Adaptogens

Have you heard about ashwagandha, maca, reishi, lion's main, ginseng, rhodiola, schisandra, elderberry? These are just a few of the many adaptogens. You may have heard about these things being health promoting, but maybe you don't know what they are. In this quick episode we break down what adaptogens are and some of the benefits that they have. 

If you have questions, or topics that you want to hear about, head over to our Instagrams https://www.instagram.com/bayleethedietitian/ or https://www.instagram.com/brianna.dietitian/ and send us a DM! You can also follow the podcast https://www.instagram.com/mocktailminutes/

Featured Mocktails:

Recess - https://www.instagram.com/takearecess/

Click play, sip back, and be empowered.

Transcript

Baylee: 0:23

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to this week's episode of Mocktail Minutes. This is Bailey.

Brianna: 0:28

And this is Brianna.

Baylee: 0:29

This week I am drinking just a regular sparkling water. It's a lemon lime on it. That kind of reminds me of like a 7 Up. I do the Simple Truth brand. So it's from Kroger.

Brianna: 0:42

Very nice. I am again doing a recess, but it's very fitting for today.

Baylee: 0:47

we are talking about adaptogens today. We have mentioned them a couple times because a few of the drinks that, I would say you have more of the adaptogen drinks in them than I do. I don't know what it is about them, they're just, they're not my favorite and I, I don't love to drink them. So, we thought we should cover adaptogens.

Brianna: 1:07

Yeah. And I, some of them can be really earthy tasting.

Baylee: 1:11

Mm hmm.

Brianna: 1:12

L theanine is not. So I think that's why I like the recess so much because that's the one that has in it. But yeah, they can be earthy. We definitely talk about them a lot, but we're going to actually explain like what they are today. You know, cause I don't think anybody knows. I mean, I don't think people know, but I just think it's one of those things where like, Oh, adaptogens and people like

Baylee: 1:31

Yeah, so, adaptogens are natural substances that are primarily like Herbs and mushrooms, and they can really help the body to reser res. Oh my gosh, words are hard again today, it's a snow day and I have my son home, so it's been a day, but they help your body resist like physical, emotional, and environmental stressors. So. They can kind of make you more resilient and they really just work to support your body's natural balance, which is homeostasis. So that's an important part of them as well. And they were really traditionally used in Chinese medicine, but they are now just being more widely known.

Brianna: 2:15

Yeah like whenever you talk about adaptogens, I feel like a lot of people in the U. S. are like, Oh, this is new. And this is like, you know, kind of woo woo hippie. But it's been used in Chinese medicine for like a really long time. Like if you research some of these, it's like, Oh, wow. Like this has been well known. The rest of the world has kind of been using them. Like Bailey said, they just kind of help your body maintain homeostasis. So what they're really doing is they're helping to support like your nervous system. So they interact with the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, HPA, to help regulate stress response. So this is the same thing that regulates like cortisol, which is your primary stress hormone. And what it tries to do is just to like calm down. your nervous system, like give it a little bit more support. And some adaptogens like play different roles. Like some of them help to give like relaxation somewhat help with energy, but basically all of them, no matter what they're doing are supporting your nervous system rather than like taxing it out. So like even the ones that are supposed to give you energy and focus, it's still like a nervous system supportive way to do it.

Baylee: 3:22

so not only are they good at reducing that stress piece, they also help improve that in resilience and energy, mental clarity, all those parts. So when thinking about these benefits of adaptogens, number one, the stress reduction, they help mitigate the impact of stress and to keep your cortisol levels in check. And with that being said, it doesn't mean that You can just drink a drink with an adaptogen. So you're like, Oh my gosh, I'm so much better at managing my stress. That's not how it works. That's like, I don't know, putting a bandaid on and being like, oh, I'm never going to get hurt again. It's just not how it works. So it's another tool in the toolbox and I Really, when it comes to stress, it's not, it's not the stress that's the problem. It's more how we react to the stress a lot of the times. So I think that's an important piece as well is that you also have to be proactive with how are you handling everything in your life. If you're under eating, okay, you should probably eat more. If you're not sleeping well, okay, you should probably put your phone down before you go to bed. You know, all these different pieces. Adaptogens aren't going to be just like with anything. They're not just going to fix everything. They also help your energy, so unlike caffeine, adaptogens are going to provide that like steady, non jittery boost, where some people can get super jittery with caffeine, it's not usually going to happen like adaptogens, And then, as far as cognitive function, so it can help to improve, like, support your mental clarity, your focus, and your memory. We all, we all want to focus a little bit better during the day. Obviously, my mental clarity is not doing so great today, so maybe I should have drank some adaptogens.

Brianna: 5:02

Maybe you need some, some healthy.

Baylee: 5:06

I'm gonna text Josh. Please go get me a recess. What are you talking about?

Brianna: 5:10

It's like, huh? Marisa.

Baylee: 5:14

You need a break? Yes.

