Nourishing Adrenal Cocktail {"Singing Canary" Remake}

This Adrenal Cocktail / Adrenal Tonic tastes great and will help you keep going in the face of the many stressors of modern life. Sip on this "all day sipper" that's a makeover of the "Singing Canary" drink throughout the day to keep your mind and body happy!

With our stressed-out and hurried lifestyles, the adrenals of many are on the fritz.

In addition, we could all use a boost to our immune systems.

The answer? Feed your body the nutrients in this "sip on it all day" drink and you'll feel the benefits immediately.

Where the Name "Singing Canary" Comes From

The original recipe for this drink comes from the gals behind Trim Healthy Mama. It's an eating plan that's taking the world by storm. I don't adhere to all aspects of it, but the results of the plan are typically phenomenal for weight loss and overall health improvement. If we could all eat healthier, just think of the impact on so many things...our health, our families, our nation....our world.

The original Singing Canary was good, but I felt that it needed some more "something" to counter the turmeric taste for me--call me a wimp, that's OK by me :). So I monkeyed around with some spices and found a combination that works well and adds some extra health benefits to boot.

I call this drink an Adrenal Cocktail, but there are so many good things in it for everyone, even if you don't think that you have adrenal issues.

Is Adrenal Fatigue Real?

Some people say that adrenal fatigue is a real condition and others say it isn't.

Regardless of what you think about the condition, it's a fact that we are over-worked and over-stressed. We are pushing ourselves to the limit and our bodies are taxed with too many toxins.

Bottom Line--our bodies need help.

So whether you think you have a diagnosable condition or not, do yourself a favor and support your body with this adrenal cocktail as it has a lot of ingredients that will support overall health.

Ingredients

This Adrenal Cocktail has many ingredients that support your adrenals (and other parts of your body).

Water

This is, of course a basic thing we should be drinking anyhow, but it's important. Just please make sure that your water is purified. I have used loads of water filtration systems over the years. You can see the information in this post on water filtration and see what I am using now.

Lemons (or Lemon Juice)

Lemons contain vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, copper, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, fiber.

They also have tons of polyphenols, and beneficial plant compounds such as hesperidin and diosmin. (source)

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the main vitamins hosted by the adrenals. It's a huge support for these glands.

Turmeric

Turmeric has so many health benefits that it's hard to know where to start. One important way that turmeric helps with adrenal health, however, is by helping the body detox. Toxins are a stress on the body and any time that you can remove stressors from the body, you help your adrenals.

Turmeric reduces histamine levels which then reduces stress on the body. (source)

Salt

Real unprocessed salt contains minerals that are beneficial. While too much salt can be a problem, too little can as well. (source)

RealSalt is a great salt and we LOVE it in our family. This type of Sea Salt is another great option.

Ginger

Ginger has anti-inflammatory effects that, as mentioned above, will assist the adrenals by reducing the stress load on the body. I recommend using organic ginger to avoid toxins and irradiation. (source)

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is known for its ability to boost the immune system, detox the body, and more. (source)

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a well-known anti-inflammatory. (source) There have been numerous studies on it showing its effects on the body such as reversing stressors and regulating hormones. (source)

Cloves

Cloves have also been shown to be beneficial in mitigating stress on the body. (source) If you like, feel free to add more to this recipe based on this information :)!

Vanilla

Vanilla, though it is mostly known for the lovely flavor that it adds to baked goods, has health benefits of its own, including anti-inflammatory properties. (source)

MCT / Coconut Oil

Fats are crucial for adrenal health.

Many people (like me) have avoided fats in the hope of losing weight. However, your body needs fats for your endocrine system to work well. So adding even just a small amount of fat to this drink is a plus.

For more information on foods that are helpful for adrenal issues, see this post on the adrenal fatigue diet.

Protein Powder

Protein is crucial for adrenal health. is important no matter where it comes from.  If you can tolerate it, you can use whey or egg protein powder in this adrenal cocktail.

I personally use vegan protein powders since I don't tolerate egg or dairy well at present, plus my oldest has life-threatening allergies to dairy and egg white so it's less stressful to not have powders with those proteins in them in our home.

It's really important to source protein carefully due to them having a lot of potential exposure to toxins. And that's not only true for the animal-based powders. Pea and Rice are often grown with lots of pesticides plus rice can have a lot of arsenic in it so you need to be careful about that as well.

Directions

• Peel the lemon(s) using a sharp knife, leaving as much of the white pith as possible. If using organic lemons, you can use the whole lemon.
• Slice each lemon into quarters. Remove seeds, and place the lemon pieces into blender. Add water and remaining ingredients besides ice cubes. Blend well.
• Place blended mixture into quart jar. Add ice cubes and more water to fill the jar to the top. Stir or cover with a tight lid to shake, and then drink.

Where to Get Quality Protein Powder

I have several protein powders that I love.

There are a lot on the marketplace but I recommend organic (or those tested for pesticides) only since lots of protein powders on the market are made with ingredients that tend to have a lot of pesticides.

My Favorite Protein Powders

I LOVE this brand and this powder. This chocolate one is great too, but I prefer the vanilla combined with the hint of cherry. I love that it's not just organic and not just a protein powder, but there are so many added benefits like adaptogens, enzymes, medicinal mushrooms, and antioxidants like turmeric. AND it tastes amazing.

Use code wholenewmom to get $50 off your first order of $75 or more.

This other protein powder is really creamy and delicious and this link gets $10 off. It's garbanzo based but is tested for pesticides and the company is very thorough. Their products are developed to support the gut-brain axis which is known to help you deal with stress, so that makes this a really great choice.

