Herbs for Stress and Anxiety

​This month I have been writing about techniques that can help us manage our stress and anxiety. These techniques are the foundation for us to have peace and harmony in our lives. However, we all have times in our lives when we need a little support from external sources to help us cope with a stressful or difficult event(s) in our lives.

In such times, herbs are your best allies to help you manage stress, anxiety, depression and other emotions. Nervine and adaptogen herbs are nutritive and directly benefit the nervous system. Moreover, herbal nervine therapy increases our ability to cope with the stress of daily life. You may take nervines and adaptogen herbs as you need them. However, if you are under chronic stress, you will benefit from taking nerve tonic herbs on a regular basis such as:

• California poppy. This herb has been used as an anti-anxiety and sedative. It helps with insomnia, nerve pain, aches, ADHD, and improved cognitive function.
• Catnip.  Relieves anxiety and stress, helps with restless sleep, reduces pain and is a sedative. 
• Chamomile. It is anti-anxiety and works for depression, insomnia. 
• Hops. Promotes sleep. It may protect against cell damage that causes Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 
• Lavender. One of the most common herbs used, it’s a sedative, calming, and antidepressant. Additionally it is used to relieve anxiety and stress, improve cognitive function, improve sleep, and alleviate headaches.
• Lemon Balm. Improves sleep reduces anxiety, and improves cognitive function, mood, concentration, and sleep.

• Oat Straw. Is high in calcium and other minerals, protein, and the spectrum of B vitamins, except vitamin B-12. It soothes and nourishes the central nervous system. Therefore, it treats anxiety, insomnia, and nervousness. 
• Passion Flower.  It has been used to reduce and eliminate insomnia, anxiety, ADHD.
• Skullcap. This herb has been used for anxiety, insomnia, eliminate headaches, and works as a sedative. 
• St. John’s wort. Most famous for its antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties, this herb can also be used for nerve pain, anxiety, tiredness, loss of appetite and trouble sleeping, ADHD, OCD, seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• ​Valerian. It eases insomnia, anxiety, and nervous restlessness. 
• Wood Betony. This herb helps with nerve pain. It releases tension, stress, and anxiety. Wood betony has a slow and mild effect that accumulates over time.

​You can also manage stress and other negative emotions with Flower Essences (FE). FE are not to be confused with aromatherapy (essential oils) they are infusions made from the flowering part of a plant. Every flower has a different healing quality, and because each flower acts as an agent of change at a deep emotional level, they offer an excellent way to heal and grow. Some of the positive changes that FE can help you include feeling more positive, confident, and creative, experiencing more joy, love, and peace, being more forgiving and accepting, forming better relationships, and having more clarity, focus, and concentration, among many others.

There are literally hundreds of FE. You can start with experimenting with the Bach FE or the California FE. Both can be found online with a description of how each flower can assist you. If you need help choosing a FE You can call me, and I can help you design a FE just for your needs.

​Essential oils are also an excellent option to manage negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, sadness, and depression. Some of my favorite essential oils for promoting positive feelings are:

• Sadness/uplifting. Clary sage, lemon, tangerine, lime, bergamot, peppermint.
• Unfocused. Basil, peppermint, rosemary. 
• Tiredness. Orange, peppermint, frankincense.
• Forgetfulness. Rosemary, peppermint.
• Anger, frustration, and tension. Lavender, ylang, ylang, petitgrain, Roman chamomile, bergamot. 
• Worry and anxiousness. Chamomile, bergamot, lavender, jasmine, neroli, helichrysum, rose, nutmeg. 
• Depression. Neroli, Roman and German chamomiles, helichrysum, spikenard, lavender, rose.
• Promote positive mood.  Jasmine, ylang ylang, rosemary, patchouli, melissa, coriander, marjoram, frankincense, myrrh, vetiver, clary sage, cypress, gucalyptus globulus, hyssop, pine needle, tea tree, ginger, geranium, juniper berry. 
• Insomnia. Lavender, nutmeg, vetiver, chamomile, ylang ylang, bergamot, sandalwood, marjoram, cerdarwood, frankincense.

There are many ways to enjoy the benefits from essential oils, including but not limited to:

• Diffuse essential oils with a room diffuser or a car diffuser while you are on the road.
• Use scent balls in smaller rooms.
• Use a personal inhaler and inhale a few whiffs every now and again.
• Add them to massage oils.
• Add a few drops to bath water.
• Create oil-based perfumes with a carrier oil
• Create an essential oil spray by adding witch hazel or water to a glass spray bottle and a few drops of the essential oil(s) of your choice.
• Apply one or two drops to jewelry. 

​Select the appropriate oils for your current condition and make your own essential oil blend or you can call me, and I can help you come up with a formula that is right for you. The essential oil blend below is a basic anti-anxiety and sleep aid that you can create at home. Not only does this spice blend have a fresh-baked pumpkin pie scent, it will also help you relax and disinfect the air. It is also a great substitute to those synthetically perfumed candles.

​Pumpkin Spice Aroma Essential Oil Blend

• Twenty drops cinnamon EO
• Twenty drops ginger EO
• Twenty drops nutmeg EO
• Fifteen drops clove bud EO
• Five drops cardamom EO

Add all essential oils to a glass bottle. One one-quarter ounce bottle will hold this blend perfectly. Screw cap on tightly and shake the bottle to blend the oils.

​Another essential nutrient that has a positive effect on our mental health is omega-3 oil and other omega oils. Omega oil has an incredible impact on our brain, especially when it comes to mild memory loss and depression. Clinical studies concluded that taking omega oils such as the ones found in fish oil supplements improved depression symptoms, with effects comparable to those of antidepressant medications. There are vegan options for this supplement, one being UDOs oil.

As you can see, there are many options (methods) that can help you stay positive and focused as you go about your day. Use one or as many as you need throughout your day.

Stay tuned, next week I will be talking about how stress and anxiety affect your adrenal glands