Adaptogens For Wellness & Energy – Evan Brand
With the vast ocean of an industry that exceeds 122 billion dollars of supplements, pills, powders and elixirs in our wellness world, just exactly how do we decipher which things will actually work for the path we are walking in our personal wellness journey?
An even better question is how do we know which supplements to trust and what natural plant-based adaptogens will give us more sustained energy throughout the day?
It should not come as a shock to anyone that the weight of our current responsibilities in this modern world are growing more every day. Combined this fact with all the social media, electronic, and technology distractions that pull us away from living a life of optimal wellness, how can we hit the reset button with wearing a bathrobe in the mountains for 5 days? (JK) 🙂
To help transcend overwhelm and excess stress, today on the podcast we're talking about the natural ways we can modulate stress and help to normalize our bodies by finding more balance.
We're talking with my good friend, Nutritional Therapist, and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, Evan Brand, about using adaptogens; natural and phyto-therapeutic uses of plants to help us heal and give us more energy.
Functional Medicine Through An Ancestral Lens
If you been listening to the podcast for a while, you know that I've been a huge fan of Rhodiola Rosea as well as Maca for energy, so today on the podcast, if you've been curious about using adaptogens for wellness and energy this is going to be an awesome show for you.
I know you're going to love (just as much as I did) Evan's down-home, grounded and authentic personality where we dive into topics like functional medicine through an ancestral lens, how to get back in touch with your inner dialogue, letting go of “paralysis by analysis,” what adaptogens and supplements are best to take with you while traveling, and one of my most favorite seven for seven rounds we've had yet on the show.
Be sure to stick around to hear Evan's take on the emotional quotient in letting go of old weight and how to use plants to give the type of healing that could never be produced in a lab.
What Are Adaptogens?
- Adaptogens: Modulate stress responses and can help normalize body imbalances. By supporting adrenal function, they counteract the adverse effects of stress.
- They enable the body's cells to access more energy; help cells eliminate toxic byproducts of the metabolic process and help the body to utilize oxygen more efficiently.
- Phytotherapy refers to the use of plants for their healing abilities. Adaptogens are a unique class of healing plants: They help balance, restore and protect the body.
- As naturopath Edward Wallace explains, “An adaptogen doesn’t have a specific action: It helps you respond to any influence or stressor, normalizing your physiological functions.”
Top 9 Adaptogens
- Rhodioloa Rosea: boosts endurance and fights depression (golden root)
- Ashwaghanda: helps to promote healthy levels of energy and sleep
- Schisandra berry: lowers inflammation, supports adrenal health, improves liver and digestion
- Maca: helps with reducing fatigue, enhancing energy and endurance
- Cordyceps: considered the “ginseng of mushrooms” and are known to have a truly awesome effect on endurance and stamina
- Holy Basil: has been found in many studies to be equivalent to many modern painkillers
- Ginseng: panax ginseng roots are proven anti-inflammatory, can regulate blood sugar and can even inhibit some characteristics associated with cancer.
- Reishi Mushroom: traditional Chinese medicine uses reishi to “calm the spirit.” Reishi, (literally “supernatural” mushrooms) have been used for more than 2,000 years, making them perhaps the oldest mushroom to be used medicinally. They can be helpful to reduce anxiety, alleviate insomnia, combat fatigue, and lower blood pressure. Shawn Stevenson calls this “the mushroom of immortality”
- Licorice Root: increases energy, increase immune function
- (bonus) Also check out Perfect Acai Revive – a supplement that combines Rhodiola, Cordyceps and Acai.
Listen to Episode 111 As Evan Uncovers:
- What it means to look at functional medicine through an ancestral lens.
- How Evan helps his clients through functional medicine and different tests.
- What we can do to get back in touch with our human nature by getting rid of WiFi, blue light, and spending time with nature.
- Evan's experience working for 21st Century Parks and how he fell in love with nature and forest bathing.
- How to ingest adaptogens for optimal benefits to combat stress, fatigue, and enhance performance
- What are the best adaptogens to help manage anxiety?
- How to use natural ways of living and being to support homeostasis in the body.
- Why more problems come from over researching and “information overload” which creates analysis paralysis that make people avoid doing anything.
- What are the top three Adaptogens for balancing the body and nervous system: Perfect Acai Revive: Rhodiola Rosea, Cordyceps, Grape Seed Extract
- The best foods and supplements to take on the road when traveling
- How CBD oil and other healing modalities can support the well-being of those suffering from cancer and various health disorders
- The right types of mindset and emotional intelligence that makes a difference when overcoming a chronic disease
Power Quotes From Evan Brand
Tweet This
About Evan Brand
Not Just Paleo on YouTube
Resources Mentioned by Evan + Josh
- Not Just Paleo website
- Not Just Paleo facebook
- Evan Brand Website
- The Everything Guide To Nootropics
- Stress solutions: hack your stress, calm your system and take charge of your life
- Earthing Mat
- Aviva Romm: herbalist, midwife, doctor
- Mind Body Green: 3 Powerful Herbs For Energy
- CBD Oils
- HPA Axis
- Homeopathic Remedies
- Dr. Mercola Interview
- Heart Math Institute
- Forest Bathing: Shinrin Yoku
- Iris software – blocks blue light light spectrum light
- Epigenetics
- Antenna Search: See how many antenna are around your house
- Dr. Jonathan Wright: Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You
- Dr. Mercola on Cacao
- William Randolph Hearst – Paper-mill Hemp Controversy
- Emotional Healing Through Ayahuasca
Thanks To Our Amazing Sponsor
Want to avoid more trips to the store and save hundreds of dollars a year on superfood supplements?
Check out Perfect Supplements.com
Go to perfectsupplements.com/wellnessforce to get your grass-fed collagen from today's show and sign up for a free membership, plus get 10% off your entire order – just enter promo code “wellnessforce” at checkout.
About The Author, Lauren Bryant, Podcast Production
Lauren Bryant is the Podcasting Assistant and Show Notes Writer for Wellness + Wisdom. She has a BBA in both Marketing and Spanish for Business as well as certificates in Advanced Business Communications and International Business from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire.
Lauren’s wellness journey began at a young age when she joined her local YMCA swim team, The Wave, of La Crosse, WI. One of the most profound views on wellness that anyone has said to her was when she was an assistant swim coach for that same YMCA swim team.
One day during a practice, former head swim coach, Jon Brenner, shared with her that the most important thing about coaching the swimmers was that “It doesn’t matter if they become the best athletes in the world. What’s important is that we give them the tools and guidance they need to live a healthy, active lifestyle for the rest of their lives.”
Since hearing those words, she has taken it to heart to not only focus on continuously living her own healthy lifestyle, but to help others pursue their wellness goals as well.
Lauren is not only an avid swimmer, but a fan of running, yoga, cooking, and doing any activity outside that involves being surrounded by nature. In the Fall of 2014, she completed a long-awaited goal of walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
According to Lauren, wellness is about finding gratitude and joy in doing any type of physical or self-care activity that we love. Wellness means providing ourselves with self-love, good nutrition, and the inner peace that our individual minds and bodies need.
