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I opened my social media at the turn of the new year, to a very interested new years phenomenon. It might be my age and stage (mid-30s, working mum-of-two), but many of my friend group were posting rather intriguing new year resolutions.
It wasn’t the typical onslaught of weight-loss, get fit, travel more, let go of people or things who weigh you down, or get a new job goals.
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Instead it was about feeling better in oneself. People noted that they wanted to take more time for themselves, appreciated the little things in their lives, feel more in the moment, be present to take advantage of what life was offering then and there, and be connected with the people around them.In other words, they wanted less hustle, bustle, and stress, and more energy to enjoy things that matter.
But other than vowing to avoid Christmas with your in-laws this year, posting your kids to their grandparents’ for the school holidays, or stocking up on caffeine…how will you actually reduce stress this year, and just as importantly get a boost in your energy levels?
Adaptogens might be the natural protection you are looking for. In clinical research this little known group of herbs has been shown to reduce stress, and more on from this, fight fatigue even in the face of adversity.
What are adaptogens?
In a second we will name a few for you, but to start with it is good to understand what they do. Adaptogens do as their name suggests – they help us to adapt to adversity.
Generally when we are stressed we go through an alert – fight or flight – stage. We then move to resistance where we try to work through the issue, not quite as heightened as fight or flight, but still using more energy than usual. Unsurprisingly this pushes us into the third stage – exhaustion.
When we reach exhaustion, we are physically and mentally fatigued. We display our emotions more readily, such as anger, frustration, sadness, and hostility. We are also more likely to become sick.
In this state of exhaustion, we are no use to ourselves, or to anyone else.
Adaptogens help us by keeping us in the resistance state longer. This gives us the opportunity to allocate more time and resources to logically work through our stressor. Thus giving us more chance of reaching an outcome reducing the risk of exhaustion setting in and derailing us.
Alright already – tell me where I can find these adaptogens!
Some of the more well known adaptogens which you may have already heard of include;
- Turmeric
- Ashwagandha (read more about this here)
- Goji Berry
- American ginseng
However there are more, perhaps some lesser known ones to add to your repertoire. These include;
- Cordyceps
- Eluethero root
- Astragalus
- Holy basil
- Jiaogulan
- Schisandra berry/Magnolia berry
What might you need to know about taking adaptogens?
Here are 5 little tips I have for adding adaptogens into your health plan this year.
With this new decade upon us, and the stress in our world only growing, have a think about what steps you will need to combat this in your own life.
Constructive de-stressing tools, a supportive community, and a boost from natural supplements such as adaptogens, may be just the thing to get your next decade off to a life-changing start.
Rhodiola rosea, sometimes referred to as Rosenroot, is an adaptogenic herb traditionally used in Russia, Scandinavia, Greece and middle Asia.
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1.in a way that is absolutely necessary or essential 2.having remarkable energy, liveliness, or force of personality
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