Herbal Combinations and Formulas

Herbal tinctures are concentrated liquid extracts of the medicinal properties of herbs. Shake the tincture bottle well. As a dietary supplement, place 1 to 3 droppers full ~ approximately 1 tablespoon or 40 drops, under the tongue, or in juice or water as needed, 2-3 times a day.

 Immunity Astragalus, Pau D’Arco, Suma, Dandelion root, Oatstraw, Kelp.

Chill Out Valerian, St. Johns Wort, Passion Flower, Scullcap, Blue Vervain.

Mood Support St. Johns Wort, Chamomile, Schizandra, Oatstraw, Avena Sativa.

Muscle Calm Wild Yam, Black Cohosh, Crampbark, Scullcap, Angelica, Peppermint, Turmeric.

Digest Aid Peppermint, Dill seed, Chamomile, Gentian, Fennel, Ginger, Parsley.

Nerve Strength Oatstraw, Black Cohosh, Scullcap, Avena Sativa, Pleurisy root, Catnip, Lobelia.

Aromatherapy Remedies

Aromatherapy is extremely helpful in this area! Reducing stress, anxiety, boost immunity, and relieve numerous conditions all caused by stress. Stress reduction is one of aromatherapy’s specialties! Helpful, are Essential oils such as Bergamot, Chamomile, Rose, Lavender, Clary Sage, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang will relax you. Where as Basil, Geranium, Rosemary… will recharge, revitalize and stimulate you. Rosemary and Geranium oils also strengthen the adrenal glands, which are effected by stress.

Dilute essential oils with a carrier oil or add a few drops to a moisturizing lotion and massage into the skin for sore muscle treatments or stress release. Use anytime, especially before bed for calming and inducing sleep. Add a few drops to boiling water and lean over it with a towel for a steam facial, or diffuse to help ease tension and stress. Diffuse for balancing and help with calming down. Inhale the essential oils deeply as they diffuse into the air.

Baths, diffuser blends, inhalants, massage oils as well as, skin treatments, hair treatments and body treatments all allow you to pamper yourself while improving the condition of your body, your mental state, as well as, your emotional/spiritual well-being.

Lavender oil : (Lavendula Latifolia) is a soothing, relaxing essential oil known for calming the nervous system and relaxing muscle pain and tension. Lavender essential oil can also be inhaled directly from the bottle. Close off one nostril and inhale the soothing scent. Repeat on the opposite side. Do not touch the bottle to the mucous membranes of the nose, as it can irritate the skin.

Peppermint oil : (piper mentha) peppermint oil has been used topically for tension headaches, muscle tension and for soothing anxiety. This crisp, cool oil can stimulate the nerve endings and help us to recall a refreshing moment.

Not a DIY (do it yourself-er) Try

Andrew’s Aroma Remedy Blends: ~ 3 times a day, morning, noon and night, utilize these blends of essential oils:

Angel’s Mist Stress Diffuser Remedy Blend

Angel’s Mist Stress Inhalant Remedy Blend

Angel’s Mist Stress Bath Oil Remedy Blend

 Hydrotherapy

The mysterious and amazing healing power of water has been utilized for centuries. Water cleanses, refreshes and restores all life. We are always drawn to water. Be it a soothing fountain or majestic waterfall. Water is a carrier. It flows. It moves along the line of least resistance to find its way to the ocean where comes and goes in the ebb and flow of tides and waves. The appeal is inexplicable! We crave water, maybe because our bodies are made up of a large percent of it. Maybe because we instinctively know how it can heal us.

Hydrotherapy has a number of uses. Warm water will relax spasm; thus, hydrotherapy has been useful in treating such conditions as muscular strains and sprains, muscular fatigue, and backache. Heat is often used in conjunction with massage or other manipulative or stimulative treatments, such as the whirlpool bath. Sitz baths (sitting in hot water) are effective in the treatment of many disorders. Water is also useful in physical therapy because patients who exercise in a buoyant medium can move weak parts of their bodies without contending with the strong force of gravity.

The neutral bath has a balancing effect on anxious or irritable people. Instructions for a neutral bath: Fill your bathtub with water slightly cooler than body temperature, around 94 to 97 degrees F (You can check the temperature of the water with a regular thermometer.)

As the tub fills with water add 2 spoons of Angel’s Mist Deep Soak Sea Salts to the bath water for a soothing, muscle relaxing soak. Submerging as much of your body as possible, stay in the bath for at least 20 minutes, adding water as needed to maintain the temperature of the bath.

