Maca – Coffee For Super Heroes

I love coffee. The aroma, taste, and experience of fresh espresso gives me joy.  Coffee will always be part of my mornings, but never before 10a.m. because although I love coffee, I don’t love what it does to my stress response when I blast my metabolism with caffeine first thing in the morning.  Coffee is fantastic to enjoy around 10am after a nutritious breakfast that includes greens (an essential for helping set a healthy blood sugar level for the day – Say no to being ‘hangry’).  Not willing to wait until 10 a.m. to get your fix? Maca might be a great alternative for you to ease into your day, minus the morning acidic shock of coffee (your bowels will thank you).

What is Maca? It’s a tuber (like a potato) and offers an amazing energy boost because it’s a ‘super-food’ containing high amounts of minerals, enzymes, and a full spectrum of essential amino acids. It helps boost energy levels and metabolism because it is rich in B-vitamins (necessary for energy production), and is also abundant in magnesium and calcium, both of which are great for promoting bone strength and a creating a calming effect on the body. Maca affects the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands, also known as the “master glands” of the body. These super glands are responsible for regulating other hormone regulating glands in the body … hello… important stuff!

Maca root helps balance hormones, but instead of adding more hormones to the body, it works as an adaptogen, meaning it adjusts the necessary hormones of an individual depending on where their starting levels are. For example, if you’re producing too much of a hormone, maca will regulate the production downward, likewise, if you’re producing too little, it will regulate the production upward.

This super smart super-food may seem like an intuitive genius, and it kind of is.  Try a maca powder mixed with warm apple cider in the morning as a coffee replacement (I add a cinnamon stick to be extra festive) or use a maca supplement if you are rushed in the mornings (like me most mornings).

Remember: Your body has a story to tell and important work to do. Be gentle to your body in the morning, and it will be gentle with you throughout the day.