Have No Fear, Herbs Are Here

Fear is a human emotion that is triggered by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism that signals our body to respond to danger with a fight-or-flight response. And what happens to our body when it is in fight or flight? The body's sympathetic nervous system is activated and energy is moved from the core of the body out to the large muscles of the legs and arms so we can fight or flee depending on the situation. This means there is no nerve function in the core. When this goes on for a long time, we see problems with digestion, urinary and bowel function, anxiety, depression, and the list goes on.

 

Nature understands this, and as such, has given us a whole family of herbs called nervines to help us cope with long-term fear. Nervines tone, relax and have a strengthening effect on the nervous system. These beautiful herbs include valerian root, passion flower, chamomile, lemon balm, skullcap and oatstraw, to name a few.

 

 

Nature also gives us spirit-strengthening herbs, like motherwort and blue lotus flower, to help us stay calm and peaceful.

 

And remember that the big bonus when using high-quality medicinal herbs is that they are loaded with completely absorbable vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, free-radical scavengers, and antioxidants that help keep the body running smoothly.

 

So how do we go about utilizing these helpful herbs on a daily basis? The opportunities are endless. Most of us think of making a tea, and that is always a good idea. Just the act of mixing, steeping and pouring that cup of tea is calming. While we are blending our herbs, we are thinking of how this is going to make us calmer and maybe lift our spirits. This simple act of hoping that these herbs will bring us peace is powerful. Sitting with a warm cup of tea, relaxing and feeling that warmth surge through our body is quite healing in itself. Maybe a nice cup of equal parts passion flower, skullcap and chamomile will bring on a needed night’s sleep. Or perhaps blending motherwort and blue lotus flower with a pinch of lemon balm will enhance your dreaming.

 

 

If tea isn’t your thing, bathing with herbs might be a good option. This has been done for centuries all over the world. Blend those herbs together, make a strong tea, strain and pour into your bath water, or take your dried herbs and put them in a big tea bag and let them steep in your bathtub—a perfect way to retreat, reflect on the day and refresh. The warm water releases all the healing qualities of the herbs and soothes that achy body, calms the mind, and promotes deep sleep. Breathe deeply and turn this into an aromatherapy session with some aromatic herbs (think chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, roses). By the way, this is great for the whole family. If you have a child who just can’t relax, put them in a bath of chamomile and roses and see how this transforms them. A few nice combinations are lavender and rose (relaxing); eucalyptus, peppermint and thyme (cooling and refreshing); calendula and chamomile (especially for kiddos—great for skin issues); and roses, lavender and chamomile (calming and aromatic).

 

We all need a hero these days; let herbs be yours! They are affordable, available and oh so magical!

 

 

Advertorial