We don’t need to tell you that we are in unusual and yes, fearful times on the planet right now. Many people are flocking to herb shops and health food stores across the country looking for help and guidance to curb that fear, anxiety and depression and rightfully so because there are amazing herbs that do exactly that.
Fear is not necessarily a bad thing though. Fear helps keep us focused and moving forward. It helps us find courage and keeps us strong! Anxiety and depression on the other hand can be debilitating a make us feel vulnerable, helpless and insecure. It effects our overall health by decreasing our immune systems, constricts our blood vessels and shortens our breath.
In this article we will look to herbs that help transform that anxiety and depression and help us find our courage and strength.
Before we explain those amazing herbs though, let’s look at some other common-sense things we can do while taking our herbs. Daily meditation, yoga and deep breathing are essential in helping calm our minds and bodies and bring us out of fight-or-flight and alleviate anxiety. Whenever you find your mind racing with fearful thoughts or moving into panic or anxiety, “Take Five”. Breath deeply and drop your focus to your heart center. Now visualize your heart expanding and contracting (like you are breathing into your heart instead of your lungs), 5 seconds in and 5 seconds out. After a minute or so add the most important emotion of gratitude or appreciation and continue to breath that emotion in and out with your breath. Perhaps you can visualize a beautiful sunset or your pet playing. There is always something to be grateful or in appreciation of. After 5 minutes, note that you feel calmer and more in control.
Herbs – There are so many herbs to choose from depending on the person and symptoms so let’s look at a few and help you determine which one(s) are best for YOU.
The first herb that steps forward here is Motherwort (Leonuus cardiaca). The botanical name means Lion Hearted and is used when you need the heart of a lion, when you need to strong but calm. This herb is very bitter so a tincture (extract) is usually preferable. You can take about ½ dropperful every 10 minutes or so to calm and settle anxiety. You may want to take ½ to 1 dropperful daily as we move through these stressful times and then as needed should anxiety or depression arise throughout the day.
If you are feeling like you are right at the edge, reach for St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) tincture. This beautiful herb nourishes and strengthens the nerves and quickly helps relieve anxiety and depression. You can try a dropperful 1 to 4 x day or even several times within an hour to calm an anxiety/panic attack. This works well with Motherwort for anxiety/panic.
Nervine herbs help nourish and strengthen nervous system and are usually rich in calcium to help steady the nerves. Try this tea blend and see how you feel after a cup of two.
3 oz Oatstraw (Avena sativa) – decreases anxiety, depression and insomnia.
2 oz Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) – relaxing calmative to help decrease insomnia, depression & nervousness
1 oz Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) – strengthens adrenals to help decrease anxiety
1 oz Skullcap (Scutellaria latiflora) – powerful nervine and calmative for anxiety and emotional upsets
½ oz Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) – nervine and mild sedative for anxiety and depression
1 oz Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) – soothing demulcent
To make: Mix all herbs together and store in glass jar. Use 1 teaspoon or tablespoon herb blend to each 8 oz water, depending on severity of feelings. Put water and herbs in pot, cover and bring to simmer. Turn off stove and let steep overnight. Strain and store in refrigerator. Drink 2 to 4 cups daily.
Another plant to help calm nerves is the very popular hemp plant, where we get our CBD oil from. CBD targets receptors throughout your nervous system, providing a calming remedy for a nervous and anxious mind. Traditional medicines to treat anxiety have been SSRIs, only available with a prescription, and may come with a long list of side affects. CBD oil might be a nice alternative to help manage your angst, without those harsh, and sometimes long lasting, after affects.
CBD is user friendly. You can find it in sublingual liquid form, capsules, lozenges, topicals, gummies and even bath bombs (don’t laugh until you try it!). Strength can range from 10mg up to 3000, even 5000mg. And like any other plant medicine, know your source. CBD should be full spectrum, non-GMO and organic.
CBD has been on the forefront of medicinal talk for years now for good reason. It works for most people. Finding a good quality product and your proper dose is key so talk with a trusted friend or health professional to help you get just the right one for you! It might just be the answer that you are looking for during these trying times.
Once again, plants come to our rescue with a wide range of available remedies for keep you calm and enjoy each day, herbally!