adaptogens Archives - Fusion Health and Wellness

Hangover Prevention 101

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, and with it comes for many folks an abundance of booze. Don’t be bedridden your first day of the new year – practice some damage control with this hangover prevention guide.

Note – this is NOT a green light or go-ahead to consume huge amounts of booze, or an excuse to consume booze regularly. Nothing in here prevents you from getting drunk, nor does it prevent or treat alcoholism – if you have a problem, go see a doctor. Above all else, drink responsibly – don’t drink and drive.

Look at this guide in two ways – there’s the “basic hangover prevention” protocol which entails only the first two steps, food/hydration and using antioxidants. This is the bare minimum and will work wonders for those who don’t drink too much, too often – if that’s you, then that’s all you need.

It will also work wonders in preventing hangovers for those who drink more heavily, but those who do should definitely consider some extra supplements to help combat the long term damage alcohol does to the body and brain.

Part 1 – The Night Of

1. Eat a good meal prior, and hydrate frequently

I remember vividly one night in Montreal a few summers back. It was the last night on a two week trip I took with my dad, complete with hiking Mt. Washington, seeing the Bay of Fundy, and experiencing some insane live music in Montreal.

We went out to celebrate – we managed to score a reservation at one of the best restaurants in town, Au Pied de Cochon, where we ate lavishly.

A dish of bone marrow topped with caviar - my $40 appetizer. — A dish of bone marrow topped with caviar – my $40 appetizer.

With britches loosened, I then did what any warm-blooded 20-something would do on his last night in a foreign city – try his hardest to get very drunk.

Something very odd happened that night, however. Despite trying to get drunk, and taking no antioxidants or other prophylactics, I simply never made it passed tipsy. Pretty tipsy, mind you, but never drunk, and when I awoke the next morning, I was simply a bit sleepy. And granted, this wasn’t just youth on my side – I’d had more than my fair share of vicious hangovers at this age.

Two things contributed to this – one, I ate a huge amount of food for dinner, and being French food, it was rich and high in fat.

Two, as my dad had reminded me ever since I reached the legal drinking age, I drank one glass of water per alcoholic drink – mainly because he was physically there to remind me.

Lesson learned – eat a big, rich meal, and drink a ton of water, at least one glass per alcoholic beverage, to help ward off a hangover.

Bonus tip – drink clear liquors. Clear liquors contain the least amount of congeners, by products of the fermentation process that worsen hangover symptoms.

2. Use quality antioxidants

One of the most effective ways to prevent hangovers is to prevent the actual damage done to your body from drinking alcohol. The best way to do this? Antioxidants, specifically ones that protect your liver and brain, the two organs that receive the brunt of the damage. It’s important to choose antioxidants that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective barrier made up of brain cells that only allow certain nutrients into the brain.

Astaxanthin is an extremely powerful antioxidant that is proven to cross the blood-brain barrier, and in one study was able to prevent damage done to the brains of rats by up to 40%. I personally use 4 mg of astaxanthin per 2-3 drinks. 12 mg pills are also available for the bacchanalians out there.

I personally also add 400 mg of Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) per 2-3 drinks as well, another powerful antioxidant that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier. If tight on cash or just plain lazy, stick to astaxanthin.

Out of all the antioxidants I’ve tried, these are the only two that reliably spare me from head-splitting migraines the day after.

For the liver, I highly suggest using N-Acetyl Cysteine and a high quality Milk Thistle extract, prior to drinking. Both are dirt cheap and work wonders to prevent damage done to the liver from excess alcohol consumption, as well as speed up the rate at which the body is able to breakdown alcohol.

This product contains both N-Acetyl Cysteine and milk thistle, as well as some other liver-protecting goodies, for just 20 dollars.

LifeExtension offers an all-in-one product that contains both antioxidants and liver supporting substances. This is a great pick for anyone who imbibes just occasionally, but for the regular weekend warriors out there, it’s both more economical and more effective to stock up on the items listed above.

You can opt to finish the night off with 200 to 400 mg of L-theanine, a calming and neuroprotective amino acid derived from green tea that not only helps your body to break down alcohol more quickly, but helps to deepen your sleep, allowing you to recover better from your binge. This is critical as alcohol worsens the deepest stage of sleep, REM sleep, in which dreams occur, memories are formed and learning is solidified.

3. Replenish what you’ve lost

Alcohol is one hell of a draining substance, and depletes your body of numerous essential vitamins and minerals.

The easiest way to replenish what you’ve lost from boozing is to at least pop some high-octane multivitamins. Add probiotics and a greens drink if you have the money.

