Natural Ways To Stay Calm During A Global Pandemic
Ease Your Nerves
With all of the changes that have come along with long lines at the grocery store, shortages on everything, and the constant media coverage of COVID-19 many people are experiencing increased anxiety. For some this may be a newfound feeling and for others with a history of anxiety that was previously well controlled they may be experiencing an exacerbation of their symptoms. And then there are all of those moms out there (like me) trying to learn how to balance working from home while keeping the kids both educated, fed, and prevent them from bouncing all over the house or burying themselves in Fortnight!
For those of you out there that find themselves in this “anxious boat” I have some helpful herbs that nature puts forth to help to calm the worry and ease your nerves during this global pandemic.
Many of the supplements listed below can be found in our online dispensary, or sourced locally. If you have any questions about obtaining any of the products mentioned, feel free to contact us by phone or you can also reach out to us via email so we can help you.
The following herbs are good for anxiety in particular:
Kava (a rising star for anxiety)
COMMON NAME
Standardized: kava
Other: awa, kava kava, kava pepper, yangona
BOTANICAL NAME
Piper methysticum G. Forst. Plant Family: Piperaceae
OVERVIEW
Kava is a great herb for anxiety although it is not meant to be combined with other anxiety or depression medications. It also should not be taken at the same time as alcohol so that you don’t become extremely sedated. This herb can be taken in the form of a tablet or a tea. Kava kava is traditional herb native to the Pacific that has a fascinating history going back over 3000 years. There are many folk tales about the origin of kava kava, but most rely on a central theme that involves the first plant growing on the grave of someone who had been sacrificed. Although traditionally used as a ceremonial beverage currently it is also primarily used during social gatherings. Kava Kava promotes natural relaxation and stress reduction.
USES AND PREPARATIONS
Whole and Cut root added to decoction tea/tincture or it can be taken as a supplement
PRECAUTIONS
Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before use in pregnancy or lactation, also if you have liver problems, or are taking any medications. Not for use by persons under 18 years of age. Excessive use, or use with products that cause drowsiness, may impair your ability to operate a vehicle or dangerous equipment. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Lemon Balm
COMMON NAME
Standardized: lemon balm
Other: balm, bee balm, melissa, melissa balm
BOTANICAL NAME
Melissa officinalis L. Plant Family: Lamiaceae
Used since ancient times to calm the heart and the body, lemon balm with its delicate lemony flavor uplifts the spirit and any culinary dish it is added to. It has been used to sweeten jam, jellies, as an addition to salad, and as a flavoring for various fish and poultry dishes and liqueurs. It is often found as a tea in combination with other relaxing herbs such as valerian, as an essential oil, and also in ointments for topical applications.
Melissa officinalis, and its cousin, M. parviflora, have been utilized in Ayurveda to calm the stomach and balance mood, and has been utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), in which it is considered energetically cooling and drying, for thousands of years as well. According to herbalist Matthew Wood, "melissa will generally calm most people."
USES AND PREPARATIONS
Dried leaf as a tea, tincture
PRECAUTIONS
No known precautions. I do recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Chamomile (this is one of my ‘faves and it’s great for kids too!)
COMMON NAME
Standardized: chamomile
Other: German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, mayweed, sweet false chamomile, true chamomile
BOTANICAL NAME
Matricaria chamomilla L.
Plant Family: Asteraceae
OVERVIEW
Chamomile is a gentle herb known throughout most of the world which has been used continually for many centuries. It is often ingested as a tea for calming purposes and to soothe the digestive tract, and is mild enough to be administered to babies (that’s right!). It is known in commerce as Matricaria recutita and by its synonym Matricaria chamomilla.
Chamomile has been used as far back as in ancient Egypt and Europe. Typical preparations were teas, baths and sitzbaths, gargles, inhalations, and compresses. Germans refer to this herb as alles zutraut meaning 'capable of anything. In the Mexican folkloric tradition, manzanilla was used to support healthy respiratory function which may be also helpful given the spread of COVID-19. In the highlands of southern Mexico, the Tzeltal Maya make a chamomile tea containing an orange and a lime leaf to lift the mood. Native Americans have also used this and related species since their introduction to the Americas, often utilizing the entire plant.
According to a many herbalist the people who respond best to this herb (other than busybody children) are for those who “fret” a lot or hold onto a lot of worry (sound familiar anyone?) It is the perfect herb as well for occasional stress and tension. You can use this herb to do a “calm trifecta” which means that you drink a cup of the tea while also using the herb in your bath and then putting a chamomile sachet under the pillow at night to promote restful sleep.
USES AND PREPARATIONS
Dried flowers are milled into a powder for use in cooking, baking, tincturing or encapsulation.
PRECAUTIONS
Persons with allergies to other members of the Asteraceae family should exercise caution with chamomile. The infusion should not be used near the eyes.
I recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Valerian Root
COMMON NAME
Standardized: valerian
Other: garden heliotrope, garden valerian
BOTANICAL NAME
Valeriana officinalis L.
Plant Family: Valerianaceae
SYNONYMS
Valeriana exaltata
OVERVIEW
Valerian is a perennial plant, native to Europe and parts of Asia. It grows in meadows and woodlands within moist, temperate climates and has since been naturalized in North America.
The roots have a pungent odor, considered unpleasant by many and sometimes compared to the smell of sweaty socks. Cats are highly attracted to the scent in the same way that they are catnip, having a tendency to bite the root and rub against it.
Valerian promotes healthy relaxation and sleep.
USES AND PREPARATIONS
The dried roots can be steeped as tea or macerated as a tincture. Many people find the taste unpleasant and prefer to take it as a capsule or extract.