Consider a relaxing bath with the cleansing calming effects of Angel’s Mist Lavender Fields Soap -A relaxing blend of Lavender, Chamomile, Clary Sage essential oil makes this soap wonderful for creating a soothing and calm complement to your bath.

Nutritional Advise

Water is essential in any healing process. Distilled water is the best. 6-8 eight ounces glasses per day.

Stress is also compounded by poor nutrition. Diets high in sugar that contain too many sweets, refined foods, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine are all bad for your system. Stress depletes your body of Vitamins C,D,E , Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium, Sulfur and Zinc.

During our busy schedules, it’s easy to forget about a balanced diet by skipping meals or eating anything while on the run. Yet when your body doesn’t get the balance of nutrients it needs, you may end up trying to do more with less energy.

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, complexed carbs, whole grain, as well as, fruits, nuts, seeds and protein.

Set aside time to eat meals at a pace that allows you to taste and savor them. The 15 or 20 minutes it takes to put aside work and other distractions will more than compensated by a noticeable energy boost.

Enjoy quite time or peaceful music while you eat alone, or share some friendly company as you relax at mealtime.

Take a Multi-vitamin.

Stress can also increase a yearning for extra snacks and high-fat comfort foods. Snacks can be an important part of good eating, so don’t force yourself to starve if you’re hungry. But snacking when you�re not really hungry doesn’t give you more energy. Sweet snacks can give you a short-term energy boost, but then can also leave you feeling worse later when your blood sugar drops.

When people are worn out from the stress of trying to do too much, they often turn to sugar, caffeine, or sweets to increase energy levels and help them function. Sweets and caffeine-containing products may be enjoyed occasionally if you like, but avoid using them throughout the day, or you may experience huge dips and surges in your energy levels. Avoid alcohol, excess caffeine, drug stimulants, processed foods, excess sugar and cigarettes.

A 15-minute catnap, walk around the block or stretching session will more likely give you renewed energy. Review you priorities and set aside enough time to get adequate sleep for the most dramatic effect on you energy levels. If you suspect your diet has a lot to do with your stress, see a nutritionist for help.

Add protein and carbohydrates to your diet: Incorporate protein into your diet. Protein helps to keep sugar levels stable. You can find protein in nuts, yogurt, beans, fish, chicken, tofu and lentils.

Seek out foods that are high in Omega-3 (a fish oil): This fish oil has been shown in many studies, to reduce your bad cholesterol levels and reduce plaque buildup in your blood. By reducing your bad cholesterol, you are helping your body to fight off stress and relieve anxiety, tension and even prevent heart disease! Fish that are high in Omega-3 are excellent ways to help your blood stream.

Folic Acid: Folic Acid (required for energy production) is considered brain food. The brain needs it to work properly. It helps to prevent anxiety and fatigue. Folic acid works best when combined with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. Much research has indicated that a deficiency of folic acid may include depression, insomnia, anorexia, forgetfulness, hyperirritability, apathy, fatigue and anxiety. You can find Folic Acid in the following foods: Whole grain breads -Fortified cereals -Dried peas- Dried beans -Leafy vegetables- Fruit. Most multivitamin complexes contain folic acid.

GABA: GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) is an amino acid help reduce anxiety, allows rational decision making, promotes restful sleep and enhances workout recovery. It has also been shown to have similar effects as the benzodiazepine drugs. You will also feel more relaxed and notice that you are sleeping better. The recommended dose for GABA is 700-750 mg – 3 times daily – talk to a medical professional about using GABA.

Inosistol: has been shown in studies to have a positive effect in the calming of the symptoms of panic attacks and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Taking up to 4 grams daily – 3 times-a-day has shown to be beneficial.

Magnesium: The supplement magnesium has been found to aid in the management of anxiety symptoms. Taking 200-300 mg of magnesium 2 to 3 times daily has been shown to help.

Selenium: Selenium, an important antioxidant, is a trace mineral found in soil and food. It protects neurotransmitters. Deficiency in selenium has shown to have a negative impact on mood. It also helps to reduce bad cholesterol and keep the heart healthy. You can get much of your selenium from dietary sources such as: Alfalfa, fennel seed, ginseng, butter, garlic, liver, Brazil nuts, shellfish and other fishes. You can find it in sunflower seeds, yarrow, wheat germ and Brewer’s yeast.

