ALL THINGS MUSHROOMS !!
And other adaptogens, but I love a mushroom.
Today on the blog we have Sacha Gnesin who is a health coach, shroom & adaptogen connoisseur, & founder of Glow by Sacha, a health coaching lifestyle program.
Michael & I met at an event in Austin a few months ago where talked about some wellnessy stuff like hormones ( love talking hormones !). She reached out after that I really wanted to have her on the blog because not only is she part of the community & big fan of the podcast, she is also SO KNOWLEDGABLE when it comes to adaptogens & mushrooms.
Like, you guys are going to love this post. You’ll learn what adaptogens are, what they do, the benefits AND Sacha shares so many of drink recipes & you’ll want to try them all, promise. I think you guys will be obsessed. Just so much value in this post.
With that, let’s meet Sacha Gnesin from Glow by Sacha.
The Benefits of Magical Adaptogens With Sacha Gnesin
♡♡♡
A little bit about me, my why & how I got here:
Hi there! I’m Sacha Gnesin; health coach, occupational therapist, shroom & adaptogen queen, bio hacker & the founder of Glow by Sacha, a health coaching lifestyle program.
I’m here to talk all things adaptogens & adaptogenic mushrooms! But before we dive into the magical world of shrooms & herbs, I’d like to give you a little background on myself, my story & how I got to writing about mushrooms on The Skinny Confidential blog.
Growing up on the east coast, I spent 14 years in New York City working as an Occupational Therapist in nursing homes & schools in Harlem & Brooklyn. My love for helping others reach their health & wellness goals was the main driving force in my becoming a health coach. I quickly realized the important role nutrition plays in wellness & wanted to pivot that into being my main career focus.
My interest in health & wellness was implanted from childhood, where my mother was/is a goddess in the kitchen.
She would create & cook the healthiest & most delicious meals from scratch, always the first with natural home remedies ( or potions as I like to call them ), & tons of fresh fruit & produce for us kids growing up. To say I had the perfect foundation for my career as a health coach is an understatement, but things took a different turn.
It’s not lost upon me that all these positive early childhood rituals, routines & habits eventually lead to a 12 year long battle with an eating disorder.
Throughout my college, grad school & post grad years, I developed a severely unhealthy relationship with myself ( & food ).
I was left depleted, exhausted & sick with a myriad of autoimmune disorders, hormone & thyroid imbalances, debilitating digestive issues & a deep seeded hatred for who I had become.
In some of those deep, dark nights of the soul, I couldn’t see the light, thinking that this would be how I would live the rest of my life; always battling food, trying to conform my body into something it didn’t want to be, unending self-pity & an empty soul.
As I slowly began to seek the help & guidance of professionals, I spent most of my time relying on someone else to fulfill all the deep, dark voids in my life. It wasn’t until I realized that self love was at the root of my recovery & unless I planted that seed, no amount of sunlight, help, therapy or professionals would help.
My curiosity in spirituality came during this time, where I sought out the help of spiritual guides & healers, bio hackers & wellness gurus to dig myself out of this hole.
Insert, Louise Hay, Geneen Roth, Ben Greenfield, Joy Dushey, Michaela Boehm, Michael Singer & many more.
I read, I consumed, I learned, I thought outside the box, I was finally growing! & slowly beginning to see the light. I knew during that time, deep down in my soul that this was my path; to help others & educate the world on how to improve & optimize their health.
Throughout the years I reconstructed every facet of my life.
Insert MUSHROOMS & ADAPTOGENS!!!!
I was left with a body that needed serious mending. Everything from my out of balance hormones, severe lack of energy & adrenal fatigue, brain fog, low mood, & severe anxiety needed major tending to.
Refusing to go on pharmaceuticals, I began learning about adaptogens & mushrooms & how they can aide our health by bringing our bodies back into balance aka homeostasis.
With energy as my main concern, I relied on a heavy caffeine load to get my day started & even more mid-day. Some days I barely had energy to get out of bed & would lie their crying.
Fast forward…
I can now easily say that my body, my mind & my health has never been better & a lot of that has to do with these wonderful herbs from mother nature!
***DISCLAIMER*** Be sure to consult with a medical professional before starting any herb/supplement/medication as some of these have interactions.
So what are ADAPTOGENS exactly?
Adaptogens are a category of herbs that help the human body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic processes, & restore balance. They increase the body’s resistance to physical, biological, emotional, & environmental stressors & promote normal physiologic function. (1)
AKA They help your body adapt to whatever stress it’s going through.
