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Keeping the Adrenals Healthy

The adrenal glands play a hugely important role in our health. Each one sits just above your kidneys, in the middle of your lower back area, where they manufacture numerous hormones, regulate blood sugar and the body’s mineral supply, produce and maintain the body’s energy levels in conjunction with the thyroid, and produce stress-monitoring hormones s uch as DHEA, cortisol and aldosterone.
When adrenals run in tip-top shape, we feel upbeat and positive. But adrenals can become depleted of nutrients, especially minerals, during periods of stress. Things that contribute to this depletion include an overly hectic lifestyle, unresolved emotional conflict, environmental toxic exposure and nutritional deficiency.
Ask yourself,
  1. Do you have difficulty awakening from sleep in the morning?
  2. Have you recently gained weight, especially around the middle?
  3. Do you feel like you get every cold and flu bug that's going around?
  4. Do you have difficulty dealing with stress?
  5. Do you have a lack of interest in sex?
  6. Do you frequently feel lightheaded upon standing quickly?
  7. Do you struggle with poor memory or “brain fog”?
  8. Do you feel especially tired in the mornings and afternoons between 3-5pm?
  9. Do you feel the need to snack or eat frequently to maintain a normal blood sugar?
  10. Do you crave salty foods?
  11. Do you feel tired between 7-10 p.m. but get a second wind if you stay up later?
  12. If you are female do you struggle with PMS: heavy bleeding, moodiness, fatigue during menstrual cycle? If you are male, do you feel like your stamina, energy and ability to maintain muscle are decreased?
  13. Do you frequently have pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reason?
  14. Do you notice improvement of symptoms stress levels are lower, such as during a vacation or time away from work?
 
If you said yes to any of these, read on…


  Adaptogens
 
We've officially entered the "holi-daze" and although that means more fun and good memories being made, it can also add pressures and extra stress to our lives. The nasty effects of stress on our adrenals can last for months, affecting our overall health and immunity well into the winter.
         One way to ward off fatigue, anxiety, and those long-term effects of stress (i.e. reduced immune-system function, inflammation and weight-gain) is to use an amazing class of herbal supplements called adaptogens. These super-herbs have the incredible power to improve your response to all forms of stress as well as increase your physical and mental endurance. 
As is stated in the name, adaptogens help us adjust to whatever life throws our way. Instead of having one specific action, adaptogenic herbs support your body to regulate itself. It is a unique level of intelligence that only exists in 16 herbs on the planet.
A few popular adaptogens to embrace into your daily regimen at this time of year are astragalus, ginseng, tulsi, rhodiola, and the latest superfood craze, chaga mushroom.
Chaga has received a lot of attention lately because of its newfound use as an energizing coffee substitute. 
Some of its medicinal properties include:
  • Natural energy lifter without the caffeine
  • Immune-boosting, antibacterial and antiviral properties
  • Anti-inflammatory action
  • Adaptogenic capability to both relax or gently stimulate depending on what your body needs
  • Rich in anti-tumor compounds
  • Protects the skin from sun damage

Chaga is the main ingredient in Sylvie Doré's latest local herbal product, available at NourishMe.

It’s at perfect time for winter immune-building and stress-fighting needs.

The Chaga Chai Tea is a caffeine-free herbal blend of adaptogenic herbs and warming spices that create a dark, rich, and mildly peppery beverage. It can be enjoyed black like coffee or with cream and sugar like a traditional chai latte. The blend comes in packages of loose tea and large teabags that make 3 to 5 cups at a time. It's a delicious way to ensure a smooth and healthy holiday season.

Tips for a busy season
-Get enough sleep , take naps
-Eat nutrient-dense foods at least once a day
- Lower caffeine intake and replace with energizing herbal beverages
- Be strategic about what tasks are of highest value for YOU and be strategic about what can actually be accomplished in one day.
-Schedule quiet alone  time each day to connect with yourself in your chosen way.
-Take appropriate supplements, such as B Complex and Vitamin D
 


In the store:

  • Organic soups
  • "There is something for everyone from vegan to paleo," Brooke said.
  • Healthy, nourishing Bone Broth Shots
  • House-brewed Kombucha in a variety of flavors
  • Super Food Moringa Green Energy Smoothie
  • Nourishing Raw Cacao & Almond Smoothie
  •  Salads
  • Fermented foods
  • Organic Market
  • Wine and Beer
  • Local diary, produce and meat
  • high end supplements
  • ....so much more



Do yourself a favor!

With the world descending on the Wood River Valley in the next few weeks, it behooves everyone to take precautions against strange germs and bacteria that we don't have time to build up immunity against.

Boost your immune systems by taking probiotics, herbs and supplements, Chinese herbs and elixirs. There are plenty of choices at NourishMe.

 
 

Holiday shopping and fun at Tara Bella's Christkindl Markt on Galena and Second Ave. in Hailey, on Friday, Dec. 9 from 4-8 p.m, Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec.11 from 11-3 p.m.

Wood River Sustainability Center will have a holiday market, with 12 local artisans, spiced wine and lunch, all day Saturday and Sunday.



EVENTS
Suggested Reading

 




By Sean Sherman
and Beth Dooley

I just love this book. The author, Sean Sherman is a Lakota who grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation, in South Dakota. He's not just a cookbook writer, he's an activist through his cooking for his people as well.

Sherman is a long time chef and the co-founder of The Sioux Chef, in Minneapolis whose mission is to educate and make indigenous foods more accessible. As the book demonstrates, Native foods are not just healthy and sustainable but versatile and delicious.

As Sherman explains this land's original cuisine arose from the vibrant and diverse indigenous cultures that thrived across the North American continent for thousands of years before colonization. The impact of the colonial diet on natives of the Americas has been harsh from obesity and heart disease to Type 2 diabetes and tooth decay.

Sherman said the movement to unleash native foods and recipes is happening with others, not just chefs, "but people like Rowen White, who’s a seedkeeper that I work with at Seedsavers Exchange in Iowa. It’s this awesome community that we’ve been developing across the nation where we keep working together and utilizing each other."

He also believes that it's a critical time for "indigenous communities to produce and eat their traditional foods and for non-native peoples to understand the role they can play in bringing us all together to create a healthy sustainable future."

We couldn't agree more.

Enjoy The Holidays
We thank you for your support, for being a patron of not just NourishMe but of all local food concerns in the Wood River Valley and beyond. Food is the single best way to show someone your love. We have many wonderful items that can be meaningful gifts, hostess presents and stocking stuffers, plus lots of local market food for your holiday meals.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”