The Complete Guide to Adaptogens: From Ashwagandha to Rhodiola, Medicinal Herbs That Transform and Heal

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CONTENTS

Introduction

PART 1

THE BASICS OF ADAPTOGENS

1 Understanding and Using Adaptogens

What Are Adaptogens?

Safety

Tools and Supplies

Basic Ingredients

Basic Skills

PROJECT:

Make an Herbal Extract by Maceration

How to Make an Extract by Percolation

PROJECT:

Make an Herbal Extract by Percolation

PROJECT:

Make a Glass Funnel for Percolation Tinctures

2 Adaptogens Glossary

Albizia

Amla

Ashwagandha

Astragalus

Burdock

Cordyceps

Dang Shen

Eleuthero

Ginseng, American

Ginseng, Asian

Goji

Gotu Kola

Hawthorn

He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti)

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Jiaogulan

Licorice

Maca

Nettle

Reishi

Rhodiola

Schisandra

Shatavari

Suma

PART 2

ADAPTOGENIC RECIPES FOR WELLNESS

3 Recipes to Improve Your Sleep

Simply Schisandra and Rhodiola Extract

Midnight Milk

Midnight Milk Powder

Midnight Milk

Bedtime Nut Butter Bites

Bedtime Spice

Bedtime Nut Butter

Bedtime Nut Butter Bites

Morpheus Tea Blend

A Cup of Morpheus Tea

Sandman’s Reserve Elixir

Night Garden Sachets

Soothed Spirits Bath Blend

Night Nectar

Night Nectar and Fried Banana Bedtime Snack

Better Rest Elixir

Thyme for Sleep Berries and Cherries

4 Recipes to Improve Your Mood

Happy Days Elixir

Tulsi Agua Fresca

Sparkling Herbal Refreshers

Lavender Tulsi Sparkling Water

Albizia Fizz

Vine and Berry Tea

Rhodiola and Rooibos Latte

Uplifting Massage Oil

Mexican Chocolate Goji Berries

Small Measure of Calm Honey

Savor the Day Spice and Fig Morsels

Savor the Day Spice

Fig Morsels

Pistachio Avocado Pudding with Sweeter Mood Spice

Sweeter Mood Spice

Pistachio Avocado Pudding with Sweeter Mood Spice

5 Recipes to Improve Your Mental Focus

Cinnamon Candied Walnuts with Eleuthero

DIY Sunflower Seed Butter

Sunpower Powder and Spread

Sunpower Powder

Food for Thought Chia Puddings

Raspberry and Rhodiola Chia Yogurt

Matcha and Peach Chia Seed Pudding with Gynostemma

Brainiac Oxymel

Ultimate Choco Chia Dessert Pudding

Chili Lime Pistachios with Dang Shen (aka Dang Good Pistachios)

Brain Goo

Thinking Cup

Lavender and Schisandra Syrup and Soda

Blackberry Brilliance Cordial

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary

6 Recipes to Improve Your Immune Function

Goji and Elderberry Syrup

Astragalus Multi-Grain Bowls

Amla and Ginger Instant Tea

Burdock Skillet Sauté

Run Ragged Extract

Strawberry Eleuthero Shrub

Eleuthero Vinegar Extract

Shrub Fruit Syrup

Strawberry Eleuthero Shrub

More Adaptogens Plz! Miso

Immune Berry Astragalus Gummies

Cinnamon Cordyceps Cocoa

Maple Ginger Immune Elixir

7 Recipes to Improve Your Energy and Stamina

Rhodiola Fruit Leathers

Pear Blueberry Fruit Leathers

Cherry Raspberry Fruit Leathers

Simply Strawberry Fruit Leathers

All-Purpose Nettle Seed Salt

Maca and Suma Maple Syrup

Granola Bites

Lost in the Wilderness Overnight Steep

Dang Shen and Hawthorn Blend

Coconut Dainties

Coconut Cranorange Dainties

Coconut Chocolate Hazelnut Dainties

Coconut, Yogurt, and Fresh Fruit Dainties

Ginseng Extract

Super Switchel

Super Switchel Salt

Super Switchel

Eleuthero Lemon Gelée

8 Recipes to Support Women’s Health

Pomegranate Basil Soda with Rhodiola

Shatavari Honey and Figs

Roseroot Potion

By Your Lady’s Leave(s)

