Thursday, December 26, 2013

Fatigue Solution = Rhodiola Rosea (Review)

As stated in a previous post about my search for fatigue solutions, I decided to try a supplement called Rhodiola Rosea. Because I'm strongly against medications (and their endless side-effects), I wanted to pursue a more natural route.

Since I first wrote this post, my interest in nootropics has not ceased. I use Rhodiola alongside other herbal supplements to aid my focus, anxiety, and depression. Honestly, It's made my life so much better, and I've been able to handle life stuff with less drama.


There are no side effects from Rhodiola Rosea as long as you take the right dosage for you. Play around with the dosage until it feels right; you'll know it's too little if there is no effect, and too much if you feel jittery or anxious (sort of like caffeine overload). It will be different for everyone: for example, I take an extremely small dose (10-30mg) because my body is extremely sensitive to whatever I put in it.

Rhodiola is also an adaptogen, which means it adapts to your body's needs. It has a long list of effects, but which effects and to what degree depends on the person and their biochemistry. For instance, Rhodiola mainly helps me with depression, physical stamina, and social phobia, because those are my weaknesses.

Also, because it is an adaptogen, you gradually build resistance to it if it's taken long-term. As a result, long-term use without a break can result it in not working anymore. To avoid this, the dosage needs to be cycled. A common recommendation is to take it for 1-2 weeks, then have a 1-week "vacation" from it before getting back on it.

Without further ado, here are some reported effects of Rhodiola Rosea, according to WebMD, my own experience, and information from other users:

Benefits: (helps with...)

Mood/emotions--> Stimulates positive mood
Mental Fatigue/tiredness
Physical Fatigue/tiredness
Reduces tension
Intellectual capacity/endurance (learning)
Increases physical endurance
Increases resistance to cold
Promotes healthy appetite and sleep
Cardioprotective (improves circulation, good for your heart)
Cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure
Improves iron absorption
Boosts immune system--> Prevents flu and tuberculosis

Side Effects
Odd dreams
Minor headache when adjusting to taking it
Upset stomach (typically when taken on an empty stomach)
Restlessness (when dose is too high)
Irritability (when dose is too high)
Heart palpitations (when dose is too high)


As for myself, I started taking this near the end of a college semester, and it did wonders! I found that it helped me with long, mentally draining tasks like research papers, and it greatly increased my ability to deal with stress and anxiety. However, large dosage and taking it for more than two weeks makes me more anxious. It helps to stack Rhodiola with calming herbs or teas that decrease my anxiety, like Ashwagandha or Organic Matcha Green Tea. (What is a stack? Info here)

Rhodiola also increases my desire to exercise, and my physical stamina. It's best for me to take it on days when I know I'll be walking about campus, running errands, or hitting the gym. If I am not physically active on the days I take Rhodiola, I can become restless and fidgety. I find that it also increases my circulation (no more cold feet!), helps prevent my exercise-induced chest pain, and gives me more "oomph" at the gym so I can get a better workout.

It's also wonderful for my moods and fatigue. Those are the two main reasons why I hardly socialize in college, and Rhodiola helps greatly with that. I am bolder and actually feel like talking to people. I don't have any negative thoughts and feelings butting in. I find that I also have more energy to pay attention in conversations.

To sum it up, Rhodiola Rosea is an effective, natural solution to fatigue and depression, and it helps to improve one's mood, productivity, and physical stamina. I'd recommend this for anyone who deals with issues similar to mine, or those who often perform mentally and/or physically demanding tasks, such as students and manual laborers.

If you're interested in trying Rhodiola, I purchased mine on Amazon.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about herbal supplements!


DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert, and my testimonial on this product is based on my personal experience and research on numerous website. I encourage you to research supplements on credible websites and sources. Rhodiola works for me, but it may not work for everyone.

