This week I got to interview the amazing Michele, who is the owner and founder of Tonika. Tonika is a brand of adaptogenic blends and proteins, that contain amazing adaptogenic mushrooms, nootropics and herbs. It was so amazing to hear from the boss lady behind the brand, and to hear how passionate she really is about adaptogens and her business! We went into what adaptogens really are, their benefits, her personal favourite and some behind the scenes of the brand. I hope you enjoy this one x
ALEXA: Firstly, Introduce yourself! Who are you, what do you do, and what are your passions?
MICHELE: My name is Michele Scarce and I am a proud mumma to Adele who is 3.5 spirited years old and proud business owner of Tonika Pty Ltd.
My passions are to make every person live their best life and feel amazing from the inside out. This starts with caring for our gut health and therefore creating a happier, creative, and inspired brain. When you hear this saying, ‘the brain is your gut’, we begin to truly understand the links between digestion, health, and the way we think. These two brains are constantly talking to each other and therefore intuitive
eating and listening to your gut can dramatically change the way you live your life.
And then there comes Adaptogens – oh my goodness, where do I start with these incredible PLANTS?! The fact that you only need up to a teaspoon of a specific Adaptogen, Nootropic or Tonic Herb daily to feel the benefits, demonstrates just how powerful these special herbs truly are.
We have all been or know someone that has been stressed. Stress leads to a multitude of issues including weight gain, diabetes, mood swings, illness, skin irritated conditions and I could go on, but what I want to tell the world is that… you can help yourself with just a little incorporation of Adaptogens into your daily routine.
They specifically help with relieve stress, give you energy, increase libido and fertility and boost immunity. While they help your body to ADAPT to stress and bring it back into a state of homeostasis or balance – and this is an overall happy place for your mind, body, and spirit.
They truly make me feel a little more amazing and who doesn’t want that?!
A: What exactly are Adaptogens, Nootropics and Herbs?
M: Adaptogens are remarkable botanical treasures that help your body restore balance and adapt to stress.
Think about being chased by a Lion and the need to survive any way you can. Our body releases cortisol through your adrenal glands, located on top of each kidney – these are hormone we cannot live without. And they help us, in imminent danger – to survive and get to safety. Once you have reached the safety zone the cortisol stops being released, and your body goes back into a state of balance.
However, in this modern time we are constantly stressed, reaching deadlines, obligations socially, a global pandemic, home-schooling to name a few and when cortisol is released for long periods of time, we experience adrenal fatigue and hormonal issues that wear us down and put stress on other organs in our body.
These Ancient herbs, Adaptogen or Resistogen have been used for 1000’s of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and have the unique ability to ‘correct’ the imbalances that cause fluctuations in the bodies homeostasis without producing unwanted side effects.
Basically, plants are nature’s alchemists, they are masters at combining the curative powers of water, soil, and sunlight into the precious substances that we now call natural medicine.
A: What sparked your interest and love for Adaptogens, Nootropics and Herbs?
M: Last year I turned 40 and I have honestly never felt better than the beginning of incorporating Adaptogens, Nootropics and Tonic Herbs into my life. Like many of us, I have had many challenging times in my life, many people and situations led me to stand up and be the best version of myself – including my daughter.
This has been done with the help of these superior herbs. They have transformed the way I deal with anxiety, boost my energy, and balance my mind, body, and spirit daily.
Now I just want to help inspire, educate, and encourage others to add these special plants into their daily routine to feel the benefits too.
A: What inspired you to start your own Adaptogenic Protein Blend brand, Tonika? What separates your products from others on the market?
Tonika has been created to take the guesswork out of incorporating Adaptogens into your daily routine. Although these sacred Tonic herbs have been around for 1000’s of years, they are relatively new to the western world therefore Tonika is creating products that deliver what they claim. This means that people are truly feeling the benefits and trusting in their specifically formulated ingredients.
My inspiration came from my experiences. Always striving to inspire and encourage people to work on themselves, to be their best version and show up daily – and this looks different for everyone, it’s not a one fits all band even with health. Therefore, knowing and exploring the world of Adaptogens and how individually these herbs can assist to you when you need them in your life has been an incredible journey.
A: What are your top 3 favourite adaptogens and why?
M: Ashwagandha – highly researched and recognised for its calming abilities to balance out the body and put our nervous system into a regular state of balance.
Lions Mane – giving me the creative boost when I have a day of creating new beautiful Tonika products.
Turkey Tail – immunity superpower for the whole family.
A: How can Adaptogens make a difference in our health and lives?
M: The call for plant medicine in today’s culture and modern-day society is a real testament of us returning to our true source. The role of the plant kingdom is increasing in significance and as we build the bridge between ourselves and nature, we are getting closer to our true sense of consciousness. Therefore, to start by incorporating these magic herbs into our daily routine, can be the first step to feeling more grounded and connected to ourselves and Mother Nature.
Just by adding a small amount of Adaptogens to your day may assist the body to react to stressors the way they need to. Everyone is different and Adaptogens can work with us individually to regain a state of equilibrium through their regenerative properties and helping to harmonise the mind and body.
A great example is, Lion's mane as it known to lower both anxiety and depression, and having a better mood is synonymous to being more creative. And being in a better mood makes you feel better, have more energy, and give that energy to the people around you. Everyone is happy!
A: What does a day behind the scenes of Tonika look like?
M: 1. Wake up with my beautiful daughter and have a loaded coffee with our Creamer (Honeycomb is my weakness) and a scoop of whatever Adaptogen I need for that day.
2. Make Adele breakfast and normally, we love puzzles so spend 45 minutes on the carpet doing puzzles together.
3. Shower and have a little dance together to start the day – or some yoga with Kassandra online. Depends on our mood, we decide what works for us.
4. We pack the orders for the day and place outside for collection.
5. Drop Adele to kinder and then on the phone for meetings and follow ups.
6. Home for emails and Zoom scheduled.
7. Or hit the road to see store retailers, depending on the day of the week.
8. Go through my lengthy to-do-list and start another for the next day.
9. Once a week I formulate a new product creation to keep it interesting and exciting to what’s next in the Tonika range.
10. Proof new lines and packaging with designer when we have new projects – which is a few right now!
11. Create content and write blogs for webpage and our socials – I have an incredible Content Manager that we work so well together and really get stuff done…daily.
12. Pick up Adele – play in the sunshine or just do something together to be present in each others space.
13. We cook dinner together and eat together – we love it!
14. Pour myself a cup of tea and relax with a journal when I can or another new Adaptogen, Herbal medicine book I can sink my eyeballs into!
(Sometimes with a 3-year-old this can go pear-shaped, but we do try and keep the positive vibes in the house and connection no matter what we do or how crazy it gets).
A: Where would you like to see yourself and your business in the future?
M: To continue creating products and a space where people feel their best selves, using and learning about all the benefits that come with them.
I would love to talk to a large audience on the benefits of Adaptogens and how they can truly make you feel just a little more amazing.
Keep growing Nationally and Internationally, to spread the world of health and wellness, providing delicious and nutritious products for the whole family.
A: What would your advice be to someone who wants to improve their Inner and Outer Wellness?
M: Listen to your body. No one knows it better than you do and therefore, what is good for one person isn’t necessarily going to be good for the next.
Intuitive eating is such a big part of this. Looking after your gut health helps you make better and intuitive food choices throughout the day.
A: Finally, where can people find you? (Social Media, Website etc.)
M: We are building a beautiful community, educational and inspiring platform on:
@tonikaco
@feelgoodmovement (facebook)
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