To stay FUTUREPROOF, it is important that you boost your health on a daily basis. Don’t wait until you are ill before you start thinking about what you can take to be well. As I am a Natural Biohacker, I look to the plant world for my daily tonics.
There are so many magical plants that have been used for thousands of years that make us resilient to disease and keep us from aging in a horrible way. Here are five of my current favourites that might help you, too.
◊ Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a succulent plant that grows in many tropical regions around the world, but you can grow it as an indoor, pot plant in the UK. Its fleshy leaves are filled with a super-moist gel that can be used for soothing and healing burns on the skin, but it is also a brilliant tonic to take internally. Aloe does not taste great, but I like to mix it with apple juice and water and sip it throughout the day.
I tend to think of my supplements as being either Yin (female energy) or Yang (male energy) and, for me, aloe is feminine. She is the soother and healer and has a kind of ‘Mother’ energy. Here are some of her magical properties:
Aloe alkalises the body which means you will be more resistant to viruses and bacteria. Most chronic diseases can only exist in an acidic body so when you are more alkaline, your inner terrain does not support these conditions
Aloe is very hydrating from the inside so gives you great skin and hair
It is a natural, super multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that is in a bioavailable form
It detoxifies the body and helps the liver to flush out toxins from the cells
It is amazing for digestive issues, such as heartburn or IBS, as it soothes and heals the gut lining
◊ Maca (Peruvian Ginseng)
Maca is a root vegetable that grows in South America and, for me, is definitely male. I think of him as the ‘Internal Warrior’. It has a pleasant, nutty taste so you can use the powder in smoothies and desserts, or you can just take capsules.
Again, it is natural superfood full of vitamins and minerals
Maca is an adaptogen so can balance many of the body systems, especially under stress. It can also help with hormone balance
As it balances hormones, Maca can be particularly helpful for women in or going through the menopause
It is an energy booster and can boost both physical and mental performance
Talking of ‘performance’, it can also increase/restore the libido in both men and women
◊ Ashwagandha (Indian Ginseng)
Ashwagandha is a plant that grows in India and North Africa and has been an important tool in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. To me Ashwagandha is feminine and I call her ‘The Balancer’.
It is a general tonic and rejuvenator especially of you have been knocked down by illness
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which means that it can help you balance your system if you are under stress. If you are over stimulated, it calms you down and if you are sluggish it peps you up, so it always brings you back to the middle.
It calms anxiety and helps promote normal sleep.
It helps regulate blood sugar as it balances the hormone cortisol which often spikes when you are under stress and this raises your blood sugar.
Ashwagandha reduces C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in your body, an indicator of how inflamed you are on the inside. As inflammation underlies many of today’s chronic illnesses this is important for staying healthy, especially as you age.
◊ Turmeric
Turmeric is a culinary spice and medicinal herb that is grown in Asia. To me it is male, and I call it ‘The Enhancer’. As a supplement, it is best to take it with piperine or black pepper as this helps the body absorb it. Turmeric enhances almost every aspect of how your body works but here are some of its main benefits.
It helps to keep you elastic, both in your joints and in your skin so is important to counter aging
It is a very powerful antioxidant which means it can neutralise the free-radicals that roam around our bodies causing damage at the cellular level
Turmeric is another compound that helps to reduce system inflammation
It is alkalising to the body which means you are less open to chronic illnesses and deterioration
It soothes the digestive system
It can help prevent and treat cancer
It helps improve mood and memory as we age
◊ Spirulina
Spirulina fascinates me as it is a micro-algae that grows in mineral-rich lakes around the world. It has an intense blue-green colour and I think that it is neither male nor female in energy but is a bit like a little alien! As a supplement, it usually comes as a loose, dried powder which you can take in drinks or in capsules. It is better to buy the spirulina that comes from the USA rather than China where the purity may not be ideal.
It is an amazingly, nutrient-dense multi-vitamin/minerals that the body can easily absorb
It is high in protein (around 60%) so it can help us to easily get more good protein into our bodies which is helpful for vegetarians and vegans
It is a very powerful antioxidant
It helps to detoxify the body naturally
It supports gut health as people age by supporting the good gut bacteria
It can lower the bad cholesterol
As it reduces histamine, it may help to calm allergies
There are so many health-helpers in the natural world that can make our healthspan match our lifespan and generally slow down aging. This is just a small sample. However, it is good to make tonic plants part of your everyday life and diet, especially after 40.
I prefer to take a particular tonic plant until the pot is finished and then I will give the body a rest from that and maybe try something else that fits the season and how I am feeling at the time. I also find that it is best to take a half-dose of a new supplement at the beginning to see how your body reacts to it and then work your way up to the full dose if that feels right for you.
We are all different and we change as we go through life so do listen to your body and work with your intuition when it comes to plant medicine.