Van Wyk - Super powders: adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms for energy, beauty, mood, and well-being

At my practice, Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in Manhattan, I see a lot of patients who suffer from symptoms linked to or made more severe by stress and exhaustion from their demanding lives. Theyre often caught in a vicious, chronic cycle of too little sleep and then consuming too much sugar and caffeine to get through the day and relying on alcohol or medications to wind down and sleep at night.

Thankfully, there are healthier ways to get through the day. I believe in food as medicine, and with the help of natures incredibly powerful super foods, the human body can do a lot to heal itself. Im a huge fan of a unique group of plants known as adaptogens, which can be used to improve the health of the adrenal systemthe system in charge of managing your bodys hormonal response to stress. Practitioners of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine have known about the power of these plants for centuries. Ive trained with doctors of Chinese medicine and have used adaptogens in my own practice for decades. By supporting adrenal function, adaptogens can counteract the adverse effects of stress.

They enable our cells to access more energy, help cells eliminate toxic by-products of the metabolic process, and help the body utilize oxygen more efficiently. The result is a clearer mind and more resilient bodyand a better complexion. I like to think about adaptogens as working similarly to a thermostat: when the thermostat senses that the room temperature is too high it brings it down; when the temperature is too low it brings it up. In the same way, adaptogens can calm you down and boost your energy at the same time! Its quite amazing. Katrine has worked in my practice for years, observing how amazing these plants are at helping people restore balance in their bodies. In Super Powders, she introduces readers to 25 of these roots, mushrooms, and herbs and explains how to incorporate them into their daily routine.

One of the reasons that patients love her is that she is great at distilling all of the food and wellness advice out there and making it easy and clear to follow. That is exactly what shes done in this book: shes taken what is often considered stuffy herbalist information and pared it down to what you actually want to know about these amazing plants. If you were worried that youd have to swallow a capsule of powder to get the benefits of adaptogens, think again. This book is full of Katrines signature fun, easy, appetizing recipes. Although I do believe in targeted supplementation, the complex combination of nutrients found in food makes adaptogens more absorbable in the body. These recipes are designed with just the right healthy fatslike nuts, seeds, and coconut oilfor optimal absorption.

Im also thrilled to see Katrine include some of my other favorite super foods like turmeric, medicinal mushrooms, collagen, matcha, activated charcoal, and spirulina. Turmerics anti-inflammatory benefits are well studied; when a patient complains about pain or is recovering from injury or surgery, I recommend supplementing with turmeric to help their body combat inflammation. I make sure to eat it regularly myself, too. For patients needing to cut back on coffee and caffeine, I suggest green tea or matcha as an alternative. And collagen is one of the latest additions to my must-have daily super powders for gut and skin health. Good health requires one to be proactive and, in Super Powders, Katrine helps readers do just that.

I hope you will enjoy studying these powerful plants and discover their benefits for yourself through these delicious recipes.

When writing a book, I tend to write the introduction at the end. I started this project knowing that adaptogens and superfoods were amazing and could be beneficial to so many and I am very excited to finally be able to share this information with you. People need to know about the many amazing plants out there that they are not yet utilizing! Many companies are making these plants more accessible and, frankly, more fun to explore, with beautiful packaging that highlights their benefits. They are also creating tasty blends that combine several powders for new and exciting results. I have used these adaptogens and super powders myself for years and recommend them to my nutrition and wellness clients.