Five months in: I'm still in love. I think I can commit.

Just shifted to my third herb, for the autumn, arctic root. I had morning glory (still my favorite!) with the spring, and then a trial of schisandra berry, which seems to have intense anti-oxidant activity in its favor.

I don't think they have a singular effect, in that if I was sick and took any, it's not a magic pill that erases years of hamburger buns. But I think the adaptogenic effects are real, and actually work best to kick off supported body systems.

I've been taking Ashwaganda for stress since the beginning. It always helped... a little. But as I fixed deeper and deeper problems, this simple herb -- which contains the same neurotransmitter as green tea, but in greater quantity -- worked better, until I simply got a tub of L-theanine and got serious with it.

This brought my cortisol resistance under far better control, and it started to function better. For years, it would activate like a booster rocket and get me through the many constant and immediate stress-filled emergencies. The sicker I got, the more I needed, the worse it got.

But when I went carnivore and put things into remission, it helped a lot. But then, stress increased for all of us to a level where I haven't been well since February of 2020 Until now. I got into deeper study of these herbs and their results, and discovered a lot of studies make no notes about following the discovered wisdom of how to use them. But there's knowledgeable people out there, and I've found that following their advice gives me the best results.

Herbs are misunderstood this way. They taste funny and we have to make a cup of swamp water and drink it, twice a day. Which has led to recipe books which also enhance the effects of the herbs. Like morning glory root and dairy is delicious.

So far, hot chocolate smoothie takes all comers and still tastes great. That has become my coffee sub/breakfast/hormone kickstart every morning now. Mountain mornings are cool enough that way This is how, after five months of bed rest, I began the rebuilt program: five months ago. With careful testing of cortisol resistance that appeared with any exertion.

Yesterday, I took a walk. For an hour. And had a good time. Yesterday, I took a rest day, and as best I can, I'll take a rest day after errands today. Last week was solid errands and normally that would have given me another round of body distress I have to slowly get better from.

This week, I have leftover energy and went for a long walk. Something is working better. And it all started with these herbs (along with everything else I discover about my autoimmune management.)