Please note that if you ever get into nootropics, research is very importantDoctors will not often recommend herbal supplements because they aren't approved by the FDA, and I'm not sure if they are even allowed to give advice on them. WebMD is a great place to start for basic info on herbs and supplements. The nootropics reddit and customer reviews on Amazon are great for testimonies and recommendations. Scholarly/scientific sources are the most credible sources if you can find them.

Please use appropriate discernment according to your needs and conditions. While independent research is effective, DO consult your doctor before taking any natural/herbal supplement with known risks and drug interactions (i.e. St. John's Wort or Comfrey).


UPDATE Feb. 2016: I do still benefit from Rhodiola Rosea, but in very small doses. And I don't take it any longer than two weeks straight. I am at risk for racing thoughts so this sometimes aggravates it, but I found I can balance that out by taking it with a small dose of Gingko Biloba. I prefer Gingko for focus over Rhodiola, but still use Rhodiola for a general happiness and physical stamina boost.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Dream Glasses: Climb That Mountain

I had a rather symbolic dream.

I was sitting by myself during a party, but I didn't feel particularly lonely. I had the moon, the stars, and the mountain to gaze upon. Everyone else was too busy mingling and swimming in the pool to notice the beauty of what was right in front of them.

Then one of the party members walked up next to me and asked me what I was doing. Without taking my eyes off the mountain, I told him.

"Why would you rather be here than in the pool?" the guy asked.

Swimming was second nature to most people, so it was normal to have pool parties. Unfortunately, it was not really my thing since I had never been good at it.

"I like climbing more than swimming." I replied, expecting him to be shocked. For reasons I cannot fathom, he wasn't.

"I see." he said. He looked in the direction of my gaze. "So do you like mountains, too?"

"I do." I replied. "I wish I could go to the very top of one someday."

After the typical niceties and a brief farewell, he returned me to my solitude. Then I stood up and began to make my way towards my destination.

At least I could say... while everyone else was living the life they were expected to, I was climbing mountains.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

"Dear Humans..."

I read aloud something I wrote on Asperger's Syndrome for an Open Mic at my college. View the video here, with the original text below...

"Dear Humans,

I hope that you will welcome us. We've actually been on this planet for a long time, but it's difficult to tell whether we're any different because we look like everyone else. Some of us have adapted to your society and have learned how to act like you so we won't draw too much attention to ourselves. Others aren't so lucky. Many of us are timid creatures and don't mean anyone any harm, and yet because of that, we’re often victims of what you call "bullying" if our true selves leak out through the masks we wear. Life can be difficult for us. To quote a friend of mine, certain aspects of life are like doors, and we can’t open them without the key. Thing is, only you humans possess the key, which is frustrating because we'd like to handle things ourselves. Besides, communication between ours and your species doesn't always work out since our brains are wired differently.

Now who are "we" exactly? I’ll get to that. Interestingly enough, there might actually be a few of “us” among you. Or, there might not be. But I digress. I presume you want to know who we are. I won’t state it explicitly until the end, so be just patient and let me paint a mental picture for you.

On our planet, who you call “geeks,” “weirdos,” and “nerds” are actually the cool people. Those without obsessive interests are considered to be intellectually underdeveloped, and we recommended to them either classes or counselling to bring out their inner geek.

To us, girls who spend their time gossiping, going shopping, talking on the phone and paint their nails aren’t nearly as cool as the girls who write and draw and invent and do all kinds of nerdy creative things. Same goes for the guys; the cool ones are great with technology and really really smart, not so much the buff and good looking jock who always gets the girl.

People who talk a lot are normal. Introversion is also normal. Making silly noises and awkward movements like rocking and flailing are normal. So basically, everything not normal is normal, and everything normal is weird. But I can just negate that statement with the common idea that there is no normal, as that makes more sense to everyone.

In our world, those who monologue are considered wise and knowledgeable. The quiet ones are mysterious.

Also, physical appearance isn’t much a factor; we care more about the brains behind the helm of the vessel known as the human body.

One thing I don’t get about your culture is shaking hands. It’s… unsanitary. We prefer to just say “nice to meet you”…unless it’s not actually nice to meet you and we’ll either respond with silence or tell you what we really think.

