Congrats to my colleague Aviva Romm, MD on the launch of her new book The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution: A Proven 4-Week Program to Rescue Your Metabolism, Hormones, Mind & Mood. This book addresses stress so well and is so needed because ….
According to the Annual Stress Survey by the American Psychological Association, 75 percent of women experience moderate to severe stress, 49 percent report sleep problems, and more than 40 percent report physical symptoms as a direct result of stress. Recent studies show that most are also experiencing chronic overwhelm and exhaustion.
She shares how common anxiety and depression are:
One in four women experiences an extended time of major depression in her life, and as many women are on an antidepressant, an antianxiety medication, or often, both, not living their lives with the joy and satisfaction we are meant to experience.
She shares that the stress and insomnia, the anxiety and depression, as well as obesity and autoimmunity has this at their root:
the fact that women are living in chronic overload emotionally and physically. We are stuck in survival mode.
It’s a brilliant book and she eloquently explains how to get out of survival mode and how to actually thrive:
- with a big focus on finding the root causes of your adrenal and thyroid issues
- removing food triggers and eating a “real- food, energy- boosting, fat-burning version of the Mediterranean diet”
- tools and exercises to calm your mind
- healing your gut, boosting immunity, supporting detoxification, and balancing your hormones
With Dr. Aviva Romm’s herbal expertise I particularly appreciate the section on nourishing your adrenals with herbal adaptogens:
Adaptogens are a category of herbal medicines that are specifically restorative to the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Used for centuries in China and India they are considered the “royalty” of herbs for helping you respond to stress, restore health, vitality, immunity, stamina and sense of well-being. Adaptogens help your body to cope more easily with the demands of everyday life, providing a sense of calm and energy at a deep level.
She writes about these adaptogens for adrenal support for their calming effects, lowering high cortisol and to help with energy, insomnia and more: rhodiola (this is one of my favorites), schizandra, reishi mushrooms, maca, holy basil, eleuthero and shatavari.
Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is new to me and Dr. Romm shares about this adaptogen:
Shatavari is considered the “queen of herbs” in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is beloved as a rejuvenating tonic for women. It is nourishing and calming as well as hormonally balancing, and is used for irritability and many hormonal imbalances affecting the mood.
I’m impressed by the research on shatavari and will be sharing more as I learn more and may consider this as an option for some of my anxious female clients.
Rhodiola is an adaptogen I use with the majority of clients who have adrenal issues. Dr. Romm shares her feedback on rhodiola, which she calls “the spirit calmer”:
Rhodiola is perhaps the most important adaptogen for anxiety…. While it shouldn’t be taken before bed because it’s stimulating, its mood-regulating and nervous-system-supporting effects lead to improved sleep and reduced stress, irritability, and “burn-out.”
I really like her emphasis that the use of adaptogens does not mean you can keep going “at a twenty-first century pace.” You do need to address all the aspects she covers in the book!
The thyroid chapter is also very thorough with a detailed section on testing. I just received this positive feedback from a reader on Facebook:
I’ve been slowly reading it today and I can tell you there’s a heavy emphasis on both gut issues and Hashis. Her chapter on thyroid (I skipped ahead because I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to discuss test results) helped me understand it all like no one else has.
I was able to take my latest results, read the section on thyroid, actually understand what it all meant and compare my numbers with her charts. Now I feel more equipped to discuss with my own doctor.
Dr. Aviva Romm is a Yale-trained, board-certified family physician with a specialty in women’s health and obstetrics; certified professional midwife; and herbalist. Referred to as “the face of natural medicine in the 21st century” by Prevention Magazine, she is a member of the Yale Integrative Medicine Program’s Advisory Board, and currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.
She has been one of my favorite authors for a long time – long before I had the pleasure of meeting her in person. I’m really excited to be celebrating her book launch and sharing it here with you!
We’re planning a video interview so please let me know if you have questions for her.
If you’ve used shatavari personally or with clients/patients please share what you think. If you have questions about this adaptogen now is the time to ask them!
Be sure to check out her Adrenal Thyroid Revolution community here.
Check out the book and get your copy here on Amazon.
If you’ve already picked up the book and read it please do share areas that were highlights for you.