Vitamin B1: Vitamin B1 is also known as “thiamine.” In many studies, B1 has shown to have positive effects on the nervous system and mental well being. Vitamin B1 is found in peas, soybeans, fortified breads, cereals, pasta, fish, pork, whole grains and dried beans. Prolonged intake of large amounts of alcohol depletes your body’s supply of vitamin B1. <p.Vitamin B3: (in the form niacinamide) has been tested in lab animals and seems to work in animals in the way that benzodiazepines such as Valium� have. *</p.

Vitamin B6: Lack of Vitamin B6 has been known to cause anxiety and depression. The formation of certain brain chemicals from amino acids requires this vitamin. It affects the nervous system. The recommended Dietary Allowances for adults (25+ years) is 2.0 for men and 1.6 for women. The best sources of vitamin B6 are meats (particularly organ meats such as liver), whole grains and wheat germ.

Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is needed for energy, brain function and a healthy nervous system. It helps to combat depression, stabilize PMS and helps to protect against anemia and it may help fight cancer. The best food sources of Vitamin B12 are liver, kidney, oily fish, beef, pork lamb, cheese, eggs and milk.

Zinc: and essential mineral, has been found to have positive effects on the nervous system as well as helping to produce a calming effect. Most multivitamins contain zinc. Food sources for zinc are Oysters, meat, poultry, nuts, beans and dairy products.

Avoid Caffeine: Caffeine is something many people in America and Europe are used to bringing in their daily lives. Though many studies have shown that this addictive stimulant can help produce symptoms of anxiety, insomnia and the like. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, many sodas and even certain medications. Always ask your doctor about a medication before using it. Also, ask the doctor if there is an alternative medication if your medicine contains caffeine.

Reduce Processed and Refined Foods:

Processed food can rob your food of nutrients and vitamins that your body needs to fight off stress and promote good health. Try to buy whole foods, unprocessed foods and try and stay away from “instant” foods, preservatives, artificial flavors, saturated fat and MSG.

Reduce Sugar Intake:

Too much sugar can rob our body of essential nutrients. Yet don’t be so fast as to replace the sugar with Stevia the natural sweetener from the Stevia plant. Artificial sweetener can also cause anxiety as well as other health concerns.

Reduce Alcohol Intake:

In small amounts, alcohol can be good for your heart but too much alcohol is not a good thing for your body and too large of an intake increases your body’s need for extra vitamins. The body has a harder time using oxygen. As a result, you can become more sensitive to stress – which in turn can cause anxiety reactions. It can also cause depression.

Exercise

Exercise is what your body instinctively wants to do under stress: fight or flight, and it works. It burns off some of the stress chemicals tension produces. Therefore, a tired muscle is a relaxed muscle.

Regular exercise builds stamina that can help anyone battle stress. But even something as casual as a walk around the block can help you burn off some of the tension that you carrying around. Stretching is a great tension reducer. Stretch your chest for better breathing. The tense musculature of a person under stress can make breathing difficult and impaired breathing can aggravate the anxiety you already feel. To relax your breathing, roll your shoulders up and back, then relax. The first time, inhale deeply as they go back, exhale as they relax. Repeat four or five more times, then inhale deeply again. Repeat the entire sequence four times.

People under pressure have a tendency to clench their teeth. Dropping the jaw and rolling it helps make those muscles relax, and if you relax the muscles, you reduce the sensation of tension.

Of course, knowing that something’s good for you doesn’t make it any easier to actually do it. Most people in the general population don’t engage in any regular physical activity or quit shortly after starting an exercise program. Depression and anxiety can make it even more difficult to get active. By its nature, depression means that you don’t enjoy activities, that you’re often fatigued or sedentary, that you just don’t feel like it, that you lack motivation, or that you don’t stick to treatment regimens very well.

You may have a hard enough time doing the dishes, showering or going to work. How can you possibly consider adding exercise to the mix?

Overcoming that inertia can be difficult. Another challenge is maintaining, or adhering to, an activity program. Setting realistic goals, doing some problem solving, and recognizing that exercise won’t always be fun or easy can help.

Talk to your doctor. Although not all mental health professionals have adopted exercise as a part of their treatment regimen, talk to your doctor or therapist for guidance and support. Jointly assess your issues and concerns about an exercise program and how it fits into your overall treatment strategy.

Identify what you enjoy. Figure out what type of exercise or activities you’re more likely and less likely to do, as well as where, when and how often. For instance, would you rather garden in the evenings, jog in the pre-dawn hours, go for a brief walk in the woods or play basketball with your children after school?

