If you are like me, mornings can feel like a train wreck. There are aspects of my life that could probably be changed to improve the morning slows, but it is also just a part of who I am. I am a natural night owl, like my sisters. It is when we are the most inspired and creative. Mornings are a necessary evil to function in a society that has been artificially programmed by the 9-5. Coffee is hit and miss for me. There are times it does wonders, for about 15 minutes, and others when it seems to have more of a downer effect on me. I jump over to Yerba Mate from time to time. If you are unfamiliar with Yerbe Mate - it is a popular South American tea, very earthy in flavor, that packs a good amount of caffeine. It is a great alternative to coffee and has less of the acidic effect on ones stomach that can often occur from coffee consumption. The problem is that it is a little expensive and not always readily available.
Rhodiola is a plant that is close in resemblance to a sedum. The root in harvested and an extract is made from it. As with most traditional medicines, the majority of it's health claims are not supported by enough scientific research to confirm. The most common use is as a natural stimulant. While talking with my naturopathic doctor about my bouts with chronic fatigue, Rhodiola was one of his first recommendation - not as a cure all, but simply as a supplement to get through those energy depleted days. The results are inspiring! After taking the recommended amount I get a feeling of clarity and a sustained increase of energy. It is not a jolt or as powerful as caffeine can be but it feels "cleaner" and has a longer effect. Like other traditional medicines that have been around as long as history, the health claims are extensive but that is not the point of this post. A quick search will give you an abundance of information regarding the other possible benefits of using Rhodiola, ranging from the treatment of depression, to cellular protection to heart beat regulation.
But if you are like me and needing a little help staying vital throughout the slumps of the day - I would highly recommend talking to your health care provider (if you are under care for other issues or on any medications) and looking into the claims of this northern root. I am sold!
Learn more about me by reading my Introduction Post
I have never heard of this before- I will have to check more into it.
THIS may be something for me to consider for myself and my husband for fatigue.
It is a wonderful supplement!
It sounds like it. I am amazed at how many different supplements, herbs and choices are out there; but have been forgotten because of the medical profession (no offense to doctors or nurses) but I am referring to basic health concerns that can be remedied at home
It is very true! I feel very fortunate that I was raised by a mother who believes in these traditional medicines and through her passion she then followed a traditional course of medicine and is now a Nurse Practitioner - this gives her a well rounded understanding of medicine and when she feels that the limits of a traditional medicine has been met and Western medicine needs to be used. I wont go into my rant of not being able to patent herbs and therefor them not getting the medical support and recognition they deserve... ;)
I love this herb, I have a fermented foods company in the UK and we use Rhodiola in the tea we make for one of the Jun kombuchas that we produce. I have had fantastic results with Rhodiola in other forms also i.e tincture. Thanks for posting. Jon.
Oh cool! What a great idea! I have been looking for a green coffee bean caffeine extract to add to my kombucha (just because that is what I have seen) but some how I have never considered Rhodiola! Sometimes the most obvious solutions are right in from of your face. Thank you for that! I am working on a 3 part kombucha post right now Part 1 & Part 2 are published if you would be interested in adding some expert commentary. Thanks!
This is a great post Jon. As an herbalist I love hearing about the positive impacts that herbs have on people. I love rhodiola. I have had the same experience with it myself. I like to put a little bit of powder in my smoothie in the morning on days when I feel like i need an extra little scoot into my day. I have the same problem with coffee. Sometimes it just seems to suck all of my energy dry immediately. I have rants about caffeine but I will save them for another time.
The other thing I really appreciated about this post is that you are informed and that you advise people to consult their healthcare provider. Another huge rant that I could go on is the commercialization of herbal medicine and the ill effects of uneducated consumers. I recently left a career in the herbal medicine industry so I could go on and on for days, lol.
Thank you @mle777 :) I have plenty of rants also but try really hard to keep them of of here haha. I am a firm believer in many of the traditional medicines but for the purpose of an informational post I try to keep it to the basics and encourage others to explore the harder to prove claims. A placebo effect can be just as powerful but I do not feel that it is my place to put those notions into other people's mind; I want them to come to their own conclusions. I took this approach with the 2 kombucha post I did earlier this week also. Thank you for the words of confidence and affirmation. I really do appreciate it, especially coming from someone of your background.
There's a lot that comes along with matters of plant medicine. For myself the spiritual aspect of it is what I hold closest. It's really hard to convey that to the general population but I may dabble in a few posts to test the waters.
Checked out your kombucha post. You know how there are sometimes things in life that you know you should try and then years fly by and you still haven't gotten to them yet. Making kombucha is one of those. I will look forward to post #3 and take that as my prompt to give it a try. Will you be including an option for those that don't have a scoby? I'm sure I could get one pretty easy in my community but am curious of results starting from "scratch".
Thanks Jon great advice
i learn something new from you every day it seems, friend! i might have to give it a spin, just for giggles - not having any real 'energy' trouble other than feeling so scattered. only one piece of chocolate today!