Hey there, viewers!
Imagine if you weren’t able to get your morning coffee or tea.
Would it make you happy or restless?
These drinks have become a key part of people's lives.
The morning hustle seems incomplete without them.
Tea and coffee slowly creep their way into our systems and take over our bodies.
Before you know it, you’re hooked.
In today's video, we’re discussing the benefits and hazards of such stimulants.
What are adaptogens?
Can adaptogens replace your morning cup of coffee?
We’re talking about all this and more…
So what are stimulants?
Tea, coffee, energy drinks, soda, and chocolates are filled with chemical compounds like tannin
and caffeine.
They generally fall in the category of stimulants.
Just one cup before work will have you feeling up and ready.
While coffee may seem like your friend, there’s a downside.
You eventually become exhausted from it.
Studies have shown that stimulants release stress hormones called cortisone and adrenaline
into the bloodstream.
A cup of coffee triggers the ends of the nerves in the brain, which the brain perceives as
an emergency.
The brain then releases high amounts of adrenaline in response to this emergency.
This is where a false feeling of comfort sets in.
Studies have found that regular coffee consumers who were denied caffeine in the morning had
low-grade withdrawal symptoms.
Once you have it, the more you want it.
How many cups of tea or coffee do you drink daily?
Have you ever tried quitting?
Share your answers with our ever-growing Bestie community.
Even if you only drink one or two cups of coffee a day, we have some bad news.
A single cup of coffee contains nearly 100 mg of caffeine.
Scientists have labelled stimulants like tea and coffee as psychoactive substances.
They have the potential to mess with your mind.
Our dependence on coffee is equivalent to that of recreational drugs.
Weirdly enough, coffee is more dangerous.
This is because coffee is freely available all over without any legal ban on it.
Stimulants are known mood elevators that can impact our blood sugar levels.
It spikes up in minutes.
This releases a burst of energy even if you’ve just woken up.
A sudden takeoff like this is quite unnatural for the body.
Now this might seem like the best short-term effect to keep you awake through the early
morning hours.
But it’s a bad option for your mind and overall health in the long run.
While coffee may help you lose weight, its disadvantages outweigh the benefits.
It helps with fat mobilization, and moderation can prove beneficial for weight watchers.
Athletes and gym-goers are able to push themselves to lift weights and speed up while running
the extra mile.
This is why they often have a cup of black coffee, or a coffee-based protein shake as
a pre-workout drink.
But this physical high is accompanied by a sharp drop.
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Green tea has emerged as the ultimate weight loss tea.
It has milder effects than the usual kind.
Teas like chamomile, ginger & peppermint are not real.
They have no caffeine or tannin.
Instead, they’re made up of herbs, plants, dried flowers, fruits and seeds that are proven
to have medicinal properties.
All these teas are absolutely caffeine-free.
Having too much coffee or other stimulants can cause headaches, heart palpitations, nervousness,
and insomnia.
Furthermore, if these stimulants are combined with food like doughnuts or pancakes, things
are sure to go south for your body.
The sugar from the food gives it a kick, which is followed by a very steep, sudden fall.
This feeling stays around, making you feel all gross inside.
Yet you still reach out for another cup to give you that boost.
So what are adaptogens?
There are many complex definitions of adaptogens, but for the sake of this video, we’ll simplify
it.
Adaptogens are herbal medicines known to combat stress by boosting different systems in your
body.
Scientists stumbled upon them during World War II, while searching for a miracle pill
for pilots.
Russian scientists, however, studied the use of special berries and seeds to reduce hunger,
thirst, and exhaustion.
Hunters consumed these berries on a regular basis, and had better vision at night.
So how can adaptogens help you?
Well, we’re about to get into that...
But before we continue, are you addicted to your coffee in the morning?
Well you might want to watch this video.
Learn more about the 8 signs that you’re drinking too much coffee.
Now back to our discussion on adaptogens.
How are adaptogens beneficial for our bodies?
Adaptogens are so good, it’s almost hard to believe they’re actually the thing.
Our body undergoes stress in three different phases.
There is the Alarm Phase, Phase of Resistance, and the Phase of Exhaustion.
Consider an early morning office meeting you have to attend, even though you haven’t
slept.
The beginning of the meeting can be addressed as the alarm phase.
The body starts producing adrenaline.
It keeps your body alert through the meeting.
Your struggle to stay awake can be called the phase of resistance.
Soon after, you reach the point where you no longer can cope, and need to take a quick
nap.
That is the Phase of Exhaustion.
Now the adaptogens take control of your body during the Phase of Resistance.
This pushes you to cling on to that activity just a little bit longer.
They strike a healthy balance between your different glands and give you effective, antidepressant
benefits.
Researchers also found them to have protective and stimulating effects on your brain.
It almost sounds like coffee in disguise.
So what kind of adaptogens can you buy?
Three types of herbs have gained popularity recently.
These are the Siberian ginseng (jin-sing), Arctic root, and Schisandra (shi-zan-dra/
ski-zan-dra).
If you’re familiar with ginseng, the Siberian type is nothing like the original.
Studies show it can help keep depression, stress and fatigue at bay.
This happens if you consume it on a regular basis.
The Arctic root is a very popular remedy for headaches in places like Russia and Scandinavia.
The herb has been used by many cultures since ancient times.
The exotic root is found in Asia and Europe, where temperatures go from cold to freezing.
Schisandra boosts up your liver health, and stabilizes the sugar levels in your blood.
Sounds like a win in my books!
So what’s the best way to consume them?
Adaptogens can be incorporated into tea and coffee.
Pretty good news for those who need their cup in the morning.
Chuck your regular brand out, and get some specific teas and coffees that come with adaptogens.
These won’t have caffeine or tannin in them.
Try to add in some ingredients like mushroom, basil, and turmeric.
Other adaptogens are also available in powder and capsule form.
These can be bought over the counter.
But before you take any kind of adaptogen, make sure you talk to a professional.
That way you can rule out any possible side effects, and consume them safely.
We advise you to cut back on stimulant drinks.
Just do it slowly.
Change occurs gradually with time, so be patient with your body.
If you expect to jump on adaptogens in one day, you’re probably going to get a headache.
A lot of different studies have been done to see if adaptogens can increase your mental
and physical performance.
Schisandra has shown some very promising results in both.
Not only can it improve the function of your lungs, it can also help with mental disorders
like schizophrenia.
When it comes to things like heart disease, these products need more research.
But so far, they seem pretty promising.
I’m guessing you’re pretty intrigued by this information.
So we suggest you watch our video on Ashwagandha.
Start eating Ashwagandha, and see what happens to your body in a month.
Turmeric is one of the commonly found adaptogens.
A cup full of healthy turmeric tea can have so many health benefits.
Be sure to watch the 9 reasons you need to drink more turmeric tea.
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to be a healthier person.
Do you drink a lot of stimulants?
What about adaptogens?
Let us know in the comments below!