Top Superfoods & Adaptogens for Energy, Better Sleep, and Immunity

Overview

In this episode, I sit down with Sage Dammers, co-founder and CEO of Addictive Wellness, a company specializing in mycotoxin-free raw chocolates infused with premium adaptogens and superfoods. Sage grew up in a family wellness center in the early 2000s before adaptogens were mainstream, began studying Taoist tonic herbalism as a teenager, and has spent his life sourcing the purest and most potent herbs from around the world. This episode is a masterclass in adaptogens including what they actually are, how to choose quality products, which ones to use for immunity, energy, and sleep, and why where a mushroom is grown matters as much as what it is.

You’ll Learn

• What adaptogens actually are and why, despite the term being coined in the mid-1900s by Russian scientist Dr. Nikolai Lazarev, the philosophy behind them dates back thousands of years in Ayurvedic, Daoist, and Chinese herbalism as herbs that strengthen the body’s own self-correcting and stress-adapting mechanisms
• Why medicinal mushrooms including reishi, chaga, cordyceps, turkey tail, and agaricus are the first category to reach for when supporting immune balance in autoimmune conditions, because their beta glucan polysaccharides act like an operating system upgrade for the immune system, helping modulate whether it is overactive or underactive rather than simply stimulating it in one direction
• Why astragalus is one of the safest and most broadly accessible energy adaptogens, how it supports mitochondrial ATP production without stimulating adrenaline, and why unlike caffeine it builds potential energy rather than forcing you to spend it immediately
• The critical difference between wood-grown and grain-grown medicinal mushrooms, why many products labeled as reishi or turkey tail actually contain powdered rice with minimal mushroom material, and what to look for on packaging including the word wood-grown versus mycelium as a red flag
• Why rhodiola can be problematic for people with a homozygous positive COMT gene who do not break down catecholamine neurotransmitters quickly, and why any adaptogen can have a different effect based on individual genetics even when it is beneficial for the general population
• The complete sleep preparation stack including morning sunlight exposure to set the circadian timer, caffeine cutoff around 2pm, blue light reduction in the evening, two kiwis before bed for improved sleep efficiency, a teaspoon of honey to prevent 3am blood sugar crashes, reishi and ashwagandha as the evening wind-down combination, and magnesium L-threonate or glycinate to lower core body temperature and raise brain magnesium levels
• Why mycotoxins or mold metabolite byproducts are a hidden problem in conventional chocolate and cacao, why grains are another high-risk source, and why mold-sensitive people and those who have lived in moldy homes tend to be significantly more reactive
• How to properly introduce a new adaptogen including taking it alone in a small amount of warm water in stillness and silence to build genuine body awareness of how that specific herb feels, rather than stacking multiple things at once and losing the ability to know what is working

Resources

Connect with Sage Dammers:

Website- https://www.addictivewellness.com/

Discount Code- NHR10 for Addictive Wellness supplements & chocolates 

Spend some time sitting still and listening to your body. In a world where nobody goes two minutes without reaching for their phone, developing that inner awareness of how herbs, foods, and supplements are actually making you feel is one of the most useful tools you can build for optimizing your own health for the rest of your life.