This Is Your Brain on Botanicals

In an age where science is king, supplements rooted in ancient healing traditions can often get dismissed as “woo-woo” or ineffective. But it’s time we kick that conception to the curb! It’s no accident that herbal wisdom has stood the test of time, with herbal use in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine dating back thousands of years. Now, modern science is only now catching up to why.

The answer? Many bioactive compounds in traditionally revered botanicals support our bodies in in both direct and indirect ways to promote wellness. Herbalism and neuroscience are not at odds with each other; they’re synergistic.

This is why Radiant Mood™, our formula for all-natural brain and mood support, sits squarely at the intersection of both. We leveraged the knowledge of ancient herbal wisdom and modern science for mind-body benefits you truly can feel. Here’s why.

Neuroscience 101

The seven natural mood balancers in Radiant Mood all support the chemical messengers in your brain known as neurotransmitters. In a general sense, the bioactive compounds in these gentle herbs uphold the optimal activity of your neurotransmitters, which influence how you feel on an emotional, mental, and physical level.

When it comes to mood-based benefits, we’re largely talking about serotonin and dopamine as well as the GABA and glutamate. These well-known “feel-good” chemicals help regulate the brain’s overall level of activity and affect your sense of alertness, motivation, and stability.

Meet Nature’s Best Mood Supporters

Each botanical ingredient in Radiant Mood is a SuperPure® herbal extract with standardized amounts of science-backed, bioactive compounds shown to support the brain and foster a healthy mood.

So, let’s get into it. This is what your brain looks (and feels) like on botanicals:

Saffron Extract

The stigma of the saffron flower is traditionally used in Eastern medicine to promote mood balance. The stigmas contain a range of bioactive compounds, but their most notable phytonutrients are crocins and safranal.

Crocins have been shown to help maintain dopamine in the neuronal synapse, therefore sustaining motivation and feelings of pleasure to uphold a positive and optimistic mood. Additionally, safranal promotes optimal brain balance by nurturing healthy serotonin levels to keep dopamine in balance, and to encourage the function of calming GABA to promote restful sleep patterns.

Lavender Flower Extract

You can sense the soothing properties of lavender flower with one sniff of its beautiful blooms, but the benefits don’t stop with aromatherapy.

Extracts of lavender, scientifically known as L. angustifolia are rich in the bioactive compounds linalool and linalyl acetate. Linalool demonstrates the ability to help modulate glutamate, our main excitatory neurotransmitter. Keeping glutamate in balance supports a balanced mind and sense of ease, promoting mental calm day and night.

Gardenia Fruit Extract

Similar to saffron, crocins are the bioactive powerhouse behind gardenia’s mood-supporting benefits. Since crocins optimize dopamine levels in the brain to sustain feelings of reward, it’s no wonder that gardenia is revered for its ability to help foster a healthy, uplifted mood.

Lemon Balm Leaf Extract

A classic adaptogen, lemon balm leaf’s unique value lies in its ability to maintain healthy hormone balance throughout the body and brain, fostering stress resilience and helping to soothe a restless mind.

Most research highlights the role of rosmarinic acid in lemon balm to support our chief calming neurotransmitter GABA. Rosmarinic acid, also found in well-known culinary herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and mint, promotes whole body relaxation, making lemon balm an ideal botanical for promoting deep, restful sleep.

Magnolia Bark Extract

Magnolia is another mood-calming favorite that helps keep GABA and glutamate in optimal balance. By supporting the right ratio of activity and calm in the brain, magnolia helps a balanced mind through daily challenges.

Magnolia bark’s main bioactive compounds are honokiols, shown in research to reduce perceived stress at a standardized dose of about 11.25 mg. To get the most out of magnolia bark’s benefits, we’ve formulated Radiant Mood to contain 20 mg of honokiol per serving.

Rose Flower Extract

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, rose petals are prized for their gentle support for encouraging a heart that’s feeling emotionally or spiritually downcast. A beautiful mood-soother, rose flower is brimming with beneficial antioxidants known as polyphenols that foster relaxation and uplift mood.

Albizia Bark & Flower Extracts

Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years to help support a healthy mood, more modern studies have only recently caught up to understanding the way this “tree of happiness” supports the brain.  

Albizia’s primary bioactives, called triterpenoid saponins, provide support for balancing the sympathetic nervous system (aka “fight, flight, or freeze”) and the parasympathetic nervous system (aka “rest, digest, and restore”), and upholding healthy serotonin levels. Together, these qualities give albizia the amazing capacity to support a balanced mind and body through everyday stress.

Nourish Your Mood – Naturally

The most fantastic part? These beautiful botanicals are straight from nature and foster a deep peace and connection with the natural world in a gentle yet effective way. Make Radiant Mood a daily ally on your journey towards optimal emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

A Year ago