CHAGA & ME: THE BIG THREE
One month of drinking chaga + me = these things
About six months ago I saw a sign. It said something along the lines of “mushroom and coffee”, “say what?”, and “delicious AF”. My taste bud glands, piqued. One Chagaccino, please. I told the barista.
That initial sip felt like drinking water after an extremely parched day in the desert. The second sip was my last because I drank the rest in one gulp. I went home in a weird, energized haze, cranked on what felt like caffeine and CBDs lovechild, body slammed my couch, typed Renude into my phone’s search bar, and bought myself a box.
A lot has changed since I started drinking mushroom coffee. Mask mandates have come and gone, friends have moved in and out of New York, and my bangs keep shrinking due to my perpetual dissatisfaction with my forehead-to-face ratio. But here’s what changed within the first 30 days of ditching coffee beans for mushroom stems.
- My Sleep
I love sleep and getting a lot of it is one of my biggest priorities in life. But I’m also devoted to coffee, and even though I know that drinking it past 3pm is very bad for my nighttime routine, I still drink it, because that’s what devoted people do.
When I started drinking chaga, however, I realized that I could drink that stuff any time of the day without worrying about being up all night. And on top of that, drinking a cup at 8pm (my peak-creative time of the day) didn’t just help me cruise into productive town, it helped me fall asleep sooner. That’s because chaga is an adaptogen.
- My Skin + Nails
After drinking chaga for a week, nothing changed. I wanted things to change, but they didn’t, and I was pissed. Thirty days later…there we go. My nails were rock hard, which is a big deal for someone who bites their nails when they’re anxious, excited, and literally for no reason at all other than the fact that putting my nails in my mouth puts me at ease. It’s embarrassing with an enunciated B.
Turns out, the melanin and antioxidants in the chaga mushroom are to thank for my newly firm and solid nail beds, because they aid in protecting your skin and nails from harsh UV rays. Now every time I go to put one of those suckers in between my teeth, I refrain, for I respect my newfound healthy skin cells far too much.
- My Productivity
Surely because I was getting more sleep and spending less time biting my nails, but ever since I started drinking less coffee and more mushrooms, I became a more productive human. In the mornings, I’m a champ. In the afternoons, a champ. At night, a shining star. Now that I can drink coffee at all hours of the day, I’ve got a pep in my step that makes me feel like working is my god-given talent.
And so there you have it: me and the big three things that changed—for the better—when I let my guard down and made room for Chagaccino in my life. As I continue my quest for organic energy and productivity, I’m sure more really dope side effects to drinking chaga will reveal themselves. Until then, bottoms up.
