Ashwagandha with Black Pepper

Let’s face it, we're pretty stressed. That may mean that we struggle to maintain balance in our over-stimulated and fast-paced culture. When we are chronically stressed, our body struggles to keep up with the demands of our life, leading to illness, mood disorders, physical ailments, and overall poor health. However, what if there was a natural way to better adapt to life’s stressors and become more resilient in the face of adversity? Enter adaptogens! Used for thousands of years in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, adaptogens are plants, herbs and mushrooms that help counteract the harmful effects of stress. Called adaptogens due to their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to your body’s specific needs, they can help heal a host of health issues or simply help ease stress by bringing the body back into balance (otherwise known as homeostasis). Why is this important? In order for our bodies to thrive, we must have a constant internal environment. This means that everything from our body temperature, blood sugar levels, and water content must be controlled and balanced for our cells and bodily systems to function optimally. When we’re exposed to life’s stressors our homeostasis is disrupted, and so are the systems of the body. Adaptogens can help improve our resistance to stress (emotional stress, physical trauma or injury, illness, fatigue, pollution) and normalize our body’s functions. This allows us to maintain a more regular state of homeostasis for optimal health. How do adaptogens work? Our stress levels and response are controlled by a system of glands called the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The central nervous system helps regulate and normalize the HPA axis to help us better cope with stress. Adaptogens ease stress response by releasing Hsp70 and Hsp72 (1), which are "stress sensor" proteins. This helps the central nervous system come out of fight-or-flight mode and back into a balanced state. Without easing our stress response, our bodies can either be over-functioning or under-functioning, often leading to neurodegeneration, chronic inflammation, and even cancer. The benefits of using adaptogens on a regular basis: Improved quality and quantity of sleep Boosted energy (without the crash you get from caffeine) Improved emotional well-being and resiliency Increased concentration and cognitive function Balanced stress and sex hormones Normalized digestive functioning Strengthened immune system Increased detoxification and liver health Stronger resistance to stress Start by adding your favourite adaptogen into your morning smoothie and observe the improvements you may feel. Remember, adaptogens can help make lasting changes to your health, but it won’t happen overnight. When you stay consistent, keep up with your self-care practice, and make small, sustainable changes you can create your healthiest, most joyful lifestyle. Learn more about our adaptogens

STRESS – we all know what a heavy feeling this word can bring! Most of us (well, all of us) experience stress daily. Often, we don’t even realize that our body is under a state of stress, that we are overwhelmed both mentally and emotionally, and as time goes on, our bodies start to feel the effects! Stress is actually a physical response within the body when it is under attack. When our body is under stress, it causes a release of complex hormones and chemicals such as cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine to prepare our body for physical activity. Think “flight or fight” – you know, like if you were running from a tiger! Our body goes through a series of changes during times of stress, which is controlled by our nervous system. A few symptoms that we can experience during times of stress are: Heart palpitations Insomnia Lack of appetite/increase in appetite Fast breathing Irritability Decreased stamina Illness Weight loss/weight gain (especially in the abdominal area) As stress continues to build up in our body, it can have a negative effect on our health. Although the symptoms listed above may seem mild at times, the accumulation of stress from our daily lives can lead to serious health issues such as Adrenal Fatigue, depression, anxiety, Auto-immune disorders/diseases, reproductive issues (both men and women) and even skin conditions. Sounds scary right? Well, it actually can be. Unfortunately, more and more people are feeling the effects of stress. Employers are even seeing more “stress leave” notes from their employees, and doctors are prescribing more anti-depressants to help with people cope with their unstable emotions and burnouts. So, how can we combat this? How do we stop having so much stress in our life or even how do we even support our Adrenal glands (the two small glands that sit on top of our kidneys) that are responsible for our bodies ability to react to stress? Well, there are a few ways, however, when it comes to supplementation, Adaptogens are my favourite star! What is an Adaptogen? An adaptogen is a herb or botanical substance that greatly improves your body’s response to stress! It helps your body “adapt” to stress and helps it function optimally during times of stress. How many of us know that during stressful periods, we lose our concentration levels, our ability to make smart decisions, and even our cognitive function suffers. An adaptogen’s main purpose is to restore balance and homeostasis (the body’s natural balance) within the body. They are a unique group of “healing plants” and it is the constituents within them that make them so beneficial. Adaptogens have the unique ability to produce “non-specific “responses within the body, increasing the power of resistance against multiple stressors such as physical, biological and chemical stressors (think exercise, health, and toxic substances). They provide support and protection to not only our Adrenal Glands but to our entire body. A few of my favourite adaptogens that I generally like to recommend to my clients are the following: Ashwagandha Maca Siberian Ginseng Reishi Mushroom Ashwagandha Ashwagandha is known to be one of the most powerful herbs in the Ayurvedic healing and has been used in India for a variety of conditions for over 3,000 years! It is very well known for its restorative properties, for reducing cortisol (our stress hormone) in our body, balancing our sex hormones, and supporting thyroid function. It also has a unique ability to increase energy levels within the body, especially for those who experience adrenal dysfunction resulting in lowered energy levels. Many athletes even like to supplement with Ashwagandha for those increased energy levels, and to improve brain function! Maca Maca is also an excellent adaptogen due to its high amounts of flavonoids that have been associated with reduced anxiety levels and depression. It is a very nutritious plant that provides a high amount of vitamins and minerals, as well as helping to balance sex hormones. Not sure how to use Maca? Try out these Maca Cacao Super Seed Bites! Siberian Ginseng Siberian Ginseng is traditionally used in Chinese medicine and is a rare plant often found in the harsh mountain forest in Eastern Asia, Japan, and even Russia. Known for its ability to increase endurance and provide resilience to environmental stresses, Siberian Ginseng aids in the recovery from strenuous exercise and mental exhaustion (stress!). Another amazing benefit of Siberian Ginseng is that is great for our immune health! How many of us can say that we often get sick when we have been under stress? Well, that is because stress weakens our immune system! Siberian Ginseng’s main role or action within our body is to act as an “immunomodulator”, which helps recharge and restore exhausted adrenals glands. Reishi Lastly, let’s talk about Reishi mushrooms! By now most of us know that mushrooms have a medicinal purpose within our body and can be quite beneficial to our overall immunity and health, and Reishi is no exception! It is an excellent choice to supplement with for its ability to improve not only mental and physical performance but to also act as an “immunomodulator” like Siberian Ginseng. Reishi mushrooms help support and regenerate exhausted adrenals glands – which helps reduce and restore cortisol levels within the body. Conclusion: I think the benefits of supplementing with adaptogens outweighs the effects of not supporting our adrenal health, especially as more and more people are getting sick, living with diseases, and suffering from mental and emotional disorders. Adaptogens play a huge role in supporting and even healing, our stressed Adrenals. Adaptogens are a great way to help hormonal imbalances in our body, stress-related work leave, weight gain, illness, lack of energy, and poor memory or cognitive function. There isn’t one adaptogen that works better than the other. It is about finding one that works best for you and your needs and often combine a few to give you the best result. Of course, this is alongside a good wholesome diet, enough sleep, a few yoga classes and some meditation! A few of my favourites are Maca and Ashwagandha daily and I always notice when I don’t take them. For more information in regards to stress or adaptogens, please check out our website organika.com. – Chelan Wilkins, RHN – National Education Trainer

