ADAPTOGENS

Maybe you've heard of adaptogens from your most health conscious friend or seen adaptogenic lattes pouring all over Instagram. But what are they, and why should we be taking them for our health? Adaptogenic herbs do what they say - they help our bodies to adapt to stress and return our bodily systems back to homeostasis. 

Currently, our lifestyles are overrun with stress. Our bodies adrenal systems are meant to control stressful situations by releasing adrenaline in fight or flight situations such as finding dangerous wildlife in our backyards. Assuming we are not living off the grid in nature, most of our bodies are responding the same way as if we've found a tiger in our living room when really it's a text notification on our smart phones. We are a culture of constant stimulation and living in a fight or flight mode all to often, wreaking havoc on our energy levels and digestive systems - insert our need for adaptogens.

Adaptogens work by bringing our stress hormones into balance. On a scientific level, when we take adaptogenic herbs over time, we are able to protect the mitochondria from stress induced damage because the herbs stimulate our cells to produce proteins that resist stress and create longevity for our immune and nervous systems.*

The most common used adaptogenic herbs are: Asian Ginseng for a boost in immunity and building endurance in the physical body, Holy Basil for heart health and overall stress on the nervous system, Milk Thistle to reduce stress associated with hormone imbalances, Ashwagandha for increased energy and sexual vitality and Rhodiola Rosea to reduce brain fog and mild depression and anxiety.

To find the best combination of herbs for your consumption talk to your healthcare practitioner and do your own research on these wonderful herbs for your wellbeing.

*Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief ©David Winston, RH (AHG), 2004; Revised 2011

WHY LOCAL HONEY?

LOCAL RAW HONEY BY NATURE'S HEX

Why buy local and 'raw' honey, do you ask? Honey that is not raw has been processed, heated and filtered since collected from the bee hive. Raw honey is pure and full of nutrients that help us gain energy, relieve sugar cravings, boost our immunity and works naturally to relieve allergies.

Not only is honey a better choice than refined sugar to sweeten your tea or toast, but choosing local and raw honey can provide relief from allergies this time of year. When ingesting honey, we eat exactly what the bees collect from plant to plant - this pollen could be the culprit of those pesky sneezes and uncomfortable itchy eyes. Studies have shown that taking one teaspoon a day of local, raw honey has shown tremendous relief to pollen allergies over a period of 8 weeks.

If you're reading this, it is safe to assume you live in the Milwaukee community. We now have Nature's Hex Pure Raw Urban Wildflower Honey and their Honeycomb stocked on our shelves for you to take home, made in our community by great people and gracious little bees! In order to take medicinally, simply ingest 1 teaspoon daily. For more creative flair, see our recipes below!

Honeycomb also has a tremendous benefit to our health. Honeybees create honeycomb in their hives, which consists of the beautiful hexagon shaped spaces that store their honey. This creation contains the purest form of honey and when we ingest the entire structure we are eating fatty acids that benefit our heart and decrease the bad cholesterol while increasing the good cholesterol. Honeycomb also contains antioxidants that can improve functioning of the liver. But eat the honeycomb in small doses. We suggest slicing off a bit of the comb to spread on grain free toasted bread or crackers. The honey will be pure and delicious, the comb will be tasteless but have a slight fibrous texture - swallow it all for all health benefits we've learned!

HONEY INSPIRED KITCHEN

+ TOAST SUBSTITUTE | FOR BREAKFAST +

Top your favorite rice cracker with nut butter and banana slices, then drizzle with local & raw honey for a satisfying breakfast on the go

+ BRIGHTEN UP THAT WRAP | FOR LUNCH +

Chop your favorite raw veggies and add a bit of protein to the center of a large collard green wrap. Whip up 1/4 C mustard with 1 T local & raw honey and 1 T of mayo for a sweet and savory sauce. Drizzle sauce on top of veggies and roll up collard green for a nutritious and crunchy lunch.

+ STIR FRY SAUCE | FOR DINNER +

Thin out your favorite nut butter with a little hot water, adding a tablespoon of local & raw honey, then add tamari and red-pepper flakes for a healthy chili sauce to enhance the flavor of your veggies or chosen protein for a stir fry.

+ GINGER HONEY TEA |  COLD REMEDY +

Add a teaspoon of raw honey and a large chunk of raw ginger or 1/2 teaspoon of raw ginger juice to a cup of hot water.  Perfect for scratchy sore throats, nausea, and the onset of cold and flu symptoms.  If there is a lot of congestion, add a squeeze of lemon juice. Kids will love this "honey tea" recipe. 

Back on Track: Detoxifying from Summer

With the joy, warmth, socialization, festivals and fun of summer~ comes more unhealthy eating, drinking, stress, fatigue, and skipping routines.  Our bodies LOVE routine, so the waning of summer also brings back the steadiness of structure.  As we get back to our roots and recover from the summer holiday, we can use this transitional time to prepare our bodies for a healthy autumn.

heal your gut: Before your body can handle a real effective detoxification, the digestive tract needs to be addressed. Are you feeling bloated after eating? Do you get cramping or see changes in your bowel patterns? For baseline indigestion, bloating, belching and flatulence a daily dose of fermented foods and probiotics may do the trick.  If you are struggling to get digestion under control- invest in your health! Our nutritionist will get to the root of the problem with you and help you find the right foods to heal your gut.

sweat it out : Studies have shown that perspiration contains trace amounts of heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic.  A well-hydrated work out or sauna session can activate your lymphatic system and help you sweat out some of that bad stuff.    

go green : Green vegetables have a high inventory of nutrients.  Many of the body’s detox processes are linked to having adequate levels of vitamins and minerals.  Start cooking with generous amounts of spinach and cruciferous vegetables to maximize your detox nutrients.

citrus boost : Vitamin C is an immune booster.  It helps the body produce an antioxidant that neutralizes toxins and also enhances digestive enzymes.  Because we cannot produce our own vitamin C in the body, eating adequate sources in whole foods or supplements is vital to better immune health. Start and end each day with a glass of warm lemon water!   (strawberry, acerola cherry, citrus fruits, papaya, black currant, kiwi, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, melons, and dark leafy greens are great food sources)

controlled breathing : Oxygen is a critical component of natural detoxification.  Controlled breathing: a deep, 5 second inhalation through the nose followed by a long exhalation through the mouth- you will achieve a full oxygen exchange, swapping incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide.  This supercharges your lymphatic system to ward of toxins, pathogens, and waste. Integrate this controlled breathing practice several times per day.

drink more tea : Green tea leaves are withered and steamed, rather than fermented, so it produces a beverage that is rich in compounds that eliminate free radicals.  Start your day with a cup of green tea and a squeeze of lemon. 

assess your water quality: It is not just about quantity! Ditch plastic bottles of commercially packaged water and invest in a stainless steel bottle.  Update your water filters or start using one for all of you water needs at home.  Tap water can be full of chemicals used to clean the water- but also add more to the chemical load in your body.  Drinking filtered, cleaner water will help your body flush out waste at the cellular level and also support the GI tract and kidneys as they flush out those toxins. How much water? At least 1/2 to 3/4 your body weight in ounces.