None of us are immune to the pressures of modern life, whether it be work deadlines, the daily commute or just simply never having enough hours in the day to get everything done. Not to mention the stress and pressures of young family life or recent stresses caused from all of this pandemic stuff!

Our bodies are also regularly exposed to physical and toxic stress too – from household chemicals, pesticides in our foods, pollutants in the air, intensively farmed meats and refined sugar to name but a few.

All this can overwhelm the body’s ability to cope leading to insomnia, tiredness, anxiety, depression and even physical illness. And none of us want that right?

Now our job is to help people find a nutritional based strategy to help cope better with or eliminate certain stressors and toxins from daily life. And with the latest inclusion of Adaptogens, this could be the next piece of the puzzle for some of you.

So Adaptogens (hint in what they are is in their name)- they help the body to adapt. 

A select range of plants, including various mushroom varieties have been identified and tested as having adaptogen qualities.

There are four components that make up a particular type of plant/ herb/ mushroom as classified as an adaptogen

Nourishing – bring nutritive strength to the body

Normalising  balance- raise what is low and lower what is high (eg energy, stress)

Non-specific – act on multiple parts of the body at the same time

Non-toxic – be completely safe when used over extended periods of time.

Adaptogens relieve stress by modulating the release of stress hormones from the adrenal glands. As biological response modifiers (BRMs) adaptogens restore the body’s innate immune function and help the body adapt to different stressors. This gives them preventative and protective as well as curative activity in compromised immunity.

By replenishing our deeper immunity and regulating our response to stress, adaptogens replenish the wellspring of health and vitality and are true rejuvenate tonics.

Lets look at the current Adaptogens we have introduced….

Rhodiola is a substance that increases your body’s resistance to stress in non-specific ways.
Consuming adaptogens during stressful times is thought to help you handle stressful situations better, to be more responsive and less reactive (this is want we all want right!) So this powdered plant based herb in on our Hypothalamus (master computer system in the brain that regulates hormones and stress responses) and daily or regular consumption (few times a week) for those struggling with stresses and pressures at the moment may indeed find this helpful.
This one is best consumed in the morning in your granola, warm water, coffee or smoothie.

No Lion’s Mane is definitely not an animal product. It is actually a type of mushroom. Lion’s Mane is the king of neuroprotective mushrooms and is helpful for anyone struggling with brain fog or memory loss. Nerve Growth Factors (NGFs) found in this mushroom have the ability to regenerate and protect brain tissue. The extract form we have available comes in a light brown powder and contains high volumes of antioxidant properties. Best consumed in tea, warm water, smoothies or hot meals such as curries or bakes.

Cordyceps is a genus of parasitic fungi that grows on the larvae of insects. When these fungi attack their host, they replace its tissue and sprout long, slender stems that grow outside the host’s body. The remains of the insect and fungi have been hand-collected, dried and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries to treat fatigue, sickness, kidney disease and low sex drive. Interesting stuff right!
Of the more than 400 species of Cordyceps discovered, two have become the focus of health research: Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris.
Our chosen Cordycep adaptogen is the militaris variety

Here we have some links to science and articles with more on this adaptogen.

We have only covered three types of adaptogens currently introduced to our Nutrition for Life Pantry store. We are certainly wanting to add more options to this range so that those who come to us for direction on their health and well being may continue to find something that uniquely suits their personal health needs.

If you have any questions about this topic or would like further help understanding the correct dosage for you then please don’t hesitate in contacting us via email to – info@nutritionforlifepantry.com.au

Also, we include lots of helpful information about our products and nutrition ideas over in our free to join Facebook group, you can request to pop in and see what we are about – here.

Thanks for Reading!