A multivitamin such as LifeExtensions Two Per Day capsules is a quick and easy way to replenish most vitamins and minerals that are depleted from excessive drinking. Consume 2-3 pills before, during or after drinking.

For additional support, I would add a quality greens powder the same night after drinking. My top picks are Vitamineral Green and Green Vibrance – both are insanely nutrient-dense green powders, and both pack huge doses of probiotics. However, both are also expensive, and rightfully so.

For those on a budget (myself included), take 6-12 tablets of chlorella, which is both a strong detoxifier and packed with nutrients and antioxidants, along with 1-2 probiotic capsules. Both products are quite affordable and help to further replenish nutrients and probiotics that are depleted or killed off by excessive alcohol intake. Consume with coconut water – see part two.

4. Additional support

Adaptogens are any number of substances that help to normalize the functions of the body, increase energy and prevent stress. Would they be any help in keeping you sharp the day after a few libations?

Turns out Siberian ginseng is able to prevent hangover symptoms. According to this study, the authors concluded that “… PEA (Siberian ginseng) may have potential to reduce the severity of the alcohol hangover by inhibiting the alcohol-induced hypoglycemia and inflammatory response.”

Here is a strong and very affordable Siberian ginseng extract – each 400 mg pill is the equivalent to 11 grams of the un-extracted, raw herb – all for just $14.

Red Chinese ginseng is also able to help prevent hangovers and reduce damage from alcohol. This study concluded that ginseng “showed positive effects on hangover symptoms. Considering the reduction of plasma alcohol levels, expiratory concentrations, and hangover severity, we conclude that red ginseng relieves the symptoms of alcohol hangover.”

Unfortunately, with Chinese ginseng you get what you pay for, and cheap versions found at CVS or Walmart aren’t going to do much. I personally use either Dragon Herbs’ Ginseng Sublime, or if money is tight, their more affordable but still high quality House Ginseng. Again, these items aren’t necessary, but do help.

Part 2 – The Morning After

1. Hydration in the form of coconut water

Lots of electrolytes are lost when you drink. Alcohol also slows the production of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), which causes you to lose water through urination – the real reason behind the whole “breaking the seal” concept.

When you stop drinking, your body goes on to over-produce ADH in a rebound-type effect. This causes water retention, leading to puffy hands, feet and face, as well as a headache as your blood pressure increases. Your body also over-produces a hormone called vasopressin, which causes your body to retain sodium and lose potassium.

Drinking coconut water, which is extremely high in potassium, helps to lower blood pressure, rehydrate and prevent the excessive retention of water. I’m a huge fan of dehydrated coconut water – it’s cheaper, lighter and takes up less space, while providing all the benefits of liquid coconut water. Consume at least two tablespoons worth in a big glass of water.

Add two to three teaspoons of Natural Calm magnesium citrate to further replenish lost minerals and electrolytes, and reduce the inflammation caused by alcohol.

2. Caffeine

Lets face it, a cup of joe is just what the doctor ordered after a long night. Combine with L-theanine for less jittery side-effects and enhanced focus.

3. Nootropics

Nootropics (new-trope-icks) are a class of substances that act to increase cognitive function, and are commonly referred to as “smart drugs” – they’re great for students, for desk jockeys, for musicians, athletes, busy moms, hell, just about everyone. CEO’s of million dollar companies and Silicon Valley startups rely heavily on nootropics, as do professional level gamers. I’ve personally noticed a huge improvement in performance, focus and productivity, as well as improvements in mood and a decrease in stress from perfecting my nootropic use.

However, they’re also a tricky bunch – what works great for one person may not do much for another. There’s a great variety of nootropics out there as well, each one aimed at enhancing a specific area of cognitive function – memory, motivation, creativity, reaction time, energy, etc.

For this reason, your best bet is to contact me so you can quickly sort through which ones would be right for you, and avoid spending money on those that many in the community consider to be duds.

4. Optional – more antioxidants, liver cleansers and multivitamins

It depends on how much you drank and how bad you feel, but it never hurts to double up on antioxidants and vitamins, especially if you drunkenly forgot the night before. More greens powder or chlorella helps as well.

Party on, Garth!

So remember – at it’s most basic, you can simply eat a good dinner, stay hydrated, and take some antioxidants before and during drinking. This alone does wonders.

To take it up one more notch, add a high quality multivitamin and coconut water to rehydrate. Astaxanthin, NAC/milk thistle plus a quality multi will run you 20 to 30 bucks for multiple month’s worth of supply.

Everything beyond that is very helpful, but not necessary if you’re not regularly consuming multiple drinks per night.

