If you want to ring in the new decade feeling less stressed, more connected, and more vibrant, adding functional adaptogens to your lifestyle may help!

What are Adaptogens?

Adaptogens are plants that help us adapt to stress.

Some of the most popular adaptogens are Ashwagandha Root, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Moringa, Licorice Root, Turmeric Root, Medicinal Mushrooms, Rhodiola, and Schizandra. While each adaptogen has a different function, they all help us become more resilient to stress. To give you an idea of what adaptogens can do, we’ve outlined three reasons to include them in 2020!

#1 Adaptogens Reduce our Stress Response

We like to think of 2020 as the “Year of Emotional Well-Being”, so the importance of mental and emotional health are taking a front seat. This is where adaptogens can help.

There are mechanisms within adaptogens to enable homeostasis during extreme stress. Therefore, they work in humans to hack our stress responses. Once ingested, they help nourish the adrenal glands and bring the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) system back into balance.

By reducing our stress load, we might find we have better energy, a healthier immune system, an elevated mood, more focus, and more!

#2 Adaptogen Rituals Support Mindfulness

Finding a fun and creative way to incorporate adaptogens into your life will help to keep you excited about supporting your body’s stress response.

The last thing you want to do is feel frazzled and stressed about a rigid routine, especially one that’s entirely aimed at reducing stress in the first place! Luckily, incorporating more botanicals and adaptogens into your routine is super simple. Preparing a mushroom latte, drinking tea,  sipping on a KITE sparkling botanical infusion, taking a supplement, and even cooking with adaptogenic herbs are all wonderful ways to reap the stress-supportive, botanical benefits.

Further, consciously committing to taking adaptogens can improve all of our self care rituals. By taking them daily it may also lay the groundwork to other mindful habits like journaling, meditation, breath-work or a gratitude practice – all which further support emotional wellbeing!

#3 Adaptogens Give Good Vibes

Adaptogens help us feel less stressed so we can feel like our most vibrant selves. If you’re struggling with energy, lack of focus, low libido, brain fog, low immunity or low mood – there is likely an adaptogen for that! What is so interesting about these plants is that they provide what is known as a “nonspecific response” – giving your unique body whatever it needs specifically.

While we already know that eating plants is extremely important to our overall health, plants affect us in other ways too. Beyond the rich nutritional value of plants and adaptogens, consuming plants and being surrounded by them in general makes us feel good. Just think about how you feel after spending time in nature, or the difference in the energy of a space after plants are added.

Kicking the new year off by consciously consuming adaptogenic supplements, functional foods, and beverages like KITE sparkling botanical infusions can be a great way to create the space and intention for more  “good vibes” in your days!