“Millennial and Gen Z folx are all about multiple forms of income and I know I’m not the only one with a lot on my plate. Mastering this juggling act of adulting definitely comes with its bouts of stress, so let us get into this week’s #selfdaysundays strategy on how to take care of yourself: the stress addition ft. Pretty Mushroom.”

Selfday Sunday: Managing Stress and Work-Life Balance w/ Pretty Mushroom

“Neuroscience meets naturopathy in Pretty Mushroom’s earthy elixirs, designed to enhance your beauty, mood, and mind.”

Founder Stories: Pretty Mushroom with Nadine Joseph

“For Joseph, her wellness company Pretty Mushroom was born out of necessity. After experiencing high stress and burnout while studying neuroscience at UC Berkeley, she found herself looking for natural remedies for her health problems.

After experimenting and creating wellness blends to enhance her mood and mind—and cure her eczema—Joseph and co-founder Jeffery Saeteurn decided to build a company that could provide natural antidotes to the stresses of the modern world.

Taking notes from both neuroscience research and the traditional cultures their ingredients come from, Pretty Mushroom formulates plant-based blends with the goal of helping people feel well—from the inside out.

Joseph took us to work with her for an inside look at what a day as a young founder of a wellness brand looks like.”

Startup Diaries: Pretty Mushroom

“One holistic wellness protocol that has gotten a lot of attention lately, seeks to enhance our life and lifestyle through superfoods that complement both our physical and spiritual well-being, resulting in a higher sense of personal beauty, emotional resilience, and mental stability. With such virtuous ambitions, we are perfectly justified in pursuing pure, organic, ethically-sourced blends that holistically nurture and engage.

Seattle-based Pretty Mushroom is a new herbal blend that combines adaptogenic mushrooms and herbs to bestow a full range of health benefits that include anti-aging properties, memory enhancement, and an energy stimulus while reducing stress and installing vitality. CEO Nadine Joseph is making waves in her quest to aid others in adopting healthier lifestyles by making holistic wellness a natural part of their everyday routines. Nadine is committed to sharing what she has learned and to making holistic wellness inclusive for everyone. We were intrigued by Nadine’s enthusiasm and decided to catch-up with the woman who is making mushrooms, shall we say, “pretty”!”

Add This “Pretty” Brand To Your Wellness Routine

“Adaptogens are an amazing category of herbs and mushrooms that help balance your body’s reaction to stress by modulating it’s hormonal and physiological functions. They literally adapt to your body and restore balance. If you are stressed, they help to calm you down. Tired? They’ll energize you. Not to mention that they work gently and have no yucky side effects.

When you look at the whole picture and see everything adaptogens can do - improve adrenal function, protect you from disease, boost immune function, improve overall well-being - it’s just fascinating. Plus, herbs and mushrooms such as reishi mushroom, ashwagandha, and eleuthero root have been used for centuries by Traditional Chinese Medicine and Aruveydic healing traditions for their adaptogenic properties. Looking at the rich cultural history behind these herbs and examining the scientific research backing them - I couldn’t help but be intrigued.”

Nadine Joseph, Founder of Pretty Mushroom - Seattle

“I personally feel deeply uncomfortable when I see a company taking ancient cultural knowledge and practices and using them in marketing messages for their products. Interpreting this discomfort has been a revelation to me that stems from my childhood as a first-generation Mien immigrant.

My parents lived in a small village in the mountains between Vietnam and Laos. During the Vietnam war, they were forced to flee to Thailand, then the USA as refugees. My dad is a shaman, and he as well as my mother carry the medicinal and spiritual knowledge of food and herbs. Even though we lived in California, my parents grew almost everything we ate from the garden in our backyard and foraged for the many mushrooms and herbs we consumed. Every time I got sick growing up, an herbal recipe and Mien chant was there to help me heal.

My parents gleaned their knowledge from living in the mountains between Vietnam and Laos, and from their ancestors that lived on that land. So it’s an interesting dichotomy to see some of that knowledge portrayed as a marketing message for large brands. This discomfort/contrast is why it’s important for us to state that we really do respect the cultures and traditions that have used these ingredients before they were incorporated into the western world. And why we exclusively source ethically and sustainably.”

Pretty Mushroom Enhances Your Mind, Beauty & Mood

“Even if I’m running late, one thing I absolutely cannot skip is my morning adaptogen-laden smoothie. I’ll throw in some alkalizing greens and the super anti-inflammatory, energizing, immune-supporting powers of turmeric, cordyceps, astragalus, and rosehips for the perfect morning boost. Sometimes I’ll also throw in a dash of my Genius Mushroom blend if I know I have a long day ahead of me, plus a bit of grated ginger. It’s my mood-balancing breakfast that helps me flow through the day with ease.”

Tried-And-True Tips For A Good Morning From People Who Wake Up Super Early

"While there are plenty of mushroom blends on the market, it’s not always easy to find products that are as high-quality as these. Everything that goes into the products are organic or wildcrafted, vegan, and ethically-sourced—something that’s always been a top priority of Nadine Joseph, the company’s co-founder and CEO.

“Growing up, my mom taught me to respect the Earth and the plants and fungi that grow from it. That respect is what I try to infuse within Pretty Mushroom, which is why we’re committed to sourcing ethically,” Joseph says. “We work with suppliers and farmers that have sustainable farming practices and support their community.”

These Wellness Focused Mushroom Blends Belong In All Your Lattes

"The word ‘wellness’ has been used as a buzzword in so many company marketing campaigns that it can be difficult to separate out what it means for you, personally, from what you are being told it should mean for you. Wellness is dynamic and unique to everyone -- it’s not just about doing a face mask or painting your nails. It is about creating routines and habits that help you become the most efficient and fulfilled version of yourself. For me, creating to do lists is essential. Lists give me authority over my day where otherwise I might proceed with anxiety or confusion. Especially because, as a small business owner, I wear a lot of hats and that can be stressful. When I write something down on my list, there’s a satisfaction in knowing that things will get done, and it releases me from thinking about it. "

 

"I've been reading quite a bit about ethnobotany, the study of the traditional knowledge and customs of people concerning plants and their medicinal uses. At my company Pretty Mushroom, we source herbs/mushrooms that have been used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic practices for hundreds of years. Recently, I have been exploring ways to show appreciation and respect for the traditional roots of the herbs and mushrooms that we use in our blends. The wellness industry isn’t exactly diverse, and I feel like one important step towards diversification is recognizing the cultural background of the wellness practices that we have integrated into western wellness. "