PRECAUTIONS
Caution is advised during the use of barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and other sedative drugs, as valerian has the potential to increase the effects of some sedatives.
We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Hops (yep this is the same stuff as what’s in beer!)
COMMON NAME
Standardized: hops
BOTANICAL NAME
Humulus lupulus L.
Plant Family: Cannabaceae
OVERVIEW
A "hop" is a green cone around the female flower of the hop plant. Inside the hops are golden grains that form a sticky greenish yellow to orange yellow powder. Hops have been used for centuries to flavor beer, at least as far back as 10,000 years ago in Asia, where it spread rapidly to Eastern Europe. There is also evidence that they have been used even longer to aid sleep and to reduce libido. This should not come as any surprise as hops are a distant relative of stinging nettles and cannabis. Hops promotes healthy relaxation and sleep.
USES & PREPARATIONS
Teas, infusions, tinctures, or encapsulations. Is also popularly used in dream and sleep pillows.
PRECAUTIONS
No known precautions.
I recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Hawthorne Berries
COMMON NAME
Standardized: hawthorn
Other: English hawthorn, May tree, white thorn
BOTANICAL NAME
Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC
Plant Family: Rosaceae
OVERVIEW
Hawthorn leaf, flower, and berry have been praised over the centuries for their heart elevating properties. It is believed to uplift and strengthen both the physical and emotional heart. The flavorful red berries are widely available in many forms as dietary supplements. Hawthorn or 'shanzha' has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since ancient times. Many consider hawthorn to be transformational for the emotional or spiritual heart as well. Herbalist Matthew Becker suggests that hawthorn is specifically helpful for women with "broken hearts" i.e. for those " feeling wounded and hurt." Often the flowers and leaves are made into floral essences to address these types of emotional issues.
USES AND PREPARATIONS
Dried leaf and flower as a tea, tincture, or capsule.
PRECAUTIONS
No known precautions. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
St John's Wort
COMMON NAME
Standardized: St. John's wort
BOTANICAL NAME
Hypericum perforatum L.
Plant Family: Hypericaceae
OVERVIEW
Hypericum perforatum is one of many species known commonly as St. John's Wort, and is the species most commonly associated with herbal preparations. It is native to Europe but has since been naturalized to other temperate climates around the world, with particular prominence in North America. The plant is a creeping perennial, producing star-shaped yellow flowers containing long, abundant stamens. St. John's Wort is traditionally harvested near the beginning of the flowering cycle on St. John's Day, which falls annually on June 24th. The flowers continue blooming throughout the summer and may be freely harvested throughout the season.
In contrast to its many uses, some countries have identified St. John's Wort as an invasive species and noxious weed. Though useful to humans, it can be dangerous to livestock, sprouting up in pastures and causing photo-sensitivity to the grazing animals that feed upon it. St. John's Wort helps promote a healthy mood and emotional balance.
USES AND PREPARATIONS
Traditionally used as a tea, sometimes available in tea bags; also used in bath and body creations. May also be administered as a capsule or extract for convenience.
PRECAUTIONS
Not to be used during phototherapy. Fair-skinned persons should avoid excessive exposure to sunlight during use. May decrease the blood levels of certain orally administered drugs. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before taking with medications. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Oatstraw
COMMON NAME
Standardized: oat
Other: oatstraw
BOTANICAL NAME
Avena sativa L.
Plant Family: Poaceae
OVERVIEW
A. sativa, or the common oat, is a popular cereal grain that has been eaten for at least 3,000 years. Although this is one of the main uses for this plant, various parts of the plant, such as the young seed and the oatstraw, are nutritive and have nervine qualities, and have long been a favorite among herbalists. There are many nutritional and health benefits found in the oat grain itself and it is often attributed to having the same soothing and nourishing effects as the oatstraw tea and the milky oats tincture. Green oat herb or oatstraw preparations have been used traditionally in Europe since the Middle Ages to boost mental capacity and as a restorative. Hildegard of Bingen, a nun and herbalist born in 1098 C.E. in present-day Germany, considered oats to be one of a few of her favorite 'happiness' herbs alongside fennel, summer savory, licorice, and hyssop.
Oatstraw is a highly beneficial nervine and nutritive. It is prized amongst herbalists for its gentle and supportive nature. The milky oats are generally believed to work more quickly in an acute situation whereas the oatstraw offers support over time. Hence the tea of the oatstraw is a better building tonic than the tincture. Either of these preparations are good for the type of person that has, according to the herbalist and teacher 7Song, " pushed and pushed and now feels tired, out-of-sorts, or just plain disconnected much of the time no matter how much they rest or sleep." Oatstraw is highly nutritive, containing minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamins, and a variety of other constituents which deeply nourish the entire body. This gentle restorative herb is for those that are cold, depleted, or tired, or for the type of person who drinks too much coffee and is chronically burnt out. According to naturopath John Lust (the nephew of naturopathic pioneer Benedict Lust), various types of baths of the oatstraw herb could be used to address specific issues. Additionally, he suggests a foot bath in oatstraw for tired feet.
USES AND PREPARATIONS
Dried oatstraw can be used in a variety of ways including in bath and body care recipes, steeped as tea, or made into a liquid extract.
PRECAUTIONS
No known precautions.
We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
To get pharmaceutical grade versions of these products delivered right to your door, register for a free account with our online dispensary Fullscript by clicking here. Once there, look for the category “Anxiety” and you will find all of my recommendations there. Want to know more about how these herbs can work for you and how to apply them in your lifestyle? I’ve got you covered!! Reach out to support @ admin@collabholistic.com to discuss consultation options.
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For educational purposes only.