5 Simple Tips to Stay Trim During the Holidays

Let’s admit it – the holidays are a terrible time for weight loss, between all the parties, the rich dinners and the holiday treats.

Lucky for you, there are some simple strategies you can use to help keep some of the extra pounds off this holiday season.

1. Workout before a big meal or party

Do you ever feel guilty after eating a ton of junk food at a holiday party, or after a big holiday meal? The truth is, you don’t have to. In fact, strategic gorging on food, even somewhat unhealthy food, can help you build muscle and lose weight.

The best way to do this is by eating healthy during the rest of the week, and when the day of the party arrives, make sure to get a strenuous workout in right before the party. This makes muscle tissue more sensitive to the hormone insulin, while simultaneously making fat cells less sensitive to insulin. This means that the food you consume immediately after a strenuous workout is preferentially used to build and repair muscle tissue, and less likely to be stored away as fat.

Bonus tip – consume a casein protein shake with chia seeds right after the workout and prior to the party. Casein is a type of protein that is very slow digesting, helping to curb hunger. Chia seeds absorb moisture and expand in the stomach, also helping to create a feeling of fullness. The net result is less food consumed at the party without feeling like you’re depriving yourself. If you’re a vegan or sensitive to dairy products, use a quality hemp protein powder.

2. Drink Smart

Choose your holiday libations wisely. The higher in sugar your alcoholic drink is, the more likely you are to put on the weight.

Worst offenders – spiked eggnog, beer, sweet wines and sugary mixed drinks.

White Russians are unadvisable as well. — White Russians would be unadvisable as well.

Middle of the road – Dry white and red wines, and low sugar cocktails (think a martini)

Best bets – clear liquors with soda water and a lime/lemon. Think a vodka and soda, gin and soda, etc. Straight liquors, liquors on the rocks, as well as watered down liquors are great options too, such as a bourbon and water or a bourbon neat.

Bonus Tip – Use a good antioxidant to help prevent hangovers. My favorites for this purpose are astaxanthin and CoQ-10, 4 mg and 400 mg per every 2-3 drinks, respectively. Both of these are powerful antioxidants that make it to the brain to help mitigate some of the damage caused by alcohol consumption.

You can also use L-Theanine at the end of the night to speed up the rate the body breaks down alcohol, and promote a deeper sleep. And remember to hydrate!

3. Keep your stress levels down

I personally find holiday shopping to be the bane of my existence. Holiday shopping can be pretty stressful, and unfortunately all that extra stress leads to weight gain.

Excess stress makes you gain weight due to a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol has many necessary functions within the body – however, when your body releases cortisol in excess in response to stress, your body begins to store extra fat, especially around the midsection.

Good thing there are a few ways to help keep excess cortisol in check.

Ashwagandha – Ashwagandha is one of the best ways to reduce stress and lower cortisol, and it’s easy as just popping a few pills. This 2012 study showed that

“Ashwagandha root extract exhibited a significant reduction in scores on all the stress-assessment scales on Day 60, relative to the placebo group. The serum cortisol levels were substantially reduced in the Ashwagandha group, relative to the placebo group.”

Ashwagandha also increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps protect brain cells, helps the brain make new connections between neurons (leading to faster learning and better memory retention), and is also a potent anti-depressant. Add to this the fact ashwagandha improves thyroid functioning, which is one of the main endocrine glands in charge of your metabolism, and is an aphrodisiac, and you have one hell of an herb. This patented, full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha is only $14.

Yoga has been proven time and again to be a very effective way to reduce stress. This study shows that it was more effective than medication in both reducing cortisol and in its antidepressant effects – and it’s free.

Phosphatidylserine is another natural supplement that is proven to reduce cortisol, though is a bit more expensive than ashwagandha.

4. Don’t eat or drink 2-3 hours before bed time

Did you know that you can burn fat while you sleep? Keep your dinner light, low in carbs and make sure to have it 2-3 hours before your normal bedtime.

Leptin is a hunger-suppressing, fat-burning hormone that is naturally released sometime around sunset. However, leptin won’t be released if there is insulin in the bloodstream, and insulin is released in response to food intake, especially carbs. This is why dinner should be light, early and low in carbs, to make sure insulin has cleared the bloodstream in time for leptin to be released.

Insulin also hampers the release of another fat-burning hormone called adiponectin, released soon after sunset. Then around midnight, leptin enters a region of the brain that signals for the body to start burning fat for energy and to increase thyroid output – but only if insulin hasn’t been hanging around.

Bonus tip – keep breakfast low in carbs too. Cortisol is highest in the morning, which acts like a natural caffeine to help us wake up. But don’t forget that cortisol is also a powerful fat-storing hormone as well.

