Natural Herbal Remedies for Anxiety and Stress

Ahhhh…today’s world is getting tougher. Home foreclosures, layoffs, economy is down, and China is making all the money. It’s a no wonder everyone is suffering from anxiety and stress. It’s not an easy world to live in these days. However, there are ways to combat anxiety and stress with natural herbal remedies.

The following herbs are a great way to relieve your stress and anxiety without giving into prescription drugs or non-prescription drugs like that wonderful martini after work. These herbal remedies help with anxiety and stress without any side effects and they make your life seem like a dream.

Anxiety and stress are controlled by the adrenal gland and it can become over stressed or over used the longer you’re under stress and anxiety. To read more about how it can effect your life visit Adrenal Fatigue.  They have a lot of information on how and why on stress and anxiety.

Anxiety and stress can bring on panic attacks with symptoms that are often taken for heart attacks. Hospitals are reporting an increase of stress related panic attacks in the emergency area. So, before you succumb to a panic attack, try some of these herbs to starve them off.

The first and foremost best natural herbal remedy for anxiety is Valerian. Valerian has been studies by the medical industry for the last couple of years and has verified that valerian works like it did for the ancient healers. Have a cup of Valerian an hour before bed for a great nights sleep.

 For anxiety and stress during the day, Chamomile is the best. It also helps keep your stomach from clenching with anxiety. One ounce of blooms to one pint of water. Simmer or steep for 15 minutes before drinking. You can also use a Chamomile tea bag.

Although there hasn’t been any studies (that I know of) its best not to over task your body so don’t exceed 6 cups a day. And don’t take for long term - use another natural herbal remedy and trade off between them.

Another herbal remedy you can take for anxiety is Catnip. I like it better than other herbs for keeping calm. It’s load with a nervine (a beneficial effect on the nervous system). Make a tea with one ounce of Catnip to one pint of boiling water. Steep for 15 minutes then enjoy.

One natural herbal remedies most people don’t know about is Licorice Root. There are times when I crave Licorice Root and usually it’s after I’ve been under some heave stress. Since I’m not a fan of taking pills, I use this recipe and make my own tea.

 

My Anxiety Tea

1 part Licorice root
1 part Ginger root
1 part Wild Yam
1 part Cinnamon
3 parts Sassafras (or not. It’s a personal preference)
1 part Dandelion root
1/2 part Orange peel

I mix the herbs together and store in an airtight glass jar for when I want some tea.
To make a pot of tea, I use 6 tablespoons to 1 quart of water, steep 5 minutes then drink. You can add honey or sugar to sweeten but it’s fine without either. You can drink it throughout the day. To make one cup use 3 tablespoons to one pint of water. You can also add Valerian to the mixture for a nighttime tea.

I believe the body gets more benefits from herbs if they’re eaten or drank. The body is designed to use the chemical components of herbs and food more efficiently than flooding the system with a capsule of herbs. But you can use capsule if that’s your preference, I just think they work better if you use them like food.

There are a lot of other herbs to use for anxiety and stress and I try to use them so I’m not taking one herb all the time. The body will build up an immunity to the herb and when that happens you stop getting the benefits of the herb. So it’s best to use different herbs daily to get the maximum benefits from natural herbal remedies.

You don’t have to do yoga or chanting to relax. You can sit outside for a half hour, go for a walk, throw rocks, surf the Internet, talk to the neighbors, or paint your walls. Just be sure to do something that will take your mind off the anxiety and stress so your body has a chance to recover for the overload of stress.

And one last piece of advice - eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, get plenty of sunshine (if you can) and get as much fresh air as possible. It helps keep your body relaxed and calm.

Here’s a list of other herbs that are good for anxiety and stress. Mix and match them into teas or add them to your food as you cook it. You can also make these herbs (in any combination) into tinctures or essential oil.

• Fennel Tea — relieves gastrointestinal upset
• Kava – Tincture or capsules help minimize anxiousness
• Hops — Relaxing effect on nervous system
• Motherwort — Tincture helps stabilize emotions, has calming effect
• Passionflower –Used in tea or as tincture to promote relaxation and calm
• Skullcap –Tincture or capsules help relax and nourish nervous system and induce sleep
• St. John’s Wort - tincture helps restore emotional stability and ease depression
• Bergamot — promotes the body’s ability to inner heal
• Cedarwood – widely used for its tranquilizing effects
• Geranium — helps relieve pain, soothes anxiety and stress, and diminishes swelling and inflammation, has a sedative effect and is useful for nervousness
• Lavender — ability to remove nervous tension, relieves pain, disinfect scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems.
• Lemon — attributed to its stimulating, calming, carminative, anti-infection, astringent, detoxifying, antiseptic, disinfectant, sleep inducing, and antifungal properties. Also, Lemon oil is calming in nature and helps remove mental fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness and nervous tension. It’s also believed that inhaling lemon oil helps in increasing concentration and alertness. That cup of lemon water in the morning works wonders to start the day.
• Neroli — anti depressant, aphrodisiac, anti septic, bactericidal, cordial, carminative, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, disinfectant, anti spasmodic, deodorant, digestive, emollient, sedative and tonic.
• Patchouli — attributed to its properties like anti depressant, anti phlogistic, anti septic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicide, insecticide, sedative and tonic.
• Sandalwood — It improves memory and induces concentration. It keeps the brain cool and relaxed and saves from undue stress and anxiety.
• Sweet Marjoram - It induces a calming, relaxing and sedating effect on the mind and the body. It also gives a happy feeling in cases of anger or sadness.
• Kava Kava — is used for treating anxiety, promoting sleep
• Oats — Oats strengthens and relaxes the nervous system. Look for preparations that contain the oat seed along with the straw. Take ½ teaspoon of tincture, three times daily.
• Passion Flower — A gentle sedative that soothes nervous tension and alleviates insomnia. Use half to one teaspoon of herb in one cup of boiling water. Drink the infusion every three to four hours.
• Peppermint – Excellent for an upset stomach or frazzled nerves. Use equal parts of peppermint, caraway seed, and wood betony to total one teaspoon. Infuse in one cup of boiling water for fifteen minutes. Strain and sweeten to taste.

You can get all these herbs at Mountain Rose Herbs where I get a lot of herbs I can’t grow in my backyard. 

I could go on forever on natural herbal remedies that will help you reduce your stress and anxiety but I’m sure you’re tired of reading by now. So I’ll let you go and don’t forget to come back in February when I’ll be visiting Maggie’s Herb Farm and Healing Waters in St. Augustine, Florida for more information on natural herbal remedies.

Enjoy…until next thyme!

Leave me a comment on anything you want to know and I’ll research it.

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