If we ask “how are you?” we expect an honest answer, or at least an “I don’t wanna talk about it” if you’re not that open. See, we prefer truth on our planet, even if a polite fib such as “I’m fine” is the norm on yours. Let’s face it, we’re not too good with being dishonest, and same goes for hidden agendas. What’s up with those, anyway? Someone from our planet usually wouldn’t even have one. We can’t even understand them! That’s probably why a lot of us get hurt easily, because we’re not always aware of other people’s intentions. Also, we’re terrible at reading other people in general. Things like facial expressions, tone of voice, subtleties, sarcasm, and “reading-between-the-lines”—whatever that is—doesn’t usually register for us. That’s because on our planet, we say exactly what we mean, and exactly how we feel. If we don’t like you, we’d tell you straight up…not smile, nod, and reluctantly endure your presence until you leave. Conversely, if we really like someone and think they’re cool, we have no shame is letting them know!

There are some things about us that make it difficult to live here. For one, our senses are heightened, so things that are okay for your eyes and ears might be overwhelming for ours. Also things like touch, taste, and smell are sensitive for us. There are certain types of clothing we can’t wear, food textures we don’t like, and scents that seem stronger than walking through a perfume department.

Another aspect of our society that is not compatible with yours is the fact that we value routines. Going to the same places at the same time and doing the same things every day that those things are supposed to be done help keep us sane. When something in our schedule is cancelled… BOOM!! …we simply can’t process it. Change and transition just isn’t our thing. How many of you have an iPhone with the Facebook Messenger? Did you get the latest update? For you guys, you might have been mildly annoyed that you have to get used to a new design, but you’d get over it. For me, I was like…”NO. Just NO. Write a letter to Facebook and tell them NO!!” I solved the problem though, because it bugged me so much; I just restored a backup to get the old app again.

Now, the biggest problem for us is usually communication. As I mentioned earlier, we can only comprehend what’s concrete and right in front of us. So we value honestly highly. It’s also difficult for us to process certain information, so it helps to have concepts broken down into smaller bits that our detail-oriented brains can comprehend. And too much information at once can be overwhelming. This makes social interaction with your species rather awkward at times. We need people who understand us enough to be patient with us, and especially to recognize the brilliance behind all the awkwardness. Some of the most skilled, well-known, and successful people are of our species, and that’s because they were encouraged to be themselves and use their talents. There’s a theory that even Albert Einstein was one of us. That’s a big spoiler there, so I’m assuming at this point you know what I’m talking about.

What makes us unique is called “Asperger’s Syndrome.” It’s been labeled as a disorder or a disease, but to me, it’s a sub-culture of brilliant people stuck in an overwhelming world. And as I mentioned earlier, we’re among you, and there’s actually a lot of us. In fact, about 1% of the world’s population is on the spectrum. That’s one of us for every 100 of you.

You have differences among individuals within your culture, and so do we. So the symptoms vary from person to person, and I was stating the most common features of an aspie—which is a term for someone with Asperger’s.

In the end, I hope that when you come across someone a bit awkward that you’d take the chance to get to know them. You never know, they might be an aspie."

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Journal Snippet: Peace from Within

As an aspie, one of the most difficult things for me to come to terms with is being content in my necessary solitude. I'd often find myself unsure of what to do when I'm overstimulated (the result of sensory overload), so I'd seek attention from friends. However, it is never a wise decision because me being overstimulated affects my emotional I might not make the best choices, and I could potentially end up in some awkward situations.

I was overstimulated even today, and I became incredibly frustrated at the fact that instant messaging my friends didn't help. So I took a break from my phone, lay down on my bed and sort of "analyzed" myself. What did I want at the moment? I wanted someone to talk to. Would it help if I got what I wanted? No. What do I actually need? How can I get it?

