Learning to go with the flow is never easy. For most people, chronic stress is a buildup that manifests itself in different ways.
As the days seem to go by faster with everyone more busy then ever, it’s always important to stop and assess if you are able to take time for self-care. For most, the reality is that there is no time to stop: there is work, family, friends, and other obligations that can’t wait.
Adaptogens are a group of functional foods that can help us cope with the stress of everyday life. Rather than target one specific thing, adaptogens work on multiple levels to reduce stress where it is present. They can stimulate or relax the body, as needed.
Many people don’t realize that our sympathetic nervous system is deeply connected to our bodily functions. For example, when a person is stressed, blood work can show a rise in amylase, an enzyme excreted by the pancreas and salivary glands, and is responsible for breaking down carbohydrates. When you’re under acute stress, your body activates the “fight-or-flight” response. This stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which increases salivary amylase secretion as part of the body’s preparation to digest food quickly. Barring any pancreatic diseases, a high amylase count can reduce the body’s ability to break down carbohydrates, which can lead to a higher blood cholesterol or high sugar.
Perhaps one of the oldest adaptogens is ginseng, prized for its ability to reduce fatigue and revitalize the body. This root has been taken in the near orient for hundreds of years. It also finds its way into soups and stews, such as Korean Samgyetang.
Ashwagandha is also one of the oldest herbs used as an adaptogen and is taken to lower the stress hormone, cortisol. Maca root is also one of the oldest adaptogens, used by the Mayans for endurance. Maca can also raise progesterone and balance hormones, which is why it is recommended to take maca in the second week of your period to support progesterone and then stop it when you are a week to 10 days out from your period. Cordyceps, a kind of mushroom, is frequently found in pill or powder form, and is known to give a boost of energy when needed, and can boost cellular energy (ATP).
On the other spectrum, Reishi mushrooms are known to promote sleep and relaxation. Boosting one’s magnesium intake—in particular, magnesium glycinate—also helps to relax muscles at bedtime and helps those who need recovery after working out. Do check with your doctors before taking these supplements for any contraindications with medicines you are currently taking.
On the level of food, reducing inflammation in the diet is key to lowering stress overall. Aromatics such as onions, garlic, and ginger all have antioxidant properties that can help fight inflammation. Upo, a common Filipino vegetable, is known to lower liver inflammation. Widely available and affordable, upo does more than fill the space in a stir fry.
In my upo lasagne, slices of upo are used as noodles. When the heat of the oven bakes the upo, water runs out, leaving a firm dry “sheet” of upo in between layers of filling.
Upo lasagne
Ingredients
1 whole upo
8 pcs tomato, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cup almond milk
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup garbanzo beans, boiled and soaked
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup kangkong pesto
Procedure
Upo
- Peel the entire upo. Cut it in half, widthwise.
- Start thinly slicing the upo, from the outermost part, working your way to the core.
*The middle part may have lots of seeds, the fleshy part has less. You can discard these slices and only use the parts with no seeds or very few seeds.
Roasted tomato sauce
- Lay the tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Roast for 30 minutes in the oven at 325 degrees.
- Blend together in a blender or food processor.
Cashew cheese
- Blend the soaked cashews and almond milk, adjusting to desired consistency by adding more milk.
- Add nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to taste.
Hummus
- Blend together the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and garbanzo beans and adjust the taste with salt. You can also add more garlic for a punchy taste.
Build the Lasagne
- Grease a baking container with olive oil.
- Cover the bottom of the pan with slices of upo.
- Layer with the hummus, cashew cheese, kangkong pesto, and roasted tomato sauce.
- Repeat until you use all the upo. You’ll notice water from the upo at the bottom of the pan, but don’t worry!
- For the top layer, put the cashew cheese last, so when it bakes, it forms a crunchy crust which will taste like parmesan cheese!
- Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, checking that the top layer does not burn. You may bake longer if there is still lots of liquid at the bottom of the pan.
- Serve and enjoy!