© R Burman
Wellness
Anxious? Can't sleep? Here's our guide to help you find the right natural supplement for your concern
From futuristic supplements to smoothie recipes for healing the chakras, the wellness and food industries clearly don’t exist in a silo any longer. With newer superfoods being discovered every single day, it can be hard to match pace. If you’re looking to start from the beginning, the wellness alphabet starts with A for adaptogens—the good guys assisting your body’s response to stress. From Ayurvedic superheroes like ashwagandha to chaga mushrooms, these herbs can help the body respond better to physical stress as well as emotional triggers. Interested? Hear directly from the expert about what they can and cannot do for you.
So, what exactly are they? “Adaptogens are a unique class of plants and mushrooms that promote hormone balance and protect the body from psychological and physiological stress,” says Zoë Lind van’t Hof, co-founder of London-based wellness label, Wunder Workshop. “They have a broad range of functions that help our bodies return to a serene state of homeostasis. When our hormones are balanced, it helps improve our general mood and well-being,” she adds.
A foraging trip through the Russian countryside first introduced her to the virtues of adaptogens. “This region experiences extreme temperature variations throughout the year, with 60°C variations commonly seen between the seasons, ranging from arctic to subtropical conditions. The locals used to rely on these plants to strengthen their immune system and survive the weather conditions,” she says.
If you haven’t added adaptogens to your everyday routine yet, the payoff comes in the form of a more balanced response to stress. Though individual herbs have their own benefits, Hof believes that all adaptogens are united by one common denominator: helping the body create a state of equilibrium when faced with stressful situations. “These situations can either be physical or mental, and our body goes through what is called General Adaption Syndrome (GAS). There are three stages included therein: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. When consumed regularly, adaptogens can help us stay in the resistance phase for longer, which keeps us from facing exhaustion in stressful situations,” she explains.
In the fast-paced lives of today, stress is everywhere, which means that everyone can benefit from adding adaptogens to their routine. “They can be helpful for those who are exposed to frequent stressors, either through work, family life or from being exposed to a stressful environment. Those experiencing anxiety and sleeping issues can also benefit from using adaptogens regularly,” explains the London-based wellness enthusiast.
Is there anything they can’t do? “They won’t work as a quick fix,” she says. “The intention is that one takes them over the course of several weeks. As with all things health-related, they are a long-term investment. We always recommend testing a product daily for a total of three weeks, and then pausing for one week. This way, one can observe the changes and allow the body some time to re-sync,” she advises. Since every herb has its own individual make up, she recommends consulting a health professional to confirm if they are compatible with you. Certain adaptogens are not suitable for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and they can also interact with certain medications, thus adequate guidance must be sought beforehand.
If you’ve decided to make the switch to adaptogens, here are the ones you’ll want to look for to address specific concerns in conjunction with medical guidance.
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Stress: Ashwagandha, an Indian adaptogen rooted in Ayurveda, is shown to lower the stress hormone cortisol.
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Acne-prone and ageing skin: Chaga mushroom has one of the highest levels of antioxidants, which are beneficial for fighting free radicals, thus slowing down the ageing process as well.
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Immunity: Reishi and Chaga are both powerful immune-modulators and are known to enhance the body’s immune response for fighting off infections and harmful bacteria.
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