Adrenal Tonic Q + A with our Founder, Brittany
✨ Current Adrenal Tonic Focus Group ✨
November 28th - December 19th
Why did you create the Adrenal Tonic and who is it for?
To be honest, I created the Adrenal Tonic because it is something that I wish I would have had sooner in my own health journey. Would it have prevented me from experiencing burnout, adrenal fatigue or PTSD all on its own? Of course not. Could it have made the healing process a bit more easeful? I believe so! I've experienced firsthand the transformative power of nature and nutrition as medicine over and over again. True health and wellness requires us to make aligned, conscious choices every day. In a world designed for quick conveniences and distractions that keep us looping in disconnection, I see so clearly the need to create and share nourishing alternatives that serve our wholeness, that help us remember what it FEELS like to be truly alive in these bodies of ours so we can not only experience all life has to offer, but walk paths that honor our humanity and the beauty of Earth.
The Adrenal Tonic is for those who are tired of "going through the motions" in life and want to remember just how good they can really feel by building a strong foundation for stress management and release. It's for sensitive souls, busy parents, overwhelmed business owners, healthcare workers, educators and anyone in any kind of healing process. It's for those of us that feel/know/see the impact that stress has on our creativity, our health, our relationships and our vision for not only our lives, but also the world we share. The Adrenal Tonic is for anyone who desires to experience more clarity, greater ease and a renewed zest for life. It's for those who want to boost their resiliency and feel grounded and empowered through every wave that life sends their way.
What was the most exciting part(s) of creating this product?
It's been incredibly exciting to witness the Adrenal Tonic grow from a whisper of inspiration to what it is today (and what it could be!). I love the spirit of launching this as a collaborative experiment fueled by a shared desire to discover what possibilities emerge when our bodies have what they need to transform stress. My favorite part of this process has been collaborating with Bailey, our storefront manager who often feels more like my sister. It has been a delight to co-create what we’ve shared through our "marketing" which were really words from our hearts, inspired by deep conversations and sharing vulnerable moments. So much healing has fueled this creation process. Synergy. ✨
What is your ideal outcome for the Adrenal Community Focus Group?
My dream for the Adrenal Tonic is to help others experience life with greater ease. Even if it only benefited one person in this focus group, it would be a success and I have no doubt that it will serve many more. I hope this experience opens up new pathways for us to share not only new products, but educational and experiential services to our community. However it unfolds, I'm excited to see what this comes to be.
Where were you when you first heard of Adrenal Fatigue and products like the Adrenal Tonic? What were you going through?
In my experience, one of the most challenging aspects of healing from burnout and traumatic stress was navigating grief and the (temporary) loss of my creative energy and passions. The pain I felt in my body made it difficult to eat at times and I had little energy to do much of anything, which was really disorienting for me given my role with Vive. I had spent the previous seven years of my life devoted to building a heart-led business and sacrificed my own wellbeing to do it. Classic wounded healer move.🙃 Not recommended.
I had learned the hard way that I couldn’t keep doing everything on my own so some months ago I met with a woman who had also been studying holistic health and ancestral ways to help me rediscover what nourishment felt like for me in this season of life and what my body truly needed. She introduced me to adrenal health and mirrored back to me what was true in my heart, which in many ways brought me back to Vive.
You’ve been testing the tonic… how has it made you feel so far?
The first word that comes to mind is BRIGHT. I've found that the times the tonic has served me the most is when I feel my energy levels dropping and I need a little boost to help me clear the fog. It's subtle yet effective, especially when I can couple it with some movement (a walk, chi shaking, stretching) or a short breathing practice such as Wim Hof's method.
What time do you usually experience energy crash or energy depletion?
For me, I notice a natural dip in my energy mid-afternoon, around 2 or 3pm, and a tonic or a snack usually does the trick to whisk away the tiredness unless I've overdone it. My body has always been very sensitive to energy and as I've healed trauma in my system, that sensitivity has evolved too. I've had to learn how to discern what is and isn't mine to carry, get clear with myself about where I'm investing my energy and ground more deeply into what I'm working towards. The more I honor my authenticity, capacity, values and needs, the less I experience "crashes" -- they're more like recalibrations -- and I find new ways of working with my body instead of against it which... thank you self for listening!