Because cortisol increases fat storage, it’s best to make your breakfast low in carbs, instead having a healthy mix of protein, low-carb, high-fiber veggies/fruits, and with a small to moderate amount of fat.

Think an omelet with onions, mushrooms and peppers, a smoothie with berries, chia seeds, protein powder and unsweetened almond milk, or even a breakfast salad.

5. Lose weight with just 4 minutes per day

Anything that promises weight loss within such a short period of time is usually a massive red flag that it’s a complete marketing gimmick. For once, this appears to not be the case.

Tabata training is method of high intensity interval training (HIIT) that is completed in just four minutes.

How can only a four minute workout improve fitness and help you lose weight? To sum it up in one sentence – It’s a bitch.

Tabata involves eight rounds of 20 seconds of all-out effort exercise with 10 seconds rest. The key word here is all-out effort – if at the end of the eight rounds you feel you could do more, you weren’t going hard enough.

What would this look like in the gym? Hop on a stationary bike, and spend a few minutes getting warmed up. After five minutes or so, go all-out sprinting on the bike for 20 seconds. Then pedal lightly for 10 seconds, followed by another all-out sprint for 20 seconds, and then 10 seconds of light pedaling. That’s one minute, and two rounds.

At this point, if you’re new to this type of training, take a minute’s rest. Then do another two rounds of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, followed by another minute’s rest. Complete only 8 rounds, for a total of four minutes of active exercise.

If you’re in really good shape or have already been doing this protocol for a few weeks, feel free to try to go the whole four minutes without any minute long breaks.
As you can tell from the graph above from the original study, the group that did 6 weeks of hour long endurance training hardly improved in anaerobic capacity, while the Tabata interval training group improved drastically – with only 4 minutes of active work each day.

I don’t suggest Tabata training to be your only method of exercise, but during the busy holiday season, it’s a great way to squeeze in a workout when you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

Looking for other ways to lose weight?

Contact me.

Quick and Dirty Tips

My latest blog post is taking a while, so here are four quick tips to read in the meantime. Enjoy!

1. Coconut oil for weight loss, improved cognition, and boosted immunity – While coconut oil has definitely started to verge on becoming a fad, there are quite a few reasons to add it to your diet.

In place of other fats, coconut oil may aid weight-loss – 60% of the fat found in coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs. These shorter fatty acids bypass normal digestion and are absorbed straight into the bloodstream through the liver, where the body preferentially burns them as energy instead of storing them away as body fat.

The MCTs in coconut oil are readily converted to ketones, small molecules that the body can use for energy, just like it would for sugar. This provides an immediate supply of energy not only for muscles, but for the brain as well. While normal folk may enjoy a nice boost of clear headed energy from coconut oil, it’s especially important for those with Alzheimer’s disease, during which brain cells can become resistant to burning glucose, leading researchers to believe that some forms of Alzheimer’s disease to be a type of diabetes. However, these glucose-resistant brain cells have no problem utilizing ketones as a fuel source.

Finally, coconut oil is nature’s richest source of lauric acid, comprising nearly 50% of it by weight. Inside the body, lauric acid is converted to monolaurin, a powerful little compound with antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and anti fungal properties, with many infections being unable to develop a resistance to it. Coconut oil also contains capric and caprylic acids, two more anti-fungal compounds.

My suggestion? Spend 20 bucks on a few months supply of coconut oil and use it in place of other fat sources. Concentrated MCT oil is also available.

2. Avoid Carbs in the Morning – Cortisol, a catabolic, fat-storing hormone, is highest in the morning.

This is actually a good thing, as it acts as a natural caffeine, waking you up and preparing you for the day. But because cortisol increases fat storage, it’s best to make your breakfast low in carbs, instead having a healthy mix of protein, low-carb, high-fiber veggies/fruits, with a small to moderate amount of fat.

Think an omelet with onions, mushrooms and peppers, a smoothie with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, chia seeds, protein powder and unsweetened almond milk, or even a breakfast salad.

3. Keep cortisol low to reduce stress, lower body fat and have more energy – Let’s get some things straight about cortisol – it is an absolutely essential hormone, responsible for proper energy levels, feelings of alertness, and even helps regulate blood sugar. The problem, as with all things health related, is the balance of cortisol. Too little and you’ll be plagued with fatigue; too much, and you’ll be constantly stressed, unable to put on muscle and unable to prevent fat gain, the dreaded skinny-fat.

Fortunately, as long as you haven’t dug yourself into adrenal fatigue, there are easy ways to lower cortisol to keep it right in that optimum range.