If using another vegan protein powder, I highly recommend using an organically sourced powder. The reason is that many of the ingredients in vegan protein powders are crops that many pesticides are used on. This organic vegan protein powder is a solid choice but note it can cause digestive upset in some people.

FAQs & Tips

Is It Safe to Ingest Lemon Essential Oil?

Adding essential oils to food and drink is a controversial topic.

I consulted with an aromatherapist about this, and she recommended only using 1-2 drops of essential oils a drink of this size considering the amount of coconut oil in the drink. The coconut oil acts as essential oil emulsifier but you still do need to be cautious with the amount that you use.

Should You Drink This All At Once?

You don't want to drink this drink all at once (not that you could, LOL!) because your body can only absorb so much vitamin C at once.

Make this "Singing Canary" adrenal cocktail in the morning and sip on it all day long.

Do You Need to Take Black Pepper with Turmeric?

I wondered this myself. The gals at Trim Healthy Mama are pretty thorough, so I figured they knew what they were doing, but I wanted to investigate it myself.

Turns out that there is mixed information as to whether or not black pepper needs to be taken to enhance absorbability of turmeric.

This is a lengthy topic that I'll possibly cover in another post, but in essence:

- The Oil in the drink already helps with absorption
- Studies on absorbability of turmeric and black pepper center on focusing on curcumin and piperine, which are portions of turmeric and black pepper
- Likely turmeric taken with black pepper will absorb faster and stay in your bloodstream longer, but whether or not that is what you want depends on what you are taking the turmeric for--in some situations you might want the turmeric to stay in your digestive system longer.  You can see more on these points here and at this source.

Vitamin C Alternatives

I referenced sodium ascorbate in my recipe due to there being some concerns regarding the ingestion of ascorbic acid. Also, sodium ascorbate is not acidic so you will not be endangering your tooth enamel with this portion of the drink. See my DIY Swim Spray for more information on the difference.

The topic is complicated Some say that taking ascorbic acid short term is fine. Others say no.

One way to address this is to use a natural option like this Acerola powder or this baobab powder. For the acerola, code wholenewmom10 gets 10% off anything on their site.

This Homemade Vitamin C is a great option. too.

Why I Recommend Synthetic Vitamin C

Natural is typically best, right?

Yes, you get quite a bit of vitamin C from the lemon juice and the peel in this drink, (the peel has more vitamin C than the juice actually), but it might not be enough.

However, in this case, the adrenal glands are what this drink is targeting and they use a LOT of vitamin C. Using all natural vitamin C is an option, but it typically won't be enough if you're really depleted, so putting BOTH forms of C in this drink (both natural and synthetic) delivers a 1-2 punch that your adrenals and your whole body will thank you for.

Caution for Pregnant Women

Turmeric is typically considered safe during pregnancy when consumed as a food, despite concern that as a supplement, it may stimulate the uterus to cause contractions. However ginger has similar properties and it is often suggested by physicians to treat morning sickness during pregnancy.

The 1/2 to 1 teaspoon in the Canary should be considered a safe amount for pregnant women since that is the amount that people in India consume on average through food. However, please consult with your physician if you are concerned and you can reduce the amount of both Turmeric and Vitamin C to 1/4 the amount or not drink the full two quarts per day as well.

The full amount of vitamin C is not recommended for pregnant women.

Recipe Notes and Substitutions

• Reduce Bitterness: You might find that the drink is still a little too "bitter" due to the turmeric. I recommend starting with ½ teaspoon of turmeric and increasing from there if desired. After making the drink, if you find it to be too bitter, you can add more stevia and/or vanilla to taste.
• MCT Oil Alternatives: You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon organic extra-virgin coconut oil for the MCT oil but it will clump some depending on the type of blender you use. I personally use organic extra virgin olive oil regularly. No clumping and very reasonably priced.
• Collagen: You can use collagen instead of protein powder.
• Homemade Vanilla: If you would prefer to make your own vanilla, see Homemade Alcohol-Free Vanilla.
• Sweetener Options: See How to Use Stevia to learn more about stevia. You can also substitute an on-plan sweetener for AIP or something else as need be. Monk Fruit Extract is a great alternative. These drops are a great option and taste amazing in all kinds of drinks. Code wholenewmom gets 20% off of those.
• THM Recipe Type: This recipe is an "all-day sipper" if you are on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.
• Vitamin C Alternative: For an all natural alternative, use this Homemade Vitamin C Powder. I haven't calculated how much you would want to use due to not knowing about the real bioavailability, but this is a great option.

I hope that you enjoy the drink and all the health benefits it affords.

Time Saving Tips

Adrenal Cocktail Mix

While this drink is super easy to make, if you're like me, you're always looking to save time so you can feel better fast and do other things with you life rather than working in the kitchen.

With that in mind, I developed this Adrenal Cocktail Dry Mix aka Singing Canary Concentrate.

This way, you can just put the wet ingredients in your blender, add the concentrate powder, and have this adrenal rescue at the ready anytime!

Make a Double (or Triple) Batch

No concentrate powder made yet? Never fear--you can still save time making this drink.
I love this drink so much, but I don't love cleaning blenders. I often make a double batch and keep the other half in the fridge until the next day.

To make a quadruple batch, blend up 3-4 times the ingredients with 2 servings of the water and then divide that between 2 quart jars and fill each with water.

Recipe

Would LOVE to hear what you think about this adrenal tonic!