ADAPTOGENS, TONICS, AND NERVINES
From hemp, valerian and ashwagandha to passion flower, rose hip, and kava kava, there's literally no end to nature's bounty of medicinal offerings. These herbs contain plant compounds with beneficial properties found in many natural medicines. It seems more and more people are choosing natural medicines over conventional medicines — and for good reason too.
Most conventional medicines don't come without negative side effects and can be extremely unsafe...even deadly. So, what good can herbs do for our bodies and how can the ancient wisdom of their use help us today? Simply put, a whole lot. Specifically adaptogens, tonics, and nervines have helped rescue the wellness of many.
Adaptogens are herbs that improve the stress response in the body. When stressed, our bodies experience three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The work of adaptogens help us stay in the resistance phase longer and better adapt to stress overall. You can think of these herbs like everyday stress relievers, as they have the ability to fine tune and optimize our systems to handle mental and physical pressure for a better mind and body.
Adaptogen types include: Aloe Vera, Ashwagandha, Ginseng, Holy Basil, Reishi Mushroom, Rhodiola, Maca, etc.
Potential benefits include: Supports adrenal glands, balances mood and hormones, boosts energy, increases immunity, improves cognitive function, reduces blood pressure, combats insomnia, fights oxidation, reduces stress and anxiety, etc.
Tonics are herbs meant for day-to-day use to stay well. When used over a long period of time, they work to strengthen and maintain balance in the body. The more consistently you consume tonics, the longer they have a chance to work with the body to achieve internal balance – and this effect lingers as you consistently consume, the same way you would any supplement for added support.
Tonic types include: Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Licorice, Moringa, Nettle, Hawthorn, Raspberry Leaf, Goji, Turkey Tail Mushroom etc.
Potential benefits include: Improves cardiovascular health, relieves muscle and joint pain, calms the nervous system, supports detoxification, enhances memory, aids weight loss, improves digestion, builds immunity, uplifts the mind, etc.
Nervines are herbs that give support to the nervous system, including the nerves and brain. The body contains billions of nerve cells, with around 86 billion found in the brain alone. Your nervous system is responsible for circulating messages from your brain to the rest of the body. The work of nervines helps your brain to better regulate it’s control over how you learn, move, remember, feel, talk, and more.
Nervine types include: Skullcap, Catnip, Chamomile, Hops, Kava, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Passion Flower, Valerian, etc.
Potential benefits include: Relieving stress and anxiety, fighting insomnia, lifting mood, improving focus and mental alertness, etc.
We use many of these herbs in our botanicals. While we know they are no cure, the benefits they provide can help assist regulating issues in the body. As much as we’d love to say that we live perfectly healthy lives, that simply isn’t the case. Bad or good, we can’t always avoid feeling the way we do. When we are stressed, lack good sleep, feel drained, etc., our mental and physical wellbeing is more vulnerable than ever. Sometimes, the body needs some external support and thankfully, there are a few things we can do — and consuming botanicals is a promising option. If you're interested to experience their natural power, view our menu of botanicals and get back on track.