According to this study, yoga is an easy and effective intervention to reduce cortisol to a normal range –

The findings support that yoga may act at the level of the hypothalamus by its ‘anti-stress’ effects (reducing the cortisol), to bring about relief in depression.

Further, considering the fact yoga results in an almost 30% increase in GABA, our main calming neurotransmitter, you’re getting a one-two punch in reducing stress levels.

One of my most favorite herbs, ashwagandha, has a strong cortisol-lowering effect as well. According to a 2008 study, ashwagandha “significantly improved scores on a standardized measurement of stress intensity… Moreover, at the end of the study period subjects that received 500 mg of ashwagandha daily had cortisol levels nearly 30% lower than subjects who took a placebo, and their DHEA-s levels were significantly higher as well.”

DHEA is a mood-boosting, muscle-building, fat-reducing hormone that starts to decline each year starting in the early 30s, at roughly 2% a year. Any increase you can get in DHEA is a good thing.

You can also use phosphotidylserine, a phospholipid naturally present in milk and soybeans. This study states –

Pretreatment with both 50 and 75 mg BC-PS (phosphatidylserine) significantly blunted the ACTH and cortisol responses to physical stress.

You can buy 120 capsules at 100 mg each here.

4. Meditation lengthens life, improves cognitive processing speed, improves neuroplasticity, and delays the aging of the brain.

It’s incredible how certain single activities have such a multitude of benefits – exercise, yoga, looking before you cross the road. You can now officially add meditation to that list.

Meditation protects telomeres, which are the end caps on your DNA. Longer telomeres are positively associated with prolonged life, meaning anything that protects telomeres will likely lengthen your life. Meditation prevents the shortening of telomeres, thus likely lengthening your life.

Recent research at UCLA shows that meditation helps not only strengthen connections between existing neurons, but increases something called gyrification. This is the amount and thickness of folds in the pre-frontal cortex – more folds, more surface area, and an increase in memory and information processing speed.

As the study states, “there seems to be a positive correlation between cortical gyrification and intelligence (Luders et al., 2008)”, meaning an increase in gyrification (through meditation or other means) should increase intelligence as well.

A 2009 study concludes that,

meditation may reduce stress-induced cortisol secretion and this could have neuroprotective effects potentially via elevating levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)… In one cross-sectional study, meditation practitioners were found to have a lower age-related decline in thickness of specific cortical regions.

This means two things. First, because of a decrease in cortisol and an increase in BDNF, meditation is neuroprotective, protecting the brain against damage and stress, while at the same time increasing neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to form new connections between existing neurons.

Second, meditation prevents the age-related decline in grey matter, literally preventing the aging of the brain.

Not to mention meditation lowers stress, boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces pain and leads to a general increase in happiness and quality of living. Stay tuned for future articles on meditation and yoga, I’ll be getting pretty in depth with these topics.

Interested in how to utilize these concepts to get the most out of life? Contact me for a free initial consultation.

Consuming Zombifying Fungi, Deer Antlers and Sheep Placenta – The Quest for Everlasting Youth

Over the past five years I’ve done many an odd thing to explore the realm of boosting health and achieving peak performance – I’ve eaten plenty of organ meats, with sweetbreads being my favorite (sweetbreads are a euphemism for the thymus and pancreas of calves and lambs); experimented with multiple nootropics, or substances that boost mental performance, some that even grow your brain; changed my diet every which way imaginable, with accompanying changes in workout routines; and spent more time than I’d like to admit on various scientific journals reading up on studies that might provide me with the next big biohack that would improve my life.

But hands down, the strangest things I’ve done in the quest to improve my health and perform at higher levels always seem to revolve around increasing the quality and quantity of my Jing – having consumed things such as the tips of deer antler, deer and sheep placenta, geckos, sea horses and sea dragons, as well as spending $70 on the most foul tasting of the bunch, a liquid extract of male silk moths. Yes, it tastes exactly like what you would imagine liquid bugs would taste like.

Want some?

Why all this fuss about Jing? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jing is your “Regenerative Essence”, the equivalent to the fountain of youth – the more you have, the more youthful you’ll remain, the more energy you’ll have, the less likely to get sick you’ll be, and ultimately, the longer you’ll live. When the body runs out of Jing, you die, plain and simple.

Jing is one of what’s known as the Three Treasures, the other two being Qi and Shen. Jing is the basis for Qi, and Qi for Shen, so by improving Jing, you can improve all three. This makes Jing of prime importance, for if you focus on building your Jing, your Qi and Shen will increase as well.