Maca-Choco Truffles

Superwoman Shots

Drop of Magic Kitchen Oils

Spicy Shatavari Magic

Herbes de Provence and Ashwagandha Magic

Schisandra and Oregano Oil

Easy Maca Smoothie

Loving Life Elixir

Bee Vital Seasoning

9 Recipes to Support Men’s Health

Superman Shots

Pepita Bombs

Cranberry Electuary

Men’s Chai and Mushroom Tea

Suma Pepita Smoothie

Man of Legend Truffles

Sarsaparilla and Damiana Potion

Powerblast Popcorn Balls

Suma Orange Cream Elixir

Lionheart Seasoning Blend

Good for the Gander Overnight Steep

10 Recipes to Improve Your Hair, Skin, and Nails

Blueberry Nettle Smoothie

Berry and Blossom Beauty Brew

Brains and Beauty Bitters

Beauty Gelée

Goji and Amla Bonbons

Bright Eyes Tea

Beauty Breakfast Bowl Sprinkle

Legendary Golden Beauty Elixir

Shatavari Oil

No More Raccoon Root Brew

Conclusion: Enjoying Adaptogens Every Day

About the Author

Appendix A: Resources and Suppliers

Appendix B: Bibliography

US/Metric Conversion Chart

Index

Introduction

The human quest for longevity, youthfulness, and rejuvenation has spanned hundreds of years and taken many forms. From the medieval obsession with alchemy and the elixir of life to the modern fascination with superfoods, it seems that we have always had a drive to do more, be more, and set new standards for health and vitality.

Many years ago, the Soviet Union instructed their scientists to open a new chapter in this quest. They were ordered to search for and develop substances that would allow their athletes, military personnel, and even chess players to excel above and beyond, to have an edge in stamina, strength, endurance, and mental abilities that would bring them international glory. After much work, these scientists focused their research on, of all things, herbs—a very specific group of herbs that became known as adaptogens. American ginseng, eleuthero, rhodiola, and holy basil are just a few examples of the plants that we now know as adaptogens. These remarkable plants have been shown to have a gentle but measurable influence on immunity, sleep, stress levels, energy, and endurance.

Whether you are interested in honing your mental abilities to a razor-sharp level, want to give your athleticism a boost, or are looking for ways to include tonic herbs as part of a healthy lifestyle, adaptogens have so much to offer for everyday well-being.

There are fabulous resources available to teach you about the many traditional uses and modern research regarding these herbs, but this book is different. It shows you how to take these amazing herbs and add them into your daily routines with flair! By making your own extracts, elixirs, and teas, you will save money, have a high-quality product, and end with something that’s unique rather than an off-the-shelf item. You can tailor your creations to be exactly what you want or need them to be!

Adaptogens lend themselves well to a variety of creative recipes, and working with them in this way is a pleasure. Rather than another expensive vitamin pill to pop or a bitter-tasting herbal extract to toss back while pinching your nose, you can experiment with tasty teas, yummy syrups, or fun and interesting snacks to incorporate adaptogens into your life.

Adaptogens can become a valuable part of your healthy lifestyle. They are also a great way to begin working with herbs in general. Thanks to their safety (an herb must be nontoxic and safe for extended use to qualify as an adaptogen), they are some of the easiest and most accessible herbs to work with for the average person. With a few general guidelines in place, you can approach these herbs with confidence. Turn the page to find out what you need to get started creating your first DIY adaptogen recipes, and follow in the footsteps of others who have explored some of the most compelling quests in human history: How much can we do? How much can we become? What is the full potential for our health and vitality?

CHAPTER ONE

UNDERSTANDING AND USING ADAPTOGENS

Many people are looking for ways to be healthy that go beyond the vitamin bottle. They are looking for ways to increase vitality that are less about taking a pill and more about making different lifestyle choices, incorporating nutrient-dense foods, and utilizing the basic tenets of many ancient forms of healing, including herbalism, in daily life. During this quest for optimum health and vitality, many people come across the concept of adaptogenic herbs.

What Are Adaptogens?

The concept of plants with revitalizing or restorative properties that can enhance health has been around for thousands of years, although adaptogen is a modern word that has only been used to describe them since the 1940s. Many of the herbs that we know as adaptogens today were first used generations ago in Ayurveda (the traditional system of herbalism in India) and in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

In Ayurveda, for example, herbs such as amla, shatavari, and holy basil are classified as rasayana herbs. Rasayanas are herbs that increase vitality and are believed to promote youthfulness and increase resistance to illness. In modern herbalism, we use these three herbs along with many other rasayanas as adaptogens.

One of the concepts of traditional Chinese medicine groups herbs into three categories based on their actions and safety of use. Many herbs in the first category, sometimes translated as superior herbs, are valued for their tonic and harmonizing influence on overall health. Many herbs that we know as adaptogens today belong to this class of herbs, such as he shou wu, eleuthero, and schisandra.

So how did we come to describe these herbs as adaptogens? In the late 1940s, the government of the then-USSR instructed its scientists to create a substance that could be used to increase the performance of the country’s athletes, military personnel, and even elite chess players, so that they could dominate and excel in every international arena.

We owe the modern word adaptogen to the Soviet doctor and scientist Nikolai V. Lazarev. In 1947, he created the word from the Latin word adaptare, meaning to adjust. He used it to mean a substance that raises the nonspecific resistance of the body to stress so that the body is better able to adapt to stressful circumstances.

Eventually, the Soviet research into adaptogens—which had a strict focus on safety—turned away from chemical substances such as dibazol and began to focus on American ginseng. From there, research branched out to include other plants that also belonged to the Araliaceae family, such as eleuthero, and then to an even broader selection of herbs.

