Springtime, a good time for adaptogens!

Spring is a rollercoaster ride. We're jolted alive on that first warm sunny day. We rush outside to do yardwork or go for a long walk or run or whatever it is you love to do outside. We jump in so fast, then the temperature slides back down, and suddenly we're frozen, rigid, hiding inside again. Who knows what to wear on any given day? We wonder why we're so tired and maybe even get sick. Let's see what nature does.
Flowers seem to pop up overnight to those who weren't looking. Those who were looking, know that they emerge ever so slowly. Gradually raising the first leaves above the soil, feeling it out, taking their time, until eventually a month or more later, they are fully up, the buds form and the flowers pop in a showy burst of color. 

It's no longer stale inside air and colors of brown, white and grey out the window. Although those winter sunsets do have a beauty all their own. Pops of color begin to appear, purple and lavender in the crocus, low to the ground come first. Yellow bursts out in clusters of daffodil and forsythia. The tulips follow in their rainbow of colors. The colors climb higher and higher.
Look up! You didn't see those red maple buds that have been swelling up since February! Did you notice the blueberry stems turning red too? Green leaf buds form all over the place, so do the pinkish blossoms of the cherry, apple, eastern redbud and friends. With them come the Orioles and warblers. More dancing splashes of orange, yellow, green and blues.

None of the plants or birds rush into it. If they sprout up, bloom or migrate too early, they'd risk losing everything to a possible frost or freeze. Without those blossoms, there's no hope for future generations, no nectar for the bees or birds. We can learn from them. Practice emerging slowly, in short bursts, or gentle flows. We too can shock our systems. It's a huge adjustment from winter rest and reclusion to the big outward energy of spring. The plants provide for us. Maybe they know we're silly humans. Introducing Adaptogens!
Adaptogens are plants or mushrooms that help us adapt to stress, to put it simply. That stress can be environmental, like the swinging temperatures and humidity. It can be physical; jumping into too much sudden movement that our heavier winter bodies are not yet used to and in shape for. It can be mental, anxiety, frustration, feeling cooped up from winter, fear, residual seasonal affective disorder, low vitamin D levels waiting to be replenished by the sun.
Adaptogens increase resistance and capacity to deal with stress and challenges. They have a balancing effect on body functions. They may increase immunity, alertness, physical and mental performance, which may lead to better sleep. Each one acts a bit different from another, and each body reacts a little differently depending on season of life, health, emotional situations, etc. 

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is one of the milder adaptogens. We use the root of this plant which is also known as Siberian Ginseng. In my experience, it is not as immediately energizing as some others, but it helps with sustained energy. It may be good for the younger humans, who likely have a steady supply of energy. It's great for athletes to increase stamina and endurance. I have not grown this plant because of its affinity towards a cooler Siberian-like climate. I find that if a plant isn't grown in its preferred habitat, the constituents we're looking for may not be there in the expected ways because the plant didn't see the harsh conditions, whether that's cold, heat, high or extremely low humidity, that it needed to survive. Did you really think the plants only had those chemicals to support us?

Ashwagandha plant. Late October. Root was harvested in early November.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant in the Solanaceae family, a relative of tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. We use the root of this plant and boy does it have a scent to it. I liken the smell to a horse wearing a splash of cologne. It is similar to Eleuthero in the sustained rather than sudden energy boost. Some herbalists insist that you should use a standardized extract for the full benefit, others feel that a tea is quite useful. I go in the middle and love the tincture or even a powder used in blends or energy ball snacks. I grow this one as an annual, harvesting the root in the fall and saving the seeds for next year. The seeds are in red fruits that look like tiny tomatillos or ground cherries, but they need to be red, not like the ones in the picture.

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Schisandra fruit cluster in front of vine. Mid September.

Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) is my favorite of the group. This is a vining plant that I grow on the north-west corner of my house. It grows quick and just keeps going! The flowers come in spring and have the most amazing smell to them, somewhere between citrus blossoms and jasmine. The fruit forms in small grape like clusters which are harvested in late summer when they turn red. I dry the berries for use in teas or tinctures. Both are delicious. One day I'll try a jam or compote. It's really seedy and not the most fun fruit to snack on due to its astringency. Schisandra is known as the five-flavored-fruit. I pick up on mainly sour and sweet, others may get more bitter with a hint of salty. Schisandra is more of a quick hit of energy, though it is somewhat subtle to a middle-aged human. Some people may experience a racing heart. I've seen this more often with younger folks, like the ones who may not require this energy. But it may also have to do with anxiety levels or just individual differences. I take this in the morning or early afternoon. If taken at night, it could keep you awake. But, like many other adaptogens, it can help with sleep later. It's all part of the balancing effect that adaptogens carry, keeping us a little more even keeled and resilient to stresses. Schisandra's five flavors offer support to many of our organ systems, helping digestion, nerves, liver, lymph, heart and circulation. 
​It is not recommended during pregnancy.

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Cordyceps

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris, Paeciliomyces hepialis, Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is the first mushroom of the group, and some consider it the only adaptogenic mushroom. In nature, this mushroom grows off of insects and is known as the zombie fungus. If you've seen Last of Us, this is the mushroom it was based on. No threat to humans, so no worries! It is cultivated now using rice bran and a blend of other substrates, no insects involved. I prefer it in tincture form, mainly because it is rather expensive. Maybe $60/oz for a good dry product grown in the US. I use this adaptogen in extreme situations where I need a real boost of energy. I find it to be a little too energizing. It is good before a workout, but it made me a little too focused and I saw the danger of potentially pushing myself too far and overdoing it. A smaller dose may have been better, or maybe I didn't need it. I don't love to rely on adaptogens for too much of a boost, or to help you overwork or overdo something when perhaps the fatigue is your body telling you to take a rest, take a break, take it easy. Don't fight or ignore your body's messages. It won't be good in the long run. That being said, sometimes you need a boost to make the final push. I'm thinking of the long car rides I used to make when I was younger. Perhaps Cordyceps would have helped me from falling asleep at the wheel. Thank you, guardian angels for protecting me. As an older adult, I now realize the stupidity of that, ok, I did then too, but you're invincible in your early 20's! 😅 The best choice here would have been to pull over, find a hotel, anything, and sleep for a bit! It's the same in a workout or cramming for a final, or working overtime. Just stop and listen to your body. 

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Ganoderma tsugae

Reishi (Ganoderma lucida, G. tsugae, G. sessile) is another mushroom that some don’t consider an adaptogen, but some do, including me. G. tsugae is found most abundant in our area. It can also be cultivated. Reishi keeps me at an even keel. I've had good luck with it decreasing my allergic dermatitis to so many things I touch like plants and mushrooms. There's that balancing effect in play! Reishi is a bit more like Eleuthero and Ashwagandha as far as energy boosts go. It offers a sustained energy which balances you out for sleep at night. Some people have had good luck with this taken at night for insomnia. I like it in tincture form and it can also be used as a tea, simmered in the water for 10-20 minutes. It is quite bitter and some people do experience nausea, I'm guessing from the bitterness. I take the tincture daily and it is ok any time of day or night, it won't keep you up. 

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Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is stimulating and will keep you up if you're sensitive to things like chocolate at night. I don't use Rhodiola due to my inability to grow it. It would be found at high altitudes and probably wouldn't be as worthwhile grown in NJ. It also is considered an endangered plant and included in the Red List in many countries. This is due partly to habitat decline, overexploitation and it's slow growth. The root is what is harvested, so the entire plant is dug up.
American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is another slow growing, slow to mature and reproduce root that has been overexploited. It grows in forest settings, so it can be very hard to reproduce those conditions in the garden. A permit is required to harvest in the wild and it is considered threatened, vulnerable or endangered depending on the state. Farms are making progress with sustainable cultivation, so check your sources and purchase from those farms if you choose to work with it.
Asian Ginsengs (Panax ginseng) is not a plant I am close to. It grows in Asia, as the name might hint. I prefer to source my herbs as locally as possible, perhaps even seeing them on the farm with my own eyes or growing them myself.