Traditional Chinese Medicine dictates that Jing is particularly related to the bone marrow, the reproductive system, the brain and nervous system and especially the kidneys, which, in TCM, include the adrenal glands. Jing is associated with longevity, youthfulness, regeneration, as well as your mental prowess, courage and will power. In modern terms, Jing can be associated with your stores of hormones, the integrity of your DNA as well as your genetic potential in general. Therefore, consuming herbs or supplements or doing certain practices that build your Jing increase your vitality and resilience, boost mental power, enhance your fertility, improve your youthful appearance and ultimately increase how long you’ll live. In other words, it’s important. And yes, the things you consume and experience do actually change your genetic expression, something I will write a post or two about in the future.

As a little aside here – whether you speak of “Jing” as some ancient, almost romantic concept coming from China, or speak of it’s equivalent in modern day language, you’re still talking about the same thing. The youth-preserving processes within the body and the same nourishing properties of food and herbs are all pointing at the same thing, whether you call it Jing, hormonal balance or regenerative essence.

Someone who has a lot of Jing stored up is brimming with vitality, is in high spirits, never seems to fatigue, has that youthful appearance and demeanor and may even have that special extra “something” about them, that je ne sais quoi. On the other hand, someone with depleted Jing is constantly tired, can’t handle even minor stressors, may have thinning, frail hair and nails, saggy or wrinkling skin, bags under their eyes, and is often a big ol’ grump.

Two metaphors for people with lots of Jing are healthy teenagers and healthy pregnant women. A healthy teenager is able to wake up early, go to school, go to gym class during school hours, then practice their sport after school hours, finish their homework (just kidding), stay up late at night and wake up the next day with almost no ill effects – and they may not even be using the crutch of coffee yet at this age. This is because they’re brimming with hormones, which are under the domain of Jing, and they haven’t yet had much of a chance to deplete their Jing as they are still relatively young. Pregnant women are also brimming with hormones; because they’re with child, they’re also using a lot of Jing to build and nurture that baby. Unfortunately, if not paid attention to, this may leave some women feeling drained due to a loss of Jing, especially after the second or third child.

My favorite example of someone who is depleting their Jing too quickly is the Marathon runner who isn’t recovering properly in between runs. And true enough, long-distance running depletes youthful hormones such as Human Growth Hormone and DHEA, and results in a long-term increase in cortisol, a catabolic stress hormone.

Sprinter on the left, marathoner on the right. While both have relatively low body fat, the sprinter clearly has more muscle to her. Guess which is approaching Jing depletion…

I love it when modern science backs up ancient wisdom, and this is exactly what’s happening in today’s world with the concept of Jing. Many of the substances used to supplement Jing from TCM have been found to have profoundly rejuvenating effects on the body; many are adaptogens which improve hormone levels, and almost all of them benefit the adrenal glands, the storehouses of sex hormones and “youth” hormones, lending credence to the Kidneys (which include the adrenals in TCM) being the seat of Jing.

For example, Rehmannia is one of the primary Jing tonics in TCM. Rehmannia is rich in a compound called catalpol, which “has been shown to have anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis and other neuroprotective properties and plays a role in neuroprotection”. Rehmannia benefits learning, protects the kidneys, enhances longevity by increasing superoxide dismutase, the body’s “master antioxidant”, and boosts the immune system.

Deer antler extract is said to be perhaps the most nourishing substance to Jing, along with Placenta. While many are hearing about deer antler from NFL scandals or as a “natural” source of steroid hormones, it’s best to keep in mind that any ingested hormones are swiftly broken down by digestive enzymes, and thus not absorbed. Ancient Taoist hermits marveled at how each year, a young buck’s antlers would grow up to 2 cm daily. If cut or damaged, the antlers simply regrew, something common in lizards or starfish but extremely rare in higher order animals. This made the Taoists believe that the deer’s antler must be a potent source of Jing (read – regenerative essence), and modern science has backed this up – it’s rich in collagen, proteins, minerals, and especially rich in growth factors. Our bodies naturally produce high amounts of growth factors when we’re young, but this production starts to decline as we age. Deer antler is also rich in interleukins, which are powerful immune boosting cells.

Two Taoist Immortals

This study states “both in vitro [in a petri dish] and in vivo [in an actual animal or human] pharmacological studies have demonstrated that deer antler base possess immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, anti-fatigue, anti-osteoporosis, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-stress, anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, hematopoietic modulatory activities and the therapeutic effect on mammary hyperplasia. Although the mechanism of actions is still not clear, the pharmacological activities could be mainly attributed to the major bioactive compounds amino acids, polypeptides and proteins. Based on animal studies and clinical trials, deer antler base causes no severe side effects.” (Brackets and bold are my addition) Interestingly, this is in reference to the base of deer antler, and not the tips, which are replete with much more biologically active compounds and which are the parts used in a high quality product.

