How Adding Adaptogens To Your Daily Routine Can Change Your Life

As of recently, adaptogens have been gaining traction in the health and wellness world.  Adaptogens can now be found in a variety of products, ranging from adaptogen and nootropic supplements to additives in powders and beverages.

If you have heard of adaptogens before, you have likely heard to some extent that they can have a positive impact on the way your body reacts to stress.  But how?  What exactly are adaptogens and why have they become so popular?

What Are Adaptogens?

By definition, an adaptogen is a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon the bodily process.  The word nootropic is many times used interchangeably with adaptogens.  Nootropics are defined as substances that enhance cognition and memory and facilitate learning.  They are a safe way to improve aspects of your brain’s function like memory, focus and mood.  When combining adaptogens and nootropics, a wonderful synthesis can occur which may have specific positive effects on health, well-being, behavior and fitness.

How Do Adaptogens Work?

Adaptogens may help the body overcome the effects of stress, including physical, chemical or biological stressors.

When you are stressed, your body releases stress hormones that can take a toll on your body and mind.  These stress hormones can cause things like a rapid heart rate, sweating and high blood pressure, all of which can wear down your immune system and overall health if experienced for a prolonged period of time.  These symptoms together are referred to as the fight or flight response because it occurs when your system is deciding whether you should fight the stressors or flee from them.

Adaptogens do not prevent you from experiencing stress.  Nor do they make it less likely you will face future stressful situations.  They do, however, help your body respond to stress in ways that are more productive by helping to ensure that your body’s built-in stress management system is working optimally.

BrainTap is like a digital adaptogen.  There are many areas that the two modalities overlap in brain enhancement.  For example:

• Improved attention
• Improved endurance related to stress-inducing situations
• Improved balance of stress hormones such as cortisol
• Stimulated mental performance in relation to the impacts of stress on cognitive function
• Supported immune system
• Normalized body function
• Improved response to cortisol related symptoms

Overall, adaptogens can offer benefits pertaining to several different parts of your body and systems within it.  Adaptogens can have neuroprotective effects, energizing properties, mood supporting effects and can help stimulate your nervous system.  All of these properties combined make for a powerful substance that can very much contribute to your overall health.

What Adaptogens Are the Best?

When it comes to which kinds of adaptogens are the best, the answer depends on what you are looking for.  Certain adaptogens work best for certain purposes.  The one that is best for you will vary depending on your specific needs, but here are a few ideas:

• Adaptogens for long-term stress:  If you are looking for a solution to your long-term stress, ashwagandha or ginseng may be great options for you.  These can be powerful contributors to healthier stress reactions and can help balance out the hormones that come as a result of chronic stress.
• Adaptogens for acute stress and feelings of anxiousness:  Adaptogens such as ginseng and rhodiola can help support your body when it comes to the fight-or-flight response.  They can also promote stamina and energy.  Thus, these may be good options for coping with acute stress.
• Adaptogens for immune health:  Some adaptogens are also great choices for supporting your overall immune system.  These include reishi and ginseng.

It is important to keep in mind that more research still needs to be done to explore the specific positive effects of certain herbs, but you can rest assured that adaptogens in a more general sense can holistically support your journey to a healthier you.

Takeaway

Adaptogens have gained tons of popularity in recent years, leaving many people wondering what exactly they are and what is so special about them.

In short, adaptogens are herbal pharmaceuticals that can help support your body’s stress response.  Of course, adaptogens cannot prevent stress from occurring in the first place, but they can help to train your body to react to stressors in a healthier way over time.  This in turn can have a positive impact on your overall health and wellbeing since the stress response can take a toll on your body–especially if you experience chronic or maladaptive stress.

Making sure your body is properly supported during periods of stress can keep your immune system strong because it can help balance out stress hormones.

It’s also worth reiterating that some adaptogens are better than others when it comes to certain usages.  For example, ashwagandha may be better for long-term overall stress management while rhodiola is a good choice for acute mood-related stress.

Adapt and Thrive are two adaptogen supplements that are formulated to help address the most needed areas discussed above.

Adapt has ashwagandha, rieshi and bacopa, which can help with chronic stress and inflammation–as well as support good gut health and memory.

Thrive has ginseng, rhodiola, rieshi and ashwagandha, which can help improve focus, attention and creativity.  When taken together, these two supplements have a powerful convergent effect on the body and the brain.

To learn more about these supplements and to see how they can help your body adapt and thrive in an uncertain and stressful world, visit www.mybrilliantblends.com.

(This post was created by guest blogger, Dr. Joqueta Handy.  For more information on Dr. Handy visit https://drjoquetahandy.com/)