Brianna: 5:15

You're like, I do, I do. Some of the other stuff it helps with is like immune support. So some of them, like the reishi, I think that's how you say it, reishi mushroom. It helps to enhance immune functions. And that's the one that I feel like is really popular in like the mushroom coffee. You know, I don't know if you've seen that, but like the optogen coffee, it's usually like. the Reishi. Reishi, Reishi, potato, potato. And then it can help with hormone balance because it helps to regulate your hormones, particularly those adrenal fatigue. And, you know, all of those, like the hormones that I feel like are very sensitive. It's so easy to impact your adrenal hormones and have them be like, out of balance or just like tax. So again, it's a tool. It's not like you could just keep doing everything you're doing, but like take an adaptogen and be like, well, that fixes that like similar to like supplements, you know, when people are like, well, I don't need to eat fiber. I took this benefit fiber today. I'm like, it helped, but you know,

Baylee: 6:15

But speaking of that, what are your thoughts on people who take metamucil every day?

Brianna: 6:19

I feel like it's not a good fiber source. Like it's not a lot of

Baylee: 6:24

I have Well, I have so many of my clients that see me and their doctors just have been telling them to do metamucil like daily but then like what came more into it metamucil or Like Miralax, so Miralax daily for like long term can actually lead to more bloating and people like well, I'm taking it because I'm so bloated like

Brianna: 6:47

Well, maybe you're bloated because you keep taking

Baylee: 6:50

Did you keep taking it? Yes.

Brianna: 6:53

I, I don't love it. I don't, I don't love Miralax. And I definitely, I don't love Metamucil. Like it's okay. I'm like, that's not, we could be doing much better.

Baylee: 7:02

Mm hmm

Brianna: 7:03

Same with Benefiber. That's another one that I see them being like, Oh, I'm good on fiber. I take Benefiber. I'm like, it's like two grams of fiber, which is not horrible, but it's definitely not helping you hit your 30 grams.

Baylee: 7:14

Yeah, and it's not the same as eating your fruits, vegetables, potatoes, quinoa. Very different.

Brianna: 7:19

Helpful tool, but not gonna. I guess we should go over some of the like popular adaptogens. The first one is going to be ashwagandha. People know this one. This is the real earthy one, but it helps to reduce stress, support sleep, balance out cortisol. The next one, how do you say that one?

Baylee: 7:40

It's like rhodiola rosea, I think is how you say it. So that one is one to help with like the energy, the focus, and actually endurance. So could be a good one for more like runner type people.

Brianna: 7:55

Yeah. I've seen this in a lot of like clean or like natural pre workouts. I feel like I've been

Baylee: 8:01

Oh yeah. Mm hmm.

Brianna: 8:03

I mean, I feel like if you're like, I really do want to try a pre workout, you might as well try something like this because it's not going to stress you out more, which is what a lot of the pre workouts do. They're just like running you red. So it can be worth a shot. The next is fully basal and this I hear about a lot with PCOS, like fully basal tea and stuff like that, but it's anti inflammatory and it supports mood and immune function. So if you have PCOS, you know, it's driven a lot by. Inflammation, so having something with an anti inflammatory impact can help with that.

Baylee: 8:37

Next one, you already mentioned the Reishi mushroom, so that one is one to help your immunity, reduces anxiety, and just kind of gives you that all, that all over relaxation type of feeling. And then we have Lion's Mane, so this one, this is one that I've seen, this is in like the coffees too, right?

Brianna: 8:57

Yeah. Yeah.

Baylee: 8:58

So, this one is gonna support your brain health, cognition, and nerve regeneration, so it's a pretty cool one. And then your other ones, you have Fortiseps, which helps actually increase oxygen uptake, and so it's Really great for athletic performance and then you have your maca root to help balance hormones and support libido and energy levels So they're all very supportive to different pieces of like the nervous system in some type of way They all just have a lot of differences on how they're gonna impact you

Brianna: 9:32

Yeah. And this is like not an exhaustive list. I think this is like some of the main ones. And so you can get adaptogens in like powders, capsules, teas, tinctures, drinks. I don't know how pure or potent the adaptogens are in drinks. I don't think anyone's really testing them, but there's lots of different ways to get them. I will say a lot of these don't taste great, and I feel like a lot of them are kind of expensive. And so anytime I'm there, they're basically like a supplement. That's like kind of how they're looked at. And so anytime you're doing something, I recommend using a reputable company so that you know your money's going to a good place and you're getting kind of a safe product. I know that just ingredients is doing a lot of these. I did get their ashwagandha. Because I was like, ooh, you know, I need to reduce my stress. And I put it in my coffee and I was very upset because, and I shouldn't have done that because I really like my coffee. I'm like, why would I ruin it? So I have to figure out how to use it. But I'm thinking that capsules might be a good idea. And I don't know if Just Ingredients has capsules. They might.