Deer antler is highly praised in TCM and highly sought after. Nowadays, depending on which brand you buy, the antler tips are harvested using as humane methods as possible. The deer have local anesthesia applied, the very tips of the antlers, the most potent part, are surgically removed, and the deer are then bandaged and set free to continue grazing on their pastures. This antler trimming is even said to help prevent fights amongst males. I personally make sure the deer antler I’ve used comes from New Zealand, where there are strict standards set by the government for treating animals humanely. If you do use deer antler, make sure it’s coming from a company that uses New Zealand products and preferably one that specializes in selling Chinese herbs, as many deer antler products are absolute trash. This is a great product from Dragon Herbs.

Cordyceps is a fungus that infects certain insects, mainly caterpillars and ants. It causes them to climb to higher locations, at which point it sprouts out of the insect’s head and spreads its spores.

Cordyceps infected tarantula

Yeah, it’s basically a mushroom that turns insects into zombies. However, if consumed by humans, it turns them into superheroes – in the 1993 Nationals in Beijing, Chinese women amazed the world, breaking records left and right. One ran the 10,000 meters a full 42 seconds faster than any woman in the world had prior, with other women beating other records as well. Of course, steroid use was suspected, but when all the women tested negative for steroid use, the press asked the coach what could have possibly caused such a huge uptick in performance. The answer? In addition to intense, high-altitude training, the coach had his trainees consume a drink prepared with a “caterpillar fungus” as the main ingredient. This fungus was none other than cordyceps. Mind you, it is not possible for humans to be infected by cordyceps, and any cordyceps you buy is the fruiting body and not the spores, and thus is inert and unable to infect anything whatsoever, even if you were indeed a caterpillar.

Cordyceps has been found to be anti-depressive, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, kidney-protective, improves neuromuscular performance, protects the brain from hypoxia (lack of oxygen), and is also anti-inflammatory. It’s quite the amazing little fungus. I’ve noticed huge improvements in workout quality – I’m able to push harder for a longer period of time. It also helps prevent mental fatigue as well, great for long days at the office, which, to me, means long days sitting on my laptop in Starbucks. If only they’d come out with a cordyceps Frappucino..

There are plenty of other Jing enhancing substances, many of which I’ll be doing future posts on. A few of my favorites are Rehmannia, He Shou Wu, Deer Antler, Cordyceps, Goji Berries, Eucommia, Cistanche, Ashwagandha and Shilajit. There are also many blends available from a few good companies – I mainly stick to Dragon Herbs or Jing Herbs. For those interested, I’m currently using a 250 gram bag of Jing Herbs’ Restore the Jing, to which I’ve added 50 grams each of Jing Herbs’ Cistanche and He Shou Wu, and add some Deer Antler whenever I feel I need a little boost.

If you’re at all semi-interested in enhancing the quality of your life, increasing your longevity, increasing your mood and energy levels, improving your fertility and libido, preserving youthfulness, and generally being all around more badass, consider adding one or two Jing supplements to your regimen.

Adaptogens, Pt. 1

Let’s say you’ve got your diet nailed down, and your exercise routine is going along great, and you’ve even started taking a few supplements to fill in some gaps. You have more energy and hey, you’ve even lost a few pounds without trying, you sly dog you.

But then you hit that wall. It could be that 3 pm, post-lunch-take-a-nap wall, or the wall you hit when you get home from work that turns you into a zoned out zombie. It could be that wall you hit each time you try to go to the gym only to find you don’t have any energy.

The wall has been hit

You realize there’s something missing, something more you could be doing. And the truth is there is more, a lot more you could be doing – small tweaks you could be making that will make a big difference. One of which is making use of adaptogens.

No doubt about it, getting your diet honed in and specified to your goals, getting a healthy dose of exercise and improving your sleep habits are the foundation of any health promoting regimen, and the cornerstone of your success. But once that’s in place, how do you take it to the next level?

The Missing Link in Your Life

Today’s world is a high-stress world – we’re actually built to handle, even thrive, on small doses of stress, but chronic stress? Thats a killer. Good news is, nature has once again provided us with all we need, this time in the form of adaptogens.

An adaptogen is any substance that improves our ability to handle stress. Many of them lower or modulate levels of cortisol, our main stress hormone. Some adaptogens help us to actually rebuild our over-worked adrenal glands, helping to prevent or reverse adrenal fatigue. They provide us with sustained, jitter-free energy throughout the day, many improve libido, and they work in too diverse a way to sum up in this little paragraph.

