If you’ve ever had the pleasure of standing in a queue at a grocery store, than you have probably seen the word “adaptogen” or at least heard the word bandied about on some morning show at some point in your life. Maybe you just have some really “crunchy” friends that swear by some of these crazy sounding “stress relieving” supplements like ashwaganda and rhodiola. Regardless, you may have wondered what the heck an adaptogen was and how it could possibly relieve your stress.
Adaptogens are simply plant based compounds that do what their name suggests. They help your body adapt to stressors by bringing balance without creating either a stimulation effect (like a good dose of morning coffee) or a sedative effect. The body is constantly trying to move towards homeostasis and adaptogens may be useful in helping the body achieve that balance.
One of the most publicized adaptogens is definitely Ashwaganda. Ashwaganda has been found to protect brain cells against stress, shorten the amount of time it takes to get to sleep, increase sleep time and improve sleep quality. Ashwaganda is especially effective when combined with one of my favorites…maitake mushrooms to decrease stress hormone levels.
This leads me to my favorite adaptogens, which are, in fact, mushrooms. Mushroom supplements have been shown to support everything from immune function to a healthy stress response to improved brain function. (Who doesn’t love the idea of better brain function?). One of the brands I recommend, “Host Defense” mushroom supplements even has a Stress Decompress formula that utilizes Ashwaganda, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Lemon Balm and Skull Cap.
This is not to diminish the effectiveness or importance of other powerful adaptogens such as Rhodiola (strength and stamina) Panax Ginseng (reduce cortisol and blood glucose), Turmeric (inflammation) and Holy Basil. All of these are fantastic in their own right from boosting energy to lowering cholesterol and blood sugar.
How effective these supplements are varies from person to person and it should not be expected that what works well for one, will work for every person. Each individual is uniquely designed by God and as such, variation in effectiveness should be taken into consideration. That being said, I believe we should do everything in our power to take good care of our health, and adaptogens are right up there on my list of supports for whole body health.
Mon/Wed/Fri
Breakfast- Paleo Breakfast Cookies
Lunch- Creamy Coconut Curry Soup
Dinner- Paleo Asian Chicken Salad
Tues/Thurs/Sat
Breakfast- Cherry Mint Blast Smoothie
Lunch- Quinoa Salad
Dinner- One Pan Chicken & Carrots
Recipes
Paleo Breakfast Cookies (from bigman’s world.com)
Ingredients- 2 1/2 cups almond flour, 4 large bananas mashed, 1/2 cup almond butter, 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips.
Instructions- 1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients, except for chocolate chips and mix very well, until combined. Using a spatula, stir in chocolate chips. 3. Using a cookie scoop or slightly wet your hands, form small balls of cookie dough and place on the lined tray. Press each ball into a cookie shape. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges-Do not overcook. 4. Remove from the oven and allow to cook on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: if batter is thin, add extra almond butter
Creamy Coconut Curry Soup (from brain warriorsway.com)
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 1 cup chopped onion, 2 tsp curry powder, 1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed, stems and florets chopped, 1 (13 1/2 oz) can coconut milk, salt and white pepper to taste. Optional ingredients: halved cashews, mint leaves or cilantro. Instructions: 1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat, add the onion and cook until soft: 2. Add the curry powder, stirring to coat the onions. 3. Add the cauliflower, the coconut milk, and enough water to just cover the cauliflower with liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until cauliflower is soft 15 to 20 minutes. 4. Ladle the cauliflower into s blender no more than halfway, then pulse until smooth. Repeat with remaining cauliflower adding enough liquid to get a smooth soup. 5. Return the soup to the pan, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Divide evenly into soup tureens and garnish is you desire.
Paleo Asian Chicken Cabbage Salad (from heartumami.com)
Ingredients- (Chicken Seasoning) 1 -3/4 lbs chicken thighs (boneless and skinless) or chicken breast. Salt, garlic, onion, sweet paprika powder-lightly sprinkle over both sides of chicken. (Salad) 8 cups savoy cabbage, cored and thinly sliced, 2 -1/2 carrots, julienned. Small handful of red cabbage cores and thinly sliced. Sugar snap peas or snow peas, roughly chopped and almond slices, as much as you would like. (Aromatics) 1 large garlic clove, minced, 2 thin slices ginger finely chopped, 2 scallions chopped. (separate the white and green), 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional. Half of one star anise (or 1/4 tsp 5 spice powder). (Dressing) 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 Tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tsp grated ginger.
Instructions- 1. Chicken: Season with salt, garlic, onion, and sweet paprika powder on both sides. Pan fry them with 1 Tbsp of ghee until both sides are golden brown and cooked through. Lightly covered with aluminum foil and set aside. 2. Sauté: sauté aromatics with 1 Tbsp of ghee. Season with a small pinch of salt. Stir fry until fragrant (about 10 seconds). Add thin sliced savoy cabbage and julienned carrots. Lightly toss them a few times until the vegetables turn slightly softer yet still crisp. Season with a pinch of salt. Set aside to cool. 3. Prepare Dressing: taste and see if more vinegar if needed. 4. Combine sautéed vegetables with thin sliced red cabbage, chopped sugar snap peas, almond slices, and sliced chicken. Pour over dressing. Give a quick toss and serve.
Cherry Mint Blast Smoothie (from brain warriorsway.com)
Ingredients: 1 cup frozen cherries, 1-2 Tbsp fresh mint, 2 cups spinach or kale, thick stems removed, 2 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder, 3 cups coke water, or to taste. Optional Ingredients: 5 to 10 drops liquid stevia, 1 tsp freeze dried greens, 2 Tbsp coconut butter, 1 Tbsp pomegranate powder.
Instructions: 1. Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth. Divide evenly between glasses. Serve cold.
Favorite Quinoa Salad (from cookieandkate.com)
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander, 2 cups water, 2 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped, 3/4 cup chopped red onion, 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Instructions: 1. To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the quinoa had absorbed all the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up. 2. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside. 3. Ina small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside. 4. Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 5. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
One Pan Roasted Chicken and Carrots (from purewow.com)
Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs, 1- 1/2 lbs carrots peeled and trimmed, 1 large onion, peeled and cut into eighths, 1 head of garlic, 4 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp chopped rosemary, salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven until o 425 degrees. 2. Arrange the carrots and onion in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. 3. Slice the top off a head of garlic. Discard the head and place on tray. 4. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and season with rosemary, salt and pepper. 5. Top with chicken thighs. Rub each chicken thigh with 1 tsp olive oil; season with salt and pepper . 6. Roast in the oven until the chicken skin is golden and the carrots are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. 7. To serve, divide the vegetables and chicken thighs am
Deep Roots Wellness 