By 1968, Israel I. Brekhman, PhD, and Dr. I.V. Dardymov had developed the functional definition that has evolved into the understanding of adaptogens that we have today. According to the definition used by Brekhman and Dardymov:

1. An adaptogen is nontoxic to the recipient.

2. An adaptogen produces a nonspecific response in the body—an increase in the power of resistance against multiple stressors, including physical, chemical, or biological agents.

3. An adaptogen has a normalizing influence on physiology, irrespective of the direction of change from physiological norms caused by the stressor.

Although this is the first recorded functional definition of adaptogens, there is no official definition. But, like this original definition, most modern descriptions include the concepts that adaptogens:

• Are nontoxic

• Increase resistance to multiple stressors

• Help normalize physiological responses despite prior stress-related changes in the body

Safety

Thanks to their unusual influence on the body’s ability to handle stress, adaptogens can offer a unique way to support your health. They can offer you a way to support your best possible health and performance, but moderation is key. In other words, they shouldn’t be a substitute for good self-care practices, such as getting enough sleep and eating well!

Consistent Use

A pressing question for many people when they begin using adaptogens is: Should I take a break from using adaptogens? If so, how often? Adaptogens actually seem to work better with regular use, and you don’t usually need to worry about them putting a particular strain on the body or your body building up a tolerance. Personally, I like choosing one adaptogen to use at least once a day for a few months at a time before switching over to another or taking a rest. I find that it helps to periodically reevaluate my personal health goals and concerns when deciding which adaptogen to use. Our bodies change over time and it makes sense to change our adaptogens to match what’s going on with our health.

It’s true that adaptogens and other herbs are all natural, but you should still take proper precautions. There is always the possibility of getting too much of a good thing, having an allergic reaction, or experiencing side effects when taking herbs alongside prescription medications. Some of the most important safety considerations are included in the profile for each herb in the glossary section (see Chapter 2), but it’s always a good idea to consult with your primary health care provider before including adaptogens in your diet.

Your current state of health and your health history are important considerations when deciding to incorporate any herbs into your diet, and this is especially true of adaptogens. For example, some adaptogens, like licorice, can increase blood pressure in sensitive individuals. Typically, this is only a problem if the licorice is consumed in large amounts for extended periods of time, but if you are prone to high blood pressure, you should use licorice with awareness and only after you speak with your doctor. Another example is holy basil. Although a wonderful adaptogen and nervine (an herb that supports the nervous system), this herb may not be suitable for use during pregnancy.

Usage Guidelines

By using these guidelines and treating adaptogens with the respect they deserve as potent allies for health, you can incorporate these wonderful herbs into your daily life and enjoy their many benefits.

It becomes doubly important to know safety information on the herbs you work with if you are on prescribed medications. In some cases, herbs can affect your metabolism or alter the way the liver processes medications. Herbs, including adaptogens, may have a synergistic or antagonistic influence when taken with pharmaceuticals. It’s best to do some careful research and speak with your doctor or pharmacist before proceeding if you take a daily prescription medication.

Watch Serving Sizes

When you add herbs to your diet, it’s important to remember that more isn’t necessarily better. Each individual herb has a particular safe range that shouldn’t be exceeded, and you should be careful not to combine full servings of several herbs that have similar actions. For instance, it’s better to take one serving of a formula of herbs that promote a good night’s sleep than to take a full serving of four different individual herbs that all promote sleep. Adaptogens are no different. They are safe herbs, but taking too much of one or more at a time or over the course of a day can leave you feeling jittery or aggressive. With prepackaged, off-the-shelf herbal supplements, it’s important to follow the recommended serving size and directions that come with the product. Make sure that you know the basic guidelines on correct serving sizes for the preparations you choose to make at home. Be mindful of how many recipes you use and how many herbal supplements with adaptogens in them that you take on any given day, and keep your total servings (including any off-the-shelf supplements that include adaptogens) to three or fewer servings.

For Adults Only

It may be tempting to incorporate adaptogens into the diets of the whole family, but what may be a wonderful herb for an adult may be less desirable for a child. Some adaptogens appear to have a very potent influence on the endocrine system, and may alter hormone levels in adults. Because children are still growing and their endocrine system is developing, the use of adaptogens with preteens and even teens is a very complex subject.

There are a few adaptogens that are exceptions to this rule, but in most cases it would be best to speak with a qualified herbalist about the child’s specific situation before making the decision to add adaptogens to his or her diet.

Amber Glass Bottles

Herbalists seem to have a bit of an obsession with brown glass bottles, but there is a reason for it. Brown glass helps keep out the light, which protects the extracts inside and preserves them better. If you do need to keep them in a clear glass canning jar (say, if you run out of empty bottles or you are on a tight budget), be sure to keep the extracts in a cool, dark cupboard when you aren’t using them. Personally, I prefer to skip the dropper-top bottles that are popular and use plain screw-top caps instead. I use either a set of measuring spoons or the cap of the bottle when measuring out a serving.

Tools and Supplies

Many of the tools and supplies needed for the recipes and projects