For example:
If you’re feeling anxious & stressed, it’ll make you feel calm, grounded & relaxed.
If you’re burnt out, fatigued & tired, it’ll give you clean, sustained energy.
And if you have brain fog, it’ll give you clarity, focus & concentration.
If your hormones, digestive system &/or immune system is not optimal, it will bring it back into good health & balance
Unlike caffeine & sugar, which give your body a “fake” energy rush, adaptogens help your body better ADAPT to stress.
Herbs need to have 3 qualifications in order to be adaptogenic:
♡ Must be non-toxic
♡ Allows the body to resist a wide range of stressors
♡ Normalizes the impact on the body.
Excerpted from “Adaptogens Herbs for Longevity” By @Adriana Ayales
There is over 70 years of research on the benefits, safety & efficaciousness of adaptogens.
Now let’s get into the good stuff !!
Here you’ll find the master list of benefits & a breakdown of a just a few of my favorite adaptogens & mushrooms.
Benefits of Adaptogens:
♡ STRESS!
♡ Help with adrenal fatigue aka burn out
♡ Aging & longevity aka biohacking
♡ Anxiety & depression
♡ Arthritis & pain
♡ Inflammation
♡ Enhance athletic performance
♡ Improve brain function aka nootropics
♡ Respiratory health
♡ Cancer prevention & treatment
♡ Cardiovascular health & function
♡ Diabetes & metabolic diseases
♡ Digestion & digestive health
♡ Fatigue
♡ Enhance immune system
♡ Liver damage
♡ Sexual health
♡ Joint health
♡ Spiritual growth & enhancement
♡ Sleep problems
♡ Hair, skin, nails
♡ Weight management
Primary Adaptogens:
Ashwagandha – aka nature’s Xanax!
Benefits:
♡ Reduces stress & anxiety
♡ Regulates cortisol levels
♡ Enhances focus & cognition
♡ Increases mood
♡ Improves sleep
♡ Calms your nervous system
Recipe:
Calming Ashwagandha Cacao Latte Recipe
caffeine-free, vegan, refined sugar free
Ingredients:
+ 1 cup nut milk
+ hot water
+ cinnamon
+ 1 tsp organic cacao powder
+ 1 tsp organic raw honey ( sub for sweetener of choice if vegan )
Directions:
+ heat up nut milk.
+ add ashwagandha, spices, cacao powder to milk.
+ top with hot water & mix in sweetener.
Cordyceps – This is one of my favorite adaptogenic mushrooms that I use almost daily as a coffee/caffeine replacement.
Benefits:
♡ Endurance, stamina
♡ Fuel for your cells
♡ Good work out aide
Recipe:
RedBull without the Bull
Caffeine Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free, filled with energy!
Ingredients:
+ 1 packet cordyceps & chaga mushroom
+ 1 tbs Dandy Blend
+ coconut milk/creamer of choice
+ hot water
Directions:
+ mix mushrooms & maca with creamer.
+ add hot water.
+ blend all ingredients in blender or frother.
+ drink in the morning to replace coffee or as a pre-workout boost.
Holy Basil aka Tulsi – This adaptogen is known for its powerful healing abilities
Benefits:
♡ Decreases stress & anxiety
♡ Balances hormones, helps with adrenal fatigue & hypothyroidism
♡ Protects against diabetes
♡ High in antioxidants- skin health, acnes
♡ Helps fight cancers
♡ Improves respiratory disorder
♡ Dental & oral health: helps fight bacteria
♡ Supports eye health
♡ Headache relief
Recipe:
Tulsi Immuni-Tea
Warming & cozy!
Ingredients:
+ Tulsi tea; fresh or tea bag
+ grated ginger
+ lemon
+ honey ( optional )
Directions:
+ boil water & add Tulsi tea bag with ginger & lemon.
+ simmer, add honey/sweetener.
Other Primary Adaptogens:
♡ Eleuthero
♡ Ginseng
♡ Licorice
♡ Rhodiola
♡ Shisandra
♡ Shilajit
Adaptogenic Mushrooms
Mushrooms are all the rave these days, from coffee, to powders, to supplements & tinctures. Seems like everywhere you go there’s a new mushroom brand popping up. Whether you’re a devoted shroomie or virgin, let’s take a moment to appreciate these amazing fungi! Cue: Fantastic Fungi the movie ( I highly recommend watching this )!