I closed my eyes and prayed for God to satisfy my inner longing, since I knew nothing else would suffice. Then I was transported to a beautiful place in my mind. It's difficult to describe because it was a montage of nature; like fields of green and autumn leaves, bits of sky and flowers. Then I placed my hand over my heart and everything slowed down to a pleasantly normal pace. I was lying under a tree, leaning against its trunk, and rather than my own hand over my heart, the hand belonged to Seamus, my "guardian angel" (I'll write a post on him later on). He told me to stop wishing and think about what I've been given: my beautiful eyes and hair. My "angelic" face and smile. My unique personality. My own heartbeat.

Sometimes the best reassurance can be found within ourselves. Other people don't always have the answers.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Education and Anxiety - Advice

"I would love to know how some people with Asperger's can strive academically and manage a classroom environment/university while others with Asperger's can struggle with even just attending due to anxiety and having to drop out."
- Andrew 

Everyone's different, and so are aspies. Every person with Asperger's has different levels of tolerance when it comes to sensory stimuli and anxiety. For instance, I'm sensitive to bass from speakers while my friend with high-functioning autism has no problem with it (she actually loves loud raves!). How each aspie deals with sensory input at school depends on what affects them. I mention sensory issues because they tend to be a primary source of anxiety for an aspie.

Sensory Solutions
One solution involves preventing unpleasant sensory encounters on a larger scale. Here's a list of steps that might help:
  1.  Figure out your anxiety triggers. Are they connected to certain sensory input or situations? Consider these before making big decisions that might cause you anxiety in the long run.
  2. Look into what school you'd like to attend. Visit the campus and keep an eye out for things that might cause you anxiety, such as the size of the campus or classroom arrangements. 

Okay, let's say you find a school you like, but some unpleasant sensory experiences cannot be avoided. I'd suggest finding what works for you everyday to keep you functioning normally. For instance, I wear orange sunglasses under florescent lights so I won't get brainfog. For those with sensitive hearing, earplugs might help when you have to go places with large crowds or lots of noise.

Thriving Academically
People with Asperger's can struggle academically due to sensory issues, but there can be various other obstacles like learning disabilities or ADD. You're considered an adult at college, so you're expected to accommodate for yourself. So don't let yourself fail... be honest about your needs! There are people who can and will help you. Get in contact with whatever department that provides academic assistance for students with disabilities.

Accommodations that may be available:
  • Tutors
  • Extended time on exams
  • Separate testing environments
  • Use of a computer to type instead of hand-writing notes

These are just a few that I know of, since I myself receive these accommodations. Another helpful resource that I personally make use of is counselling. Whether they're on-campus or off-campus, find a counselor if you feel the need for more guidance, or even just someone to vent to.

Other things you'd have to manage...

Figure out the best way to communicate with your professors. As for me, I'm nervous about talking to professors in person (typically if it's about a difficult problem), so I email them everything I wanted to say before meeting. Tell them about your specific issues to avoid misunderstandings.

Staying organized is critical to success in school. If you're like me, messy backpacks would bug you to no end and can cause a lot of anxiety, but others are okay with messiness somehow... in any case, use folders or binders—or whatever you prefer—to keep your homework neat so you won't lose anything.

It's important to know what's due, when it's due, and how to get it done before it's due. Use whatever is available to keep track of things, preferably something you'd refer to a lot, like a wall calendar, phone calendar, an app, a planner, or a notebook. Break down assignments into smaller steps and record it somewhere so you'd be prepared when you begin those assignments. Whether you use one or multiple resources depends on your preference.

I use my phone's calendar to keep track of due dates and events... little notebook for writing down assignments...
...and the EpicWin app on my iPhone to motivate me to earn virtual "gold" for completing tasks.
One suggestion I always have for planning and managing your workload: make it fun! Think of what you like—certain colors, themes, objects, etc—and make it a part of your planning/organization process.

I like flowers and colors, so I use color-coded paper flowers to represent tasks on my weekly calendar. The yellow "clouds" are my classes. ^_^

I hope this helps!