Confessional time friends. So, my original plan for this post was to do a spotlight on medicinal mushrooms. The questionable yet plant based addition we all aren’t sure how to add to our diets but really want to use. Great topic, right?

But when I sat down to do a little more research to get you the facts I felt overwhelmed. There is still so much about herbal medicine that I’m learning. Truthfully, I’ll probably always be learning about it. Until I understand something, I don’t want to throw around a bunch of large, oddly spelled words and pretend I know all the things. It won’t help any of us.

I’m an avid chalkboard magazine & goop reader. I devour article after article constantly discovering new things. I do this in part for myself and in part for you guys. And I personally want to be healthier. But I also want to understand and be knowledgable in a way that I can help you understand it. And for the past few months, my focus on adding adaptogens into my diet has been a big part of that.

What the heck is an adaptogen? Basically, it’s a natural substance (herb, root, etc) that can be used to help your body “adapt” to stress and bring it back to normal levels. There are quite a few. Some you’ve probably heard of and some have funny names that make it sound like you sneezed. I plan to cover the range of them over time but today I want to talk about my two current favorites.

Maca Powder is a life essential for me. I grabbed a container on a whim a few years ago and I haven’t looked back. This powder comes from a root and boast tons of benefits. Personally, I’ve found it to be an important addition to my diet to keep my hormonal acne in check. I add a little to my morning shake and it does wonders at helping me control my stubborn hormones. Other benefits include increased fertility, energy and stamina along with better memory and focus.

Ashwagandha Powder, one of those big words I struggle to pronounce, is another daily smoothie addition. Helping to boost your immune system and deal with stress, this root based powder is wonderful to have in your life. But because this is an honest space, I will say that I typically stick to using this in something I can mask the taste. I tried teas, coffee and the like but I’ve found that initially the taste can over power whatever I’m drinking. My advice, throw it in something you can hide the taste as first while you’re getting used to it.

I hope learning a little more about these two adaptogens will help you. If you’re looking to purchase either, the links are above. 🙂

Do you have any herbal essentials you can’t live without? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

Xoxo,

Savannah

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