If we didn’t feel energy crashes, or are not attuned to know what that feels like in our body, what may the experience be like?
I can't answer this universally as each of us experience our mind and body differently, but some things I've experienced when my nervous system is reaching its capacity include feeling foggy or unclear, unreceptive, irritable, flighty or my mind will be full of ruminating thoughts and socializing feels overwhelming. My body may feel tense or I'll notice aches in joints like my knees or wrists. Sometimes if I've overdone it, when I go to rest, my body feels like I've spent too much time in the sun... or like burnt toast.😅
What’s your morning ritual currently, & where does the Adrenal Tonic fit?
I know that when I was struggling with stress, getting out of bed was a feat in itself. I didn't have much, if any, time in the mornings for myself. However, you might be amazed by what sitting down with yourself for 5-10 minutes first thing in the morning to simply to breathe into your belly can do for your wellbeing over time. Even better if you can pair it with a cup of hot water, lemon, ginger + honey or our Adrenal Tonic to get your energy systems up and running.
I’ve slowly become one of those people who wake early and meditate. I've found yoga nidra or whole body breathing to be enlivening and relaxing at the same time which has felt like one big YES. After that, I will typically make a cup of cacao (or a pot of tea to share with my partner), set my intentions for the day and engage with some kind of creative practice -- Morning Pages, playing the ukulele, singing or dance (which looks less like 'dance' and more like getting out of my mind and letting my body move however she wants) -- and then enjoy some breakfast. I've found that giving myself an hour or two to be present with myself before being with the world really makes a difference. I know this is a privilege and I cherish it.
With that said, the Adrenal Tonic currently serves me best in the afternoon for a little mid-day boost since my mornings are already soothing to my system.
Do you have any other daily practices with Vive products/products you recommend?
It's clear to me that modern day life is quite out of balance with our natural cycles, and imbalanced circadian rhythms is often one of the culprits behind HPA-axis dysfunction aka adrenal fatigue. I restore that sense of harmony by choosing foods and other lifestyle products that nourish both my brain and my body naturally. Lately, I can't seem to get enough of our beet, rose + schisandra berry latte, our reishi + turmeric latte, celery juice and our cacao chia pudding. For me, celery juice in the morning wakes up my senses and gives my body a subtle boost of energy. The lattes support my body's recovery from burnout and the included adaptogens stave off additional stress. The chia pudding is not only delicious, its packed with healthy fats, minerals and bliss-inducing magic (for real). You can usually find me with a pack of snack bombs on hand too because they keep me on track with eating something every 3 hours which keeps my energy levels stable.
Something I believe is important to remember is that there is no magic pill or perfect product that will work for everyone 100% of the time. For me, finding what works is a practice of listening to my body's sensations and symptoms, experimenting with what I discover and making choices that align with how I'd like to feel and the intentions I'm holding, and allowing what works to change as needed. There is no set formula, just the continuous following of intuition and life's flow.
![Morning C-Tox [Pre-Order] - Vive Juicery](http://www.vivejuicery.com/cdn/shop/products/MorningC-Tox_a4730c38-edad-4640-ae7e-d475e140c22a_{width}x.jpg?v=1607416335)
![Cacao Chia Pudding [Pre-Order] - Vive Juicery](http://www.vivejuicery.com/cdn/shop/products/Vive-October-14_83225112-4b53-482d-9a0f-839e919ad7b8_{width}x.jpg?v=1607416308)
If you could go back in time and create the Adrenal Tonic for yourself, when would the product have been created?
Uh, when I was in the womb?! If only I was kidding. 😂 It is said that cellular nourishment is passed down our matrilineal line and I know that if greater community support and more life-giving foods would have been easily available to our mothers, and their mothers, and so on, we'd all be better for it. Nourished women nourish the world.
Practically speaking, I would have greatly benefited from the Adrenal Tonic during any period of my life, especially 2015-2022. You can read my personal story here.