Set reasonable goals. Your mission doesn’t have to be to walk for an hour five days a week. Even a 10-minute walk can help lift your mood, get you into a more positive environment and refocus your thoughts, even temporarily, away from negative or self-critical thinking patterns. Custom-tailor your plan to your own needs and abilities.

Break it down. It might be good to have an overall exercise strategy. But focusing on the perfect plan or an ideal rather than what’s realistic for you can sabotage your efforts. Don’t start with the ideal and work backward. Start with the realistic and work forward. Break your program down into smaller parts. If you can’t fathom walking for 45 minutes, what is possible? Fifteen minutes? Five minutes? Start there, and build on that foundation.

For many people, just getting shoes on and getting out the door is the majority of the effort. That’s the hardest part. Once we’re moving, though, it’s often easier to keep moving. So put your energy into the first step and you just got started.

Have short-term coping strategies. You may have a structured exercise program that calls for activity several times a week at the local gym. But plan for active ways to cope immediately and quickly with unexpected negative moods, depression, anxiety or other issues. For instance, even if it’s your day off from exercise, taking a 10-minute walk may quickly help lift your mood if you’re sad or anxious or find yourself focusing on negative thoughts. Try to respond to a negative mood with physical activity.

Don’t think of exercise as a burden. If exercise is just another “should” in your life that you don’t think you’re living up to, you’ll associate it with failure. Rather, look at your exercise schedule the same way you look at your therapy sessions or antidepressant medication � as one of the tools to help your treatment. Reframe the way you think about physical activity. Don’t think of it as just another thing that you should be doing, but can’t because of all of the demands in your life. Instead, think of it as something positive that you can do now to help you meet your goals, including feeling better physically and emotionally.

Address your barriers. Identify your individual barriers to launching a program. If you’re self-conscious, for instance, you might not want to exercise in public. If anxiety or depression makes you feel like you’re carrying a heavy weight around, the idea of moving on purpose, doing something active, can seem absurd. The barriers may feel overwhelming. But when you have depression, it’s easy to overestimate difficulty. Instead, develop a strategy to overcome or get around those barriers. If you don’t want to go to a crowded gym, perhaps you can go to a quiet park or use a home treadmill or bike. If you’re put off by the thought of spending 30 minutes jogging, aim for five minutes of walking instead of just doing nothing. If five minutes seems daunting, try two minutes.

Prepare for setbacks and obstacles. Exercise isn’t always easy or fun. And it’s tempting to blame yourself for that. People with depression are especially likely to feel shame over perceived failures. Don’t fall into that trap. Give yourself credit for every step in the right direction, no matter how small. Chances are, you’re going to come to a time when it gets really hard. If you say that you’re a failure, that you blew it, that you have to start all over, you’re more likely to quit altogether. Recognize that change is hard and setbacks are part of the change process. By learning how to cope with setbacks, you’ll learn skills that will help you stay active over the long term.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the oldest, continually practiced, and professionally administered health care system in the world. It is a documented medical system spanning over 2,500 years based on comprehensive philosophies, rational theories, clinically tested and empirically verified by over 100 generations of highly educated practitioners.

Chinese Medicine is a total system of internal medicine, which is comprised of a diagnostic procedure based on signs, symptoms and treatment styles including acupuncture, herbal medicine, exercise, diet and meditation. It’s foundation is based on the principles of balance; the interdependent relationship of Yin and Yang. Through this balance, health is achieved and maintained.

For example, prolonged stress and anxiety may damage the energetics of the spleen/stomach, the organs with which it is associated with. On the other hand, an imbalance in the energetics of the spleen/stomach may result in your feeling either constantly anxious or the inability to feel peace. This is because each emotion affects the flow of Qi in a different way. When you are anxious, the Qi rises to the neck and shoulders. When you are fearful, the Qi descends to the feet. We experience a sinking feeling when we are afraid. When we are anxious, our neck and shoulders tightens.

Acupuncture is an effective therapy for the treatment of stress disorders. Acupuncture redirects your chi into a more balanced flow. It provides support to the underlying energetic spheres affected by your anxiety, helping to resolve the cause or effects of your stress. Acupuncture releases tension in the muscles. This allows increased flow of blood, lymph, and nerve impulses to affected areas, decreasing the stress experienced by you. Acupuncture also is effective in relieving the physical symptoms associated with stress-related and anxiety disorders, such as:
*Diarrhea
*Headaches
*Heart palpitations
*Insomnia
*Nausea
*