And why the most sophisticated superfood blend in Australia contains 17 of them.
There is a word that keeps appearing in wellness circles, on the back of supplement labels, and in the search bars of women who are done settling for feeling ordinary.
That word is adaptogens.
If you have heard it and wondered what it actually means — not the vague, hand-wavy version, but the real explanation — you are in the right place. And if you have already spent years researching your health and want to understand why adaptogens belong in your daily routine, this is for you, too.
So, What Are Adaptogens?
Adaptogens are a specific class of herbs and plants that help the body adapt to stress — physical, mental, and biological. The term was formally defined in the 1940s by Soviet pharmacologist Nikolai Lazarev, though the herbs themselves have been used across Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic healing for thousands of years.
Research scientist Dr Israel Brakeman later described an adaptogen as something that creates “an increase in the power of resistance against multiple stressors including physical, chemical, or biological agents.” In plain terms: adaptogens help your body find its footing when life is pulling it in every direction.
They are not stimulants. They do not borrow energy from tomorrow to get you through today. Instead, they work by supporting the systems that govern how your body responds to pressure — primarily your adrenal glands, your hormones, and your nervous system. Over time, consistent use supports better resilience, steadier energy, clearer thinking, and improved sleep.
This is why they have stood the test of time. Six thousand years of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Five thousand years of Ayurvedic practice. The same plants, used by civilisations with vastly different diets and lifestyles, kept returning to the same herbs.
That is not a coincidence. That is pattern recognition on a civilisational scale.
Why Women Over 45 Are Paying Attention
Here is the honest reality of what many women in their mid-forties and fifties describe: energy that fluctuates without warning, sleep that never feels quite restorative, a brain that used to be sharp now occasionally clouded, and a body managing the cascading hormonal shifts of perimenopause or menopause.
Add to that the mental load — careers, households, ageing parents, adult children, health decisions made for the whole family — and you have a body that is working extraordinarily hard just to maintain equilibrium.
This is precisely where adaptogens earn their place.
They are not a shortcut. They are support. And the women who respond most powerfully to them tend to be those who are already health-literate, already investing in their wellbeing, and looking for formulations that match the seriousness of their intentions.
The Adaptogens Inside Food of the Gods
The Immortal Blends Food of the Gods blend contains 17 adaptogens — a formulation that does not ask you to pick one herb and hope for the best. Here are some of the key players and what they bring.
- Ashwagandha: One of the most studied adaptogens in modern research, ashwagandha supports the adrenal glands, helps regulate cortisol (your primary stress hormone), improves sleep quality, and enhances overall vitality. For women managing the hormonal shifts of midlife, adrenal support is not a luxury — it is foundational.
- Ginseng: Used for centuries across East Asian medicine, ginseng enhances energy, improves cognitive performance, supports immune function, and reduces inflammation. It works at a cellular level to help the body maintain stamina — the kind of sustained energy that does not crash at 3pm.
- Schisandra Berry: Less well-known, but remarkable. Schisandra supports liver health, enhances mental clarity, bolsters the stress response, and provides antioxidant protection. It is one of the rare herbs considered to work across multiple organ systems simultaneously, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine makes it something of a prestige ingredient.
- Gynostemma: Sometimes called the “herb of immortality” in Chinese folk medicine, gynostemma supports cardiovascular health, enhances energy levels, provides antioxidants, and promotes longevity. It also supports immune function — quietly, consistently, without fanfare.
- He Shou Wu: A tonic herb used for longevity, He Shou Wu supports hair health, liver function, energy levels, and provides antioxidant support. It is among the most revered herbs in Chinese tonic herbalism for healthy ageing.
- Reishi: Reishi reduces stress, promotes relaxation, boosts immune function, supports heart health, and enhances liver function. Importantly, it works not by sedating the body, but by calming an overactive stress response — which is precisely what the nervous system of a busy woman in her forties or fifties often needs most.
- Cordyceps: For the women who are still moving — exercising, training, keeping up a demanding physical routine — cordyceps increases energy and stamina, enhances physical performance, and supports respiratory health. It also boosts immune function and reduces inflammation.
And that is just seven of the seventeen.
Food of the Gods also contains Chaga, Lion’s Mane, Tremella, Maitake, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, Oyster, Shaggy Mane, King Trumpet, and Agaricus Blazei — medicinal mushrooms that each bring adaptogenic and immune-modulating properties to the blend.
The Difference Between One Adaptogen and Seventeen
You could take a single ashwagandha capsule. Plenty of people do.
But adaptogen research consistently points to the same finding: these herbs work more effectively in combination than in isolation. They amplify one another. The stress-modulating effect of ashwagandha is enhanced by the nervous system support of reishi. The cognitive clarity that ginseng supports is deepened by schisandra’s liver and mental clarity benefits. The energy that cordyceps produces is sustained by the adrenal support that gynostemma quietly provides underneath.
This is called synergy, and it is the foundational principle behind Food of the Gods. The blend is not a collection of ingredients that happen to share a jar. It is a formulation built around the understanding that the body’s systems do not operate in isolation — so your nutrition should not either.
What People Are Actually Experiencing
“I had low energy, inflamed skin, and tiredness. I have cut out coffee, now I feel more energised throughout the day.” — Heather S, enjoying Food of the Gods for 4 months
“It has helped improve my sleep, tiredness, and brain fog.” — Raychel L, enjoying Food of the Gods and Magic Mushrooms for 4 months
“I started taking Food of the Gods Honey over a year ago, and the positive changes in my mood and behaviour were incredible to see.” — Oscar B
“Before I started taking Food of the Gods, I had a very sickly stomach every morning. I feel the blend puts a lining on my stomach, and I don’t have that sickly feeling anymore.” — Suzy M, enjoying Food of the Gods for 3 months
These are not extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. They are people who gave their body the right support — consistently — and allowed the compound effect of quality nutrition to do its work.
Food of the Gods also contains Chaga, Lion’s Mane, Tremella, Maitake, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, Oyster, Shaggy Mane, King Trumpet, and Agaricus Blazei — medicinal mushrooms that each bring adaptogenic and immune-modulating properties to the blend.
How to Use Food of the Gods
One teaspoon daily is all that is required. Most people blend it into water, a smoothie, or a warm drink. It works particularly well as a morning ritual — something intentional to begin the day with, rather than something reactive.
It is worth noting that adaptogens are not a one-dose wonder. The research, and the experience of thousands of people using them, consistently shows that the real benefits accumulate over weeks and months of daily use. Think of it less like a supplement and more like a consistent investment in how your body functions over time.
Download our free Blend Guide here.
This Mother’s Day
If you are the woman in your household who researches everything, who reads ingredient labels, who has spent years trying to find something that actually works — Food of the Gods was made for you.
And if you are shopping for that woman: there is no gift quite like giving someone back their energy, their clarity, and their sense of themselves.
Immortal Blends Superfood. For people serious about their health.