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If generations were identified by their prevalent diseases, this could well be the Stress Generation. Most of us get an overdose of stress at least once in a while. The job, the kids, the commitments, the deadlines all add up to an intense feeling of being overwhelmed. Unfortunately, stress takes a severe toll on our health, contributing to everything from asthma to stroke.
We must learn how to manage our stress and make lifestyle changes to keep it under control, but even the best manager will have times when unforeseen things pile on too much stress. Nature provides us with some stress protection and relief. Thank you, Mother Nature!
Certain vitamins have been identified as aids in relieving and reducing stress. At the top of the list is the whole range of B vitamins. Hormones like serotonin feed on B vitamins and without the B complex series, our bodies won’t produce enough serotonin. Serotonin is the hormone most responsible for soothing our nerves and keeping us feeling upbeat. There are eight B vitamins and most of us don’t get enough of all of them. If you want to add a vitamin supplement to your diet, a good B-complex would be the one to add.
Vitamin C has been identified by Nobel Prize winning chemist Linus Pauling as perhaps one of the greatest health aids ever. Vitamin C keeps your body’s production of adrenaline and cortisol under control. While these hormones are necessary, when we are under stress, our bodies start to act like they will need to fight for survival. Our bloodstreams are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol to help us physically fight for our lives. When we don’t have a physical outlet to work those extra hormones out of our systems, they linger keeping us tense, irritable and on edge.
We’ve all heard the ‘fat is bad for you’ statement in one form or another but it’s not entirely true. There are good fats. We need at least some fat in our diets and we must have essential fatty acids or we experience increased irritability and depression. Good sources of essential fatty acids are flaxseed and fish oil. Add them to your salad dressings and you’ll never taste them.
Many herbs will also help calm us down even if they might not prevent stress. None of these herbs should be used as medicine without first consulting a health care professional. Very young children or the elderly should not use these herbs unless told to do so by a physician.
These herbs are considered natural sedatives and all precautions that you would observe using a prescribed sedative should be observed with these herbs. These precautions include not operating equipment, use only at bedtime, do not exceed recommended dosages, consult a doctor if you have any problems connected with these herbs. Do not combine the use of these herbs with prescribed medications that are sedating without consent of your doctor.
Balm Oil is used extensively in Germany as a natural sedative. It is gentle and considered non-addicting. Add tincture of balm oil to a caffeine free tea before bed. Or, steep two teaspoons of the dried herb as a tea.
Valerian Root has long been used as a natural sleep aid. Steep two teaspoons of powdered root in hot water to make a bedtime tea.
Passionflower, Ginseng and Chamomile are all effective natural sedatives, too. Each can be made into a bedtime tea just as for Valerian Root.
St. John’s Wort has long been known to help ease depression. This is the most prescribed antidepressant in Germany. Hypericum is the responsible agent and it acts to prevent the re-uptake of serotonin by the brain’s neurotransmitters. The problem with St. John’s Wort and many other herbals in the United States is that their manufacturing is not controlled like pharmaceuticals are. Any single dose of St. John’s Wort or other natural herb preparations can contain anywhere from no active agent to 300% more of the active agent listed on the bottle.
Using vitamins and herbs to manage stress and depression can be very helpful for many. But, it’s important to remember that these agents are just like medications in many respects. If you are taking them for a medicinal purpose, please discuss their use with your health care professional first. The whole idea is to improve our health, not to endanger it.
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