Well Nourished | Adaptogens
From adaptogen spiked lattes to lavender night time tonics, Sasha Sabapathy has dedicated a large portion of her adult life to developing natural remedies to de-stress and achieve a sense of balance.
Sasha created her wellness space, Glow Bar, out of a desire to share with other women the healing blends she has discovered to help cope with three major areas of life most affected by stress - happiness, skin and sex. WELL CURATED visited the Mortimer Street haven to chat with Sasha about her wellbeing routine and to help us better understand the adaptogens she uses in her ‘superherb’ elixirs.
What is wellness to you?
To me, wellness is about balance. It's about finding a way to feel good, strong and healthy in terms of body, mind and spirit, without the pressure of being restricted.
Besides Glow Bar, where do you go to work on your wellbeing?
So yes obviously Glow Bar is a place that helps with my wellbeing as I use our saunas at least once a week and get to have adaptogenic spiked smoothies and treats to my heart's content. Working out is another big thing for me wellbeing wise, and I go to SoulCycle about 4 times a week (I love Mantas's classes, he's a rockstar) and I do hot yoga at Fierce Grace in Queens Park every Sunday. I love books on mindfulness, The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh is a book that was given to me by my first therapist about 7 years ago and I still go back to it often. I'm also a huge fan of soundbaths and Remind Studios is great for that, there are also some amazing sound healers who we work with at Glow Bar and I have an incredible woman called Selda (@seldasoulspace) who comes into Glow Bar to do crystal bowl healings for my team. I also work from time to time with an amazing hynotherapist called Jessica Boston who helps to keep my mind healthy. I have recently discovered that art is incredibly therapeutic for me so I do a lot of pottery and watercolouring in my own time which helps to clear my head, calm my emotions and teaches me to practise mindfulness.
What are adaptogens and how do they work?
Adaptogens are a family of healing herbs from Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shamanic Healing, they all help the body to cope (& adapt) to stresses, hence why they are called adaptogens. Stress on our body can cause a multitude of imbalances which can affect our skin, immune system, focus, periods and libido while also causing anxiety and depression.
Could you tell us some easy ways to add adaptogens to our diet?
My favourite way by far is to make a moon milk which is a hot or cold latte-style drink filled with superfoods, spices and adaptogens. You can also add them to your coffee, matcha, smoothie, salad dressings or cold/no bake treats.
Are they going to ruin the taste of our morning coffee?
Definitely not! You only need 1/4 tsp - 1 tsp a day depending on which herb or blend you are taking, it hardly makes a difference to the taste.
Could you describe your range of adaptogenic elixirs to point our readers in the right direction?
100% Ayurvedic feel good magic, Ashwaganda calms your mind and body during times of stress by keeping cortisol levels balanced and regulated.
Harnessing the magic of the sea, Pearl powder contains a protein that stimulates collagen production, as well as amino acids, trace minerals and calcium which are all great for skin.
Cordyceps are a seriously super-shroom! This adaptogenic mushroom fights free radicals, immune harming germs and signs of ageing.
An ancient Chinese herb, He Shou Wu is the definition of beauty on the inside and out. As a potent anti-inflammatory it promises to nourish dry flakey skin and brittle hair.
At WELL CURATED we love your Yoni Moon Milk, besides the chocolatey taste, what makes it so special?
The Yoni Moon Milk was designed to be a girls best friend. The combination of decadent cacao, fiery ginger, gut-friendly prebiotic & hormone balancing shatavari, creates the ultimate female tonic. By reducing pre-menstrual symptoms such as cramps and bloating and giving you a healthy hit of mood-boosting cacao, it makes your monthly cycle much easier to handle.
To try it at home, combine 1tbsp (10g) of Moon Milk powder with a splash of hot water or plant-based milk. Make a paste with a bamboo whisk or spoon, and top with hot or cold plant-based milk.
Glow Bar, Mortimer Street