Baylee: 10:41

I have not looked and I think it kind of shows how great a company like that is when it's like Sometimes you can get ashwagandha and you're like, oh, wow, it tastes pretty good. And then you get from, get it from like another company that is more reputable. Maybe you're like, oh, that tastes a lot different. It's usually when it's like more earthy and not so much like a sweet taste, or you just can't tell it's really there. Then you're like, what's the quality of this?

Brianna: 11:08

Yeah, like how much is actually in here? And I think that's true with, I think it's maca root. So I got some from like some company and it was like fine. Like it didn't really taste like much. It was like, oh, okay. I could use this kind of like a collagen. And then I got one from a pretty reputable company and it was like bright blue. Tasted,

Baylee: 11:26

Like, wait a second.

Brianna: 11:28

tasted, my lord, it tasted horrible. I was like, oh, I think this is the real stuff. I think this is like, I couldn't use it as collagen. But it's like if you're, yeah, if you're, Using them and wanting to get the benefits, you should probably use like a good source. And yeah, so they will be earthy, which is kind of how it is.

Baylee: 11:45

Yes. Same thing with like matcha tea. So I used to get that from Starbucks all the time. Thinking, great matcha, like we love it, it's so good for you. Then you look, but they add quite a bit of sugar to it, and you actually buy, like, a real matcha. Very different.

Brianna: 12:03

Like I was, yeah, I was told you should use like ceremonial quality matcha or something like that.

Baylee: 12:09

Okay.

Brianna: 12:11

And so I did, there's a coffee shop in town that has it and I got it and I was like, Oh, it's going to taste like Starbucks, Starbucks matcha. No, it did not. I was like, Oh, okay. This is real grassy. Okay.

Baylee: 12:21

The berry matcha with the roasted purpose and now when it's earthy, but not like super earthy because they added like the berry flavor to it. And they're a great company. So I like their matcha as well.

Brianna: 12:34

yeah, it's just, you know, I think right now it's one of those buzzwords. And so I think a lot of companies are like, Ooh, adaptogens, you know, stuff like that. So make sure that you're getting a good quality basically. Hi. Hello. He's like, I knew you were almost done.

Baylee: 12:52

We're having a little guest finish out the episode with us. He has pushed his nap.

Brianna: 12:58

I love it.

Baylee: 12:58

sleep quality does matter, and just try it out in different ways, and see what you like. Like I said, I am not one who loves ashwagandha, so I just don't buy a lot of things with ashwagandha in it. But Rihanna does and so everyone she's different. That's okay

Brianna: 13:16

This next part makes me think that I need to make sure that nothing I'm taking interacts. But so with adaptogens. There's not a lot of research, but the research that is done, I think, I think Oshragon is one of the most, it says to kind of like pulse, like don't stay on it indefinitely forever, every single day. And some of them can interact with some medications or other supplements. So you just want to double check it. If you look up any medication or supplement on WebMD, it usually tells you like, Oh, may interact with this. Like I know a lot of them will interact with Coumadin. So if you're on Coumadin or Warfarin, like, Be really mindful of your adaptogens, but just make sure that you're always checking anytime you start anything new, maybe ask your doctor, ask your pharmacist. do some research yourself, make sure that it's not going to be interacting negatively with anything. But for the most part, they're generally safe for most people to have. If you have like certain thyroid disorders, you might want to check with your doctor first, just because it is messing a lot with that, like hypothalamic pituitary access, which, you know, your thyroid has a lot to do with that too. So double check.

Baylee: 14:21

And I would say with the adaptogen same thing with like any supplements to not try and add too many at one time Because if you're usually when we're starting to add things, it's because we're not feeling so great. We're trying to see oh, can this help me? So when you're doing that if you were to add like three different things Then it's like, okay, what actually helped? So, just like with anything, I think it helps to try it, like, one at a time. Just go into it slowly. You don't have to do everything at once. Which is something I'm really guilty of doing, where I'm like, I am gonna do every single thing you just heard on this podcast,

Brianna: 14:57

Right. Or like, I'll do it if I know like I really like a company and I'm going to get something from there. I'm like, Oh, what else do they have that looks so great? And I'm like, why do I have like four new things that I shouldn't be doing all at the same time? I do it. So yeah, don't do what we do. Do as we say, not as we do.

Baylee: 15:16

We're still a work in progress with you.

Brianna: 15:18

Yeah, they're expensive. Like you said, they're expensive. And you want to make sure like, Oh, can I see benefits from certain things? That way you're not having to take multiple different things all the time thinking it's all of them because That might be a waste of time and excess supplementation.

Baylee: 15:32

So yeah, they can be a great tool just to kind of help support stress resilience They're not going to allow you to continue They may they may help your stress bucket. But again, you can't just ignore things going on so they can just be a good addition to add in and Try them out. Let us know what your favorite ones are. And if you guys find some really good ones Maybe I'll try another with ashwagandha next

Brianna: 15:57

I haven't found one yet, but yeah, yeah, let us know.

Baylee: 16:01

Alright everyone, have a great rest of your week, and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Bye!

Brianna: 16:08

His face.