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birthdaysuit

Registered: 11/25/14
Posts: 75
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Adaptogens: Restoring Homeostasis
#21807259 - 06/14/15 05:15 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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To put it blunt, I have been under a significant amount of stress in regards to work and school. Staying up all night working at gigs has taken a serious toll on my hormone balance which had skyrocketed my cortisol levels and decreased my dopamine and serotonin levels.
Needless to say I felt depressed, anxious, dull and spaced out.
I recently found out about Rhodiola Rosea a potent adaptogen that normalizes hormones and reduces stress. I have been taking it for the past 5 days, initially starting off with 200mg and working my way up to 400mg 3% Rosavins, 1% salidrosides.
Currently, I feel absolutely amazing! No anxiety, no depression, just a feeling of calm happiness.
I have ordered MACA POWDER, which is said to increase libido as well as Ashwagandha Root and Holy Basil Leaf.
I’m not so sure how I take these supplements or if I should even take them at all.
I’m simply wondering if others have experienced these adaptogens.
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Myopic.Skam
Gazing into the distance

Registered: 05/24/15
Posts: 30
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Re: Adaptogens: Restoring Homeostasis [Re: birthdaysuit]
#21807381 - 06/14/15 05:49 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hormonal imbalance can be serious stuff. I've experienced symptoms generally related to what you described
Maca powder is/was a godsend for me. You want to make sure you buy the gelatinized kind to avoid GI upset. As well as increasing libido, it allowed me to work landscaping longer and harder than without it. However do take care with dosage: I found myself, while more vibrant overall, irritable and shorter to escalate emotionally. Lowing the dosage fixed this issue.
In regards to the ones you haven't experienced, start with low doses and gradually work up (as you indicated you've already done with the Rhodiola). Search for counter indications and interactions.
In addition to supplementing, have you deconstructed your lifestyle/investigated other areas to revise/do work in? By this I'm thinking sleep, general nutrition, exercise, social, and work/school. By proactively adjusting our lifestyles, we can better avoid or at least anticipate the causes/reasons behind the imbalances in the first place. While supplementing really helped me get out of the slump, it took (is taking) broader changes to maintain.
Self medicating has its own pitfalls but if done respectfully and with caution it can be a beautiful process of self-exploration. Tread with care and good luck!
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birthdaysuit

Registered: 11/25/14
Posts: 75
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: Adaptogens: Restoring Homeostasis [Re: Myopic.Skam]
#21807537 - 06/14/15 06:31 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Myopic.Skam said: Hormonal imbalance can be serious stuff. I've experienced symptoms generally related to what you described
Maca powder is/was a godsend for me. You want to make sure you buy the gelatinized kind to avoid GI upset. As well as increasing libido, it allowed me to work landscaping longer and harder than without it. However do take care with dosage: I found myself, while more vibrant overall, irritable and shorter to escalate emotionally. Lowing the dosage fixed this issue.
In regards to the ones you haven't experienced, start with low doses and gradually work up (as you indicated you've already done with the Rhodiola). Search for counter indications and interactions.
In addition to supplementing, have you deconstructed your lifestyle/investigated other areas to revise/do work in? By this I'm thinking sleep, general nutrition, exercise, social, and work/school. By proactively adjusting our lifestyles, we can better avoid or at least anticipate the causes/reasons behind the imbalances in the first place. While supplementing really helped me get out of the slump, it took (is taking) broader changes to maintain.
Self medicating has its own pitfalls but if done respectfully and with caution it can be a beautiful process of self-exploration. Tread with care and good luck!
I took 1tsp/5g of MACA powder today, it is the Navitas brand at Whole Foods. Although, it seemed like a small amount it definitely increased my libido and reduced my stress.
I have deconstructed my lifestyle. I meditate regularly now, once or twice a day, which calms my mind and decreases stress. I do intense manual labor but I am often short on time to do cardio workouts.
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openmind
curious


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,866
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Re: Adaptogens: Restoring Homeostasis [Re: birthdaysuit]
#21807714 - 06/14/15 07:25 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I maca root . You can likely find it far cheaper online than whole foods , possibly better quality too and a variety of types to choose from.
Here's some other plant adaptogens I use, or have used before....I actually need to get back on a daily regimen of taking some of these again. A year or so ago I was using these regularly and felt high as fuck on life, calm, focused, a bit more on point, more motivation/energy....nicely balanced all around.....And some of my "peak experiences" with lsd and things happened during the stretch of time I was using some of this goodness as well as getting down on fruit & veg smoothies.
Muira puama....Central nervous system stimulant with dualistic calming and uplifting effects. Functions as a brain tonic with memory increasing and neuroprotective qualities. Facilitates lucid dreaming. Also has a vasodilating effect lending to it's mild aphrodisiac properties. Has been shown to be equally as effective as some prescription anti-depressant drugs at alleviating the symptoms of depression. Muira puama has also been proven to improve working memory, due to it's inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, which breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, necessary for memory and cognition.
Catuaba....has good synergy with Muira puama for energy, stimulation, focus, and an over all uplifted mind state. Catuaba causes an increased release of serotonin and to a larger extent dopamine, while inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine into the synapse. I've taken the muira puama and catuaba together before going out for the night and was feeling great for most of the night, stimulated but at ease, slightly euphoric, very reminiscent (though very mild in comparison) of a certain white powder people use for the same reasons.
Bacopa monnieri ....promotes a thoughtful state of mind while relaxing and protecting the body. "Brahmi" is the foremost tonic for the nervous system and general cognition. Has been used traditionally as a mental tonic and has been shown to increase memory retention and acquisition of data. Also believed to increase the body's antioxidant defenses while enhancing it's immune function through a number of beneficial phytochemicals. Bacopa also has a mild tranquilizing effect believed to be due from it's NMDA antagonistic effects that varies in strength with the dose.
Mucuna pruriens ....contains a wide variety of nutrients & neurotransmitters, strengthening the body & mind while tonifying the adrenal & endorphin systems. Replenishes neurotransmitters. Natural tool available for the promotion of human growth hormone levels, which has potent anti-aging and fat-burning effects. Mucuna contains a high amount of L-Dopa (some samples showing over 8%), serotonin (5-HT), 5-HTP, nicotine, beta-carboline, and tryptamine alkaloids.
When i had these on hand i'd take 1 to 2 teaspoon Bacopa daily, mucuna 1/2 to 1 heaping teaspoon no more frequent than every other day (lots of l-dopa in that stuff), and the other two occasionally through the week when going out to do something.
-OM
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birthdaysuit

Registered: 11/25/14
Posts: 75
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: Adaptogens: Restoring Homeostasis [Re: openmind]
#21808349 - 06/14/15 09:47 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thank you for your input! I also drink veggie smoothies every morning.
I have taken Bacopa in the past and I did not like it. I felt spaced out and it slightly increased my anxiety.
I just took Ashwagandha and I’m almost knocked out. It feels like melatonin but calmer and more relaxing. Have you by chance used Holy Basil?
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