Plant Power for Combatting Stress
Sarah Kate Benjamin’s Personal Favorites:
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) soothes restless minds from anxiety and insomnia, and eases menstrual cramps or muscle spasms.
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) helps to strengthen the brain and revitalize the central nervous system, and helps to calm the mind and relieve nervous stress and headaches. It is even more beneficial when combined with lavender or chamomile.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) helps to soothe emotional and muscle tension; relieve stress-related gut symptoms like gas, cramping, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers; calm heat-related emotional and physical issues such as eczema, anger and frustration; and generally promote a sense of calm. Wonderful in baths, teas and as an herbal garnish.
In addition to Benjamin’s recommendations, other stress-fighting herbs to consider are Ginkgo, panax and Siberian ginseng, fo-ti, rhodiola, reishi mushroom, goji berries, licorice root, lavender, rose, lemon balm, tulsi (holy basil), ashwagandha and mimosa bark.
Everyday Practical Tips
From Stephanie Mansour:
- Deep breathing and rolling the shoulders forward and back a few times can relieve muscle tension.
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Eating something crunchy like an apple or carrots can lessen feelings of stress.
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Meditating for even one minute can help reduce excessive cortisol in the body. Doing small increments daily rather than over long intervals net better and bigger benefits.
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If your mind is racing 24/7 and breathing techniques don’t work, change your environment. Get up and go to another room in the house. Go outside. If tight on space and can’t go outside, turn your body to look in a different direction. Stay in the same spot on the couch and just look at something else.
- Don’t put your body under more stress with demanding, cortisol-fueling workouts; opt for yoga, meditation and Pilates.
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When you get your heart rate up (in as quickly as five minutes of doing cardio), you feel happier.
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Maintain a healthy sleep schedule and go to bed earlier.
From Sarah Kate Benjamin:
- Reconnect to the earth in whatever way you can; go for a walk, cook a meal, smell flowers or just sit outside.
- As an energy exercise, try what I call The Fountain of Light: See and feel white light coming up from the earth and into your feet. Feel it move all the way up through your body, out of your head and back down to your feet to start again, like a fountain. Repeat this many times, feeling the vibrant, white light energy flowing through you.
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