I know I’ve been on a health kick in recipes this week - but if I’m gunna get down and dirty with a Super Bowl appetizer recipe that’s a far cry from healthy over the weekend, then I’m gunna need some damage control before and after.

“Adaptogens” is a hot word in the wellness world, and I’ve been mildly interested in them for a while, and always try to work them into meals when I think about it (heyyyyy turmeric, I’m looking at you, stud) - but I hadn’t gone too far down the rabbit hole. And then 2018 and 2019 happened. Those two years, in summary, were hellish. They were a hurricane of stress, anxiety, very little sleep, eating shitty, weight gain, depression, fatigue - in other words, a MESS - and all my energy was gobbled up by lethargy and stoicism.

We’re only a few weeks into 2020, so I say this with cautious optimism, but something shifted. I am hitting more productivity goals in this first month of the year than I did in all twelve months last year. It’s been pretty wonderful - albeit, exhausting. With my motivation brimming over, I want to channel some of my excess energy into my health. 

And while I love how much is getting done, it doesn’t mean stress + anxiety + lack of sleep + eating shitty/weight gain + depression + fatigue have magically disappeared, they’re still lurking somewhere in the shadows. Those hungry parasites are just biding their time for me to give them an opening, so I’m going to start taking some action in building a defense. Enter, adaptogens. 

Since I’m still a new user to adaptogens and their benefits, I interviewed my mom! I mentioned this in my last post, but my mom, Leanne Ely, is a certified nutritionist and one of the pioneers of the online food world,  and here’s what she said: 

Q: What are adaptogens?

• “Adaptogens are substances (mostly herbs) that help your body's natural ability to deal with some kind of stress and increase your ability to do so.”

Q: How do adaptogens work?

• “They work with the body's natural stress response by helping the adrenal glands (mostly) but also the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. The cool thing about adaptogens is they adapt according to your needs, hence the name. So for example, an adaptogen that we've all heard of is ginseng. Ginseng gives you energy, but only the amount of energy that you need because it adapts it's potency accordingly.” 

Q: How do you choose which adaptogens you need?

• “You choose an adaptogen according to your need--so if you're inflamed and in a lot of pain in your joints or even have a headache or cramps, you'd choose turmeric. Turmeric acts like an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) so using turmeric instead of Advil for example, is a good choice.”

Q: How much should you be consuming daily?

• “REALLY depends on what you're trying to work on. I would suggest working with your healthcare practitioner on a protocol.” 

Q: Turmeric is a root most people are already familiar with - even if they don’t realize it’s an adaptogen - a lot of practitioners and influencers in the wellness community seem to consider ashwagandha a staple in the world of adaptogens. What is ashwagandha?

• “Ashwagandha is a bitter tasting herb but it's great for the immune system. It is also really good at helping with blood sugar issues (that helps with weight loss) and boost your brain function, helping with depression as well as anxiety. Also good for thyroid function--but would advise thyroid patients to work with their doctor on that one if already taking medication.”

Q: If you can't afford to buy specialty adaptogen supplements, what are other ways to get them in your diet?

• “Cook with them! Curry powder contains turmeric for example. Throw some maca in your smoothie, you can find reishi or Chaga tea almost anywhere.”

Adaptogens are not the cure-all to all those issues I’m working on, but it’s a small natural booster that helps where it can! In my adaptogen-forward recipe, I included three adaptogens: ashwagandha, maca, and turmeric! The elixir is savory, delicious, a great meal supplement if you’re bad about skipping breakfast or lunch (eek, guilty), and takes just a few minutes to throw together! Grab the recipe below!

Green Adaptogenic Bone Broth Elixir 

Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups Scallion Ginger Bone Broth (or other bone broth), heated

• 1 stalk celery, cut into quarters

• 2 handfuls leafy greens (I used a power green mix)

• 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

• 1 scoop collagen (I use Vital Proteins)

• ½ teaspoon ashwagandha (I used Anima Mundi)

• 1 ½ teaspoons maca powder

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Squeeze of lime

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy! I told you, EASY!!! 

*If you’re not sure if you want to spend the money on the ashwagandha, just make it with turmeric and maca! You can find maca pretty cheap at places like Homegoods/Marshalls if you’re not sure where to find it outside of Amazon!