be a lot to take in. 

So, in honour of that, we’ve put together our top three must-have reasons to incorporate adaptogens into your routine *if they are appropriate for your health care*every-damn-day:

1. Stress

Stress is the big #1 and we need an arsenal to make sure we manage it accordingly.

When we face a stressor, our bodies react with a cascade of physiological responses that affect the immune system, cognitive function, sleep and your circadian rhythm which can lead to chronic illness.

In an attempt to process this stress, your body goes through what’s called General Adaptation Syndrome or GAS. This is known as a three-stage stress response, moving from alarm to resistance to exhaustion (the crash).

Adaptogens work by intercepting the stress response, keeping your body in resistance and avoiding the exhaustion all together. In fact, many adaptogens, like Schisandra found in Protect, combat fatigue altogether and can even give you an extra oomph in the afternoon. 

And we love a little oomph.  

“Adaptogens work by intercepting the stress response, keeping your body in resistance and avoiding the exhaustion all together.” 

2. Hormones 

The most confounding part of life after thirteen and the commitment of a lifetime: hormone balance.

Various adaptogens impact several key hormone functions in the body, including the endocrine system and the adrenal glands. Adaptogens work as a normalising substance to these hormone pathways, helping to regulate things like your central nervous system, digestion, sleep, and (again) stress. 

Hormone imbalances can lead to mood disorders, sleep disorders, and digestive issues - none of which we welcome. Working with different adaptogens in eight-week cycles can be really helpful in keeping all of the above in check (where they belong).

3. Immunity 

A big theme for the rest of time: a strong, healthy immune system.

Adaptogens are often discussed as an ‘immune modulator’ and a big supporter of this system's health as a whole. Just as they work to adapt to stressors in the body, they also work to adapt to any invasions or attacks on the body or immune system. With the regular and preventative use of adaptogens your body is better able to react quickly and recover rapidly from the onslaught.

This means that you’re less likely to get sick, and you’re more likely to bounce back rapidly.

Helping to restore homeostasis in the body, adaptogens are shown to regulate various cellular functions, including: the endocrine, the cardiovascular, nervous, immune and digestive systems. 

“Hormone imbalances can lead to mood disorders, sleep disorders, and digestive issues - none of which we welcome.” 

Used for thousands of years in Eastern Medicine, adaptogens are known as a complete and OG superfood - referring to them collectively as ‘King’;

And as far as we can tell you, adaptogens can be the King to our Queen everyday, all day, forevermore.

Because we’re totally in love.

liked this? Well then, let us tell you about antioxidants ...