Origins of the Reishi Mushroom Reishi Mushrooms – “The mushroom of immortality” – Also known as “ Lingzhi” in Chinese. A powerful superfood in the family of medicinal mushrooms, Reishi mushrooms are well known for their various health benefits and ancient history spanning back in history over 2000 years ago. Traditionally used in Chinese medicine for its potent healing properties, Reishi mushrooms are found in wooded areas in Asia, Japan, Korean and China. There are various types of Reishi mushrooms ( most commonly noted by the colour ), and generally, the kind you find in supplementation form found in red, green and black. Reishi mushrooms are grown above ground, commonly found on trees, and it is in the connective strands “ mycelium” where the nutrients are. What does Reishi do? For many years, Reishi mushrooms have been found in powder form, tinctures, extracts and even teas. With a wide range of nutrient benefits, Reishi mushrooms have taken on the role of an immune-boosting powerhouse for various health concerns and proven to be beneficial to bringing our body back to homeostasis. With its fantastic detoxification features, Reishi not only provides a rich source of anti-oxidant properties, but it also helps restore our liver and help regenerate new cells. It has been shown to also lower the effects of cortisol ( our stress hormone ) and its impact on our body with its adaptogenic properties. Often when our body is under stress and even inflammation, we will notice a depletion of energy stores, hormonal imbalances and even inflammation. Reishi is excellent for helping bring balance to those hormones, produce a calming and sedative state in our body, therefore aiding in sleep problems as well as lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol levels thus also making it nourishing support to our heart. Benefits of the Reishi Mushroom Reishi has many different health benefits. However, the main advantage is its powerful effect on our immune system. It helps to modify and regulate our immune system by increasing our immunity as well as lowering it when needed. Reishi helps improve the “ overall” general health of our immune system due to the polysaccharides and triterpenes that are found in them. These constituents contribute to our bodies ability to turn off the allergic response – think histamine is, therefore, providing allergy relief of various forms. Researchers have found that not only does Reishi mushrooms improve our immunity, detoxify our liver and provide adaptogenic effects in our body, they are also highly anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory. With these powerhouse nutritional benefits, it is no wonder that Reishi is nicknamed “ the king of mushrooms” as the benefits and traditional history speaks for itself. Organika's Red Reshi captures the Traditional Chinese methods with the innovative quality and extraction process, enhancing the medicinal benefits and enhancing your health. -Chelan Wilkins, RHN- Busy mother of two, and Organika’s National Education Trainer.