Further, some help us to relax, much as a glass of wine does after work. Others can be more stimulating, great for the start of the day or before the gym, and yet others are neutral and balanced, while still being strongly anti-fatigue. I recommend picking either one neutral adaptogen to try out, or one that is stimulating and one that is relaxing, so you have one for day time use and one for the evenings.

Ginseng – This is the big boy on the block, the granddaddy of all adaptogens. Ginseng is the highest ranked herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for a reason, and that’s because it is so broad-spectrum in its actions, and because it’s the primary Qi tonic, it increases energy levels and stamina tremendously. Ginseng normalizes the activity of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, meaning it brings you into balance between your “rest and digest” mode and your “fight or flight” mode. Ginseng also regulates your endocrine system, helping to keep your hormone levels in check.

Ginseng root looks like a human body

In addition to being strongly anti-fatigue, Ginseng is also

Neuroprotective
Cognitive Enhancing
Immuno-regulatory (increases immune response in those with low immune function, and decreases response in those with over-active immune systems)
Anti-diabetic
Anti-cancer
Pro-libido
Hormone-regulating

It should be noted that true Asian ginseng, called Panax Ginseng, is a different plant than either American Ginseng or Siberian Ginseng, although all three have similar effects. Panax Ginseng is generally more stimulating than the others, with Siberian Ginseng being neutral, neither stimulating nor relaxing, and American Ginseng being ever so slightly relaxing. Further, when it comes to buying ginseng, you get what you pay for. Higher quality roots will produce much better results, and will cost more, with some very mature and potent roots easily reaching close to a thousand dollars. I personally have used Dragon Herbs products with great results. Their House Ginseng and Ginseng Sublime are excellent choices.

Ashwagandha – This bad boy, sometimes referred to as Indian Ginseng, is a helluva plant. A mainstay in Ayurvedic medicine, the ancient healing system of India, Ahswagandha is my top pick in terms of relaxing adaptogens, and may well be my favorite adaptogen overall.

It has been proven to lower cortisol, our main stress hormone, in a dose dependent manner, making it a gift for today’s fast-paced, highly strung world. It excels at treating anxiety, as it actually works on the same receptors in the brain as pharmaceutical anxiety meds, without addiction or side effects. For this reason, it can be used in smaller doses throughout the day as a calming agent, and in larger doses in the evening to relax, much the way you would drink a glass of wine.

It provides a nice big boost to the libido, enhances fertility in both women and men, and boosts thyroid function, aiding in weight loss, as well as being anti-fatigue and immuno-regulatory.

But perhaps it’s greatest benefit is that it’s been shown to enhance the release of BDNF within in the brain. BDNF stands for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, which protects brain cells from stress and toxins, repairs damaged brain cells and even promotes the growth of new brain cells! For this reason it deserves a place in anyone’s medicine chest, and especially for those who may be worried about cognitive decline. For this benefit to bear fruit Ashwagandha must be taken continuously over long periods of time.

Yeah, it makes you smarter, thinner and more fertile

Tulsi – Also called Holy Basil, this herb is known as the “Queen of Herbs” in Ayurveda (ashwagandha is sometimes referred to as the king). Tulsi is a highly revered medicinal plant that is found in almost every home in India, and for good reason. It’s said to be the most Sattvic of all herbs, meaning it promotes a sense of ease, peace and clarity and benefits spiritual practice.

This 2014 study sums Tulsi up quite nicely – “Tulsi has been found to protect organs and tissues against chemical stress from industrial pollutants and heavy metals, and physical stress from prolonged physical exertion, ischemia, physical restraint and exposure to cold and excessive noise. Tulsi has also been shown to counter metabolic stress through normalization of blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid levels, and psychological stress through positive effects on memory and cognitive function and through its anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties… Cultivation of tulsi plants has both spiritual and practical significance that connects the grower to the creative powers of nature, and organic cultivation offers solutions for food security, rural poverty, hunger, environmental degradation and climate change. The use of tulsi in daily rituals is a testament to Ayurvedic wisdom and provides an example of ancient knowledge offering solutions to modern problems.” Bolds and Italics my addition.

Tulsi is a calming herb, but not as relaxing as Ashwagandha. It promotes feelings of peace and well-being more than anything, and is a solid choice for evening or morning use. This product has been the most potent form of Tulsi I’ve yet to try, though it’s very common in tea form as well.

Which adaptogens have you tried, and which of these sound most interesting to you? Keep your eye open for more posts on adaptogens in the near future.