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the health & wellness industry & all the products out there; but rest assured as your personal health coach & student of the world of mushrooms, I will help guide you on how to use these magnificent adaptogens to provide you with some major health benefits & healing powers.
Mushrooms, like adaptogens, have a myriad of benefits:
♡ Immune health
♡ Gut health
♡ Hormone balance
♡ Energy
♡ Mood, stress, anxiety,
♡ Anti-Inflammatory
♡ Anti-Viral
♡ Sleep aide
♡ Detoxification
& more!
Reishi – The Queen Mushroom
Benefits:
♡ Relaxation
♡ Muscle recovery
♡ Improved sleep
♡ Supports immune system
Recipe:
Chill Out Latte
Vegan, dairy, gluten & refined sugar free
Ingredients:
+ 1 tsp or packet of reishi powder
+ cinnamon
+ 1 tsp organic cacao powder
+ coconut milk/creamer of choice
Directions:
+ add all ingredients together & top with hot water.
+ drink before bed or to wind down after a long day.
Lion’s Mane – Nature’s Adderall
Benefits:
♡ Is a nootropic aka supports brain health
♡ Improves memory, focus & concentration
♡ Improves mood
♡ Increases creativity
♡ Anti-inflammatory
♡ Heart healthy
♡ Strengthens immune system
♡ Energy boosting
Recipe:
Brain Fuel Latte
With or without the caffeine kick!
Ingredients:
+ 1 packet/serving Lion’s Mane Mushroom powder
+ ½ tsp ashwagandha powder
+ organic coffee or non-caf herbal blend
+ 1 tsp raw honey
+ MCT oil (optional)
+ hot water
Directions:
+ heat up coconut milk.
+ add Lion’s Mane & coffee/herbal blend.
+ add hot water with MCT oil & honey.
+ mix & enjoy for a brain boosting adaptogen drink.
Chaga – Digestive & Immunity Superpowers
Benefits:
♡ Digestive health
♡ Cancer fighting properties
♡ Immune boosting
♡ Anti-viral
♡ Anti-inflammatory
♡ Reduces stress
Recipe:
The Real Chaga-chino
Ingredients:
+ 1 tsp raw cacao powder
+ 1 tsp honey ( Beekeepers Naturals ) *use code SKINNY for 25% off
+ ¼ cup coconut milk
+ ¾ cup boiling water
Directions:
+ heat up coconut milk.
+ add chaga powder.
+ add hot water with MCT oil & honey.
+mix & enjoy for a brain boosting adaptogen drink.
Now if you’re wondering what brands are best & which to buy, I’m linking a few of my favorites as well as a link to my Glow by Sacha Black Book which has over 33 pages of branded foods/drinks to make shopping simple, stress free & healthy! No more feeling overwhelmed when you’re food shopping & don’t know what foods are the best quality for you & your family.
Brands I Love:
♡ Terrasoul – use code: GLOWBYSACHA
♡ La Republica – use code: 10offsacha
My passion & mission in this lifetime is to help empower you to take a hold on your health, optimize your body, mind & soul, & feel absolutely amazing from the inside out.
I offer a variety of programs; from 1:1 health coaching to group coaching, healthy kitchen makeover & grocery store tours to help you live your healthiest & best life.
MyGlow by Sacha Black Book is an eBook filled with over 35 pages of branded foods to make shopping easy & healthy.
I offer consultation services to groups, businesses & organizations. Everything from menu development, family nutrition planning to personalized programs.
I love to connect with people when I’m traveling the world.
If you’re interested in learning more about what specific adaptogens & mushroom combinations are best for YOU, looking to optimize your health, reach your goals, transform your life & live the Glow by Sacha Lifestyle where you truly glow from within, sign up for a free consult here- www.glowbysacha.com
DM me here- @glowbysacha
Pop in & say hello here- glowbysacha@gmail.com.
♡♡♡
Personally, I love a little Four Sigmatic Hot Cacoa before bed. It really chills me the fuck out.
Be sure to follow Sacha on Instagram @glowbysacha because she shares so many incredible recipes. Think high fiber chia seed pudding, high fiber lentil stew & a no stress latte. LOVE !
Off to sip some shrooms.
xx, lauryn
+ scope these 3 collagen tea recipes.
++ check out the best frothers for your morning beverage.
SHOP THE POST:
LEAVE A COMMENT