You’re very welcome. I’m glad it was helpful. Ashwagandha can really support women at this time because of the calming effect, thyroid support, help with sleep and of course the adrenal restorative action.
Quite a brilliant plant really!
And of course, while advice in forums and articles are always giving a general message, it’s most important to listen to the advice of any qualified health practitioner who you consult on a one to one basis for advice that is specific to you.
Your comment is incredibly helpful @pamelaspence ! 
After reading your outstanding blog post (linked below), I see that I need to pay attention to my neglected adrenals. You’ve inspired me to do just that!
Apart from finding this wonderful program, I’m walking in nature again, which makes me very happy and reduces stress., as long as I don’t run into a mountain lion. (No joke! I share these mountains with them!) I go uphill a lot, and it’s challenging, so I’m hoping that helps with sleep.
My nemesis is sugar, namely chocolate! I’m vegan, but there are way too many sugary vegan treats in this country that call my name, so I’m working on sugar reduction.
Once again, thanks for your wisdom, encouragement & great resources!
Thanks again Pamela I would much rather just take the Ashwagandha, I am wondering if I could take them both together?
I have always found the power of herbs and plants fascinating and so powerful with amazing results
Is there one that you recommend in particular?
Thanks xx
I love this post @pamelaspence because it’s not overwhelming. The information is presented so clearly. I appreciate how your writing acknowledges our challenges, while empowering us to take simple steps towards feeling better. I’m sharing it with my best friend! 
Wow. Sharing with mountain lions?! Where are you in the world?
My absolute ‘can argue till I drop’ belief is that simply tuning into nature is the easiest, simplest, most profound, even cheapest way to reduce stress, reconnect with ourselves and replenish our adrenals. That may be walking in nature, drinking herbal tea, becoming aware of the seasons. I write about it all the time.
Also if your craving MUST be chocolate over all other things then that can be a sign you’re a bit low in magnesium - which is needed for relaxation and sleep. Lots of chat on magnesium in other threads which you can search for.
Just make sure that being alert for mountain lions isn’t keeping you in fight or flight mode on those hikes! 
Ashwagandha and Passiflora are perfectly compatible and safe to take together. As a general rule I would try ashwagandha first for adrenal support in similar situations to yours.
Have we announced our S3 herb yet @Kaveh @alexwalkerjones ? It may also be useful here
By all means, announce away! New and onboarding Pioneers got a sneak peak during sign-up, and we have a blog post here: activating our third plant-based formulation: ashwagandha for those interest in reding about it further 
Thanks Alex! I thought so but wanted to check first
@tinaspain so we will be giving you ashwagandha in the next programme after Passiflora. 
No harm in starting your own now though if you don’t want to wait
OMG thats amazing thank you so much guys 
You’re welcome Tina.
We aim to please
Hi @pamelaspence ! I live in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains of California. I’ve lived here for 16 years, and I’ve learned to be very careful about when I go out walking. Dawn & dusk are riskier times. The mountain lions are more likely to venture about in populated areas, so I don’t go out then and I know what to do in case I do come across one. (Running=bad, make a lot of noise and try to look as big as possible by lifting arms!) I need to keep that fight or flight mode/cortisol spikes low! 
Thanks for the magnesium nod; I recently started taking a magnesium powder supplement at night .(I don’t know if we’re allowed to mention brand names or specific medications; I should re-visit the FAQ’s!) I’d definitely like to look at the other threats. Thanks again for the heads-up!
That’s an incredible story about the local feline friends @DyaneLydia … usually I ask for pictures of four legged friends but perhaps less sensible in this case! So pleased you’re on this journey with us and some day perhaps sofi should come and visit the West Coast … we think what we are doing here with plants and reconnecting people to them at the individual level may resonate with the local population (perhaps less of the four legged variety)! 
