“Killing me slowly…with this STRESS”.  

You’re late, the kids are late, you forgot about the deadline, your bestie is having a meltdown, whatever it is, the body sees it all as one thing…STRESS.  And as all these stressors start piling up, the body sends out an ALERT to gather the immunity troops, the troops start their RESISTANCE, and if they get overwhelmed you fall into EXHAUSTION.  Stress compromises your immune system, creates excess inflammation, reduces brain function, and does not allow you to manage your emotions…hence the anxiety, nervousness, depression, EXHAUSTION! 

Rather than slugging down some more coffee, pounding down some comfort food, or swallowing some pills…let’s see if Adaptogens can be the answer. 

Q: What is an adaptogen?

A: They’re a class of non-toxic plants, mostly herbs, that help the body resist various types of stressors. Basically, when they’ve been taken, the body creates less of an inflammatory response, immune factors are not as compromised, and the ability to recover from the stress is quicker.  For centuries they’ve been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing as a way to manage stress and preserve immune health. 

Q: What are some examples?

A: Turmeric, Ashwagandha, several Ginsengs, Goji Berry, Licorice Root, are some of the popular ones. But others such as Cordyceps, Astralagus, Tulsi/Holy Basil are gaining some attention because they deal with mental/cognitive performance.  Some say the most powerful adaptogen is Hemp, due to it’s direct work on the Endocannabinoid System. 

Q: What is it actually doing?

A: Adaptogens do for your adrenal glands, as exercise does for your muscles.  When you exercise, it’s stress on the body. But as you continue to exercise, your body gets better at dealing with all the stress.  Not only does the exercise get easier, but you’re able to handle more stress/exercise and deal with that even better.  Same thing here, when you take adaptogens, it allows your entire system to handle stress better and become stronger after. 

Q: How does it do it?

A: Mostly by interacting with the hormones released by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathoadrenal system.  Basically, the body’s innate system to that handles stress. Adaptogens manage hormonal responses, like Cortisol – stress hormone, and physiological responses, like your nervous system, so everything is functioning properly and in harmony.  Bringing the body back into balance after a stressor.   

Q: Who is it good for?

A: Everyone.  Adaptogens help us react and recover from short-long term physical or mental stress. Whether you’re an elite athlete, weekend warrior, board room chief, or household CEO, if you’ve got stress of any sort, Adaptogens can be key to enhancing and maintaining your health. 

Q: Why do you call them a “Mini Stress Vaccine”?

A: Having a bit of fun (but still serious) with the word vaccine.  Vaccines do the same thing, they help protect us from stressors by managing them (not neutralizing/breaking down). They allow our body’s to adapt to the pathogen, bacteria, virus, and deal with it according.  Same with adaptogens.  But one difference is, adaptogens are working to create greater strength and resiliency IN the immune system, so you’re not just protected from today’s issues, but potentially tomorrows problems as well! 

Q: Why did you formulate SHIELD as an Apoptogenic Blend?

A: I look at the Immune System as a muscle.  If you want a muscle to get stronger, you don’t take away stress – which is what antioxidants do, you allow the muscle to experience just enough stress so it can recover.  When it recovers, it’s not only healed, but most importantly, it’s stronger.  Ready to take on more force.  When you take SHIELD you take the most powerful adaptogens in clinical quantities – Ashwagandha, Reishe Mushroom, Turmeric, and Rich CBD Hemp Oil to provide true strength to the Immune System by allowing it keep building higher and higher levels of RESILENCY. 

Q: SHIELD also helps with Anxiety/Nervousness?

A: Yes, it’s because the strength and resiliency of your immune system is directly related to your emotions.  80% of your immune system is in your gut, there is a direct link (vagus nerve) from your gut to your brain, and what/how you feel, is based on what signals get to the brain. Handling stress, calming your nerves, and having proper hormone function allows you to manage your emotions.