I would love that opportunity as well, if you need a test Guinea pig for women currently going through menopause I’m definitely your gal too. I have to say - menopause really sucks! I’m feeling like an adolescent all over again - periods are brutal and I have pms again:sob:… But with aging this stubborn belly fat is extremely uncomfortable and very frustrating, sleep sucks (even more) and I can’t seem to regulate my body temp - just too hot or cold and always sweating! 
Thanks so much, @Kaveh , for your comment!
It would be wonderful if sofi could visit the central coast of California. I live in Santa Cruz County, which i s 90 minutes north of spectacular Big Sur/Carmel and 90 min. south, of San Francisco. Silicon Valley is less than 30 minutes away. Santa Cruz is where the infamous “The Lost Boys” was filmed!
Plant medicine is extremely popular here, and it has been for a long time. I know, without a doubt, sofi would be a big hit in Santa Cruz, as well as the entire Bay Area.
Here’s an Adorable puma cub (please scroll down website page) cared for by Santa Cruz Puma Project, which helps these magnificent animals thrive.
Have a wonderful day and thanks for your visionary work!
Yes, @kaneary, I’m right there with you! I’m not feeling the magic of menopause yet! I’m 52 and still getting periods – and the fun doesn’t stop there - they are coming not once, but twice a month!
Far worse than the periods is my interrupted “sleep” (I don’t recall what a good night’s sleep feels like) and the dreadful menobelly. I finally hit rock bottom last week with that, and I’m taking healthy steps to reduce it. I am tired of telling people I’m pregnant with twins!
Sorry for the vent/whine!
So hang in there and know you’re not alone. I hope you feel a lot better soon! Good for you for discovering sofi! 
Hello,
You will automatically be enrolled onto the S3 ashwagandha programme after the Passiflora one is over - nothing else you need to do except stick with us 
Sorry peri-menopause is being so troublesome at the moment. Hopefully sofi can help with the sleep and stress part of that a little!
Hi Eavie-Im brand new to this app, and don’t even know what a Sophie pod is yet! Is it a pill? I have no clue! I’m just now filling in my sleep journal, and I’ve had a serious sleep disorder for many decades… I actually have no circadian rhythm and skip two to three days of sleep at a time… where I am literally awake for 3 days at a time!
I’m now in menopause as of 1 year, and always had hot flashes even as a young woman with PMS!
I wanted to let you know that although I still get hot flashes now, whenever I take a supplement called DIM, my hot flashes stop! I seem to have good luck with a DIM COMPLEX supplement from Vitacost.com. Even though this particular supplement has a lot less milligrams of DIM compared to many others, it has a combination of other things in it which really give me relief of my hot flashes whenever I take it! I had run out of it, and just ordered & began taking it again 2 days ago. It also helps you lose bloating, and whenever I take it, I lose 5 pounds without even trying. It also really clears up the skin if you have any breakouts. So check out vitacost.com… they have great supplements and great discounts too, make sure to look for coupon codes and sales when they have bogo!
Lmk what your results are…That DIM COMPLEX from Vitacost DEFINITELY WORKS TO STOP HOT FLASHES!!!
Thanks for the heads-up, @Kimberly!
I’ve never heard of DIM (also known as 3,3’-Diindolylmethane, such a catchy name.) It happens to be " found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale, and its parent compounds– [indole-3-carbinol] are under laboratory research to determine their possible biological properties, particularly in anti-cancer mechanisms." (courtesy of Wikipedia, which has served me well but I know it’s not always accurate.) Pretty cool!
I have bipolar disorder and take two medications, and when I’m considering taking a supplement, I have to see if it’s safe to combine with my lithium and my MAOI. The website below is great for checking for any interactions between drugs + natural supplements. Luckily, the site says I can take DIM safely!
https://natmed-advisor.therapeuticresearch.com/
I have only had night sweats and they stopped after taking black cohosh and some other herbs along with it. No hot flashes yet, but if they happen, I’ll know to try DIM so thanks again!
Hi @Kimberly, welcome to the sofi community. I am going to tag @alexwalkerjones, she can answer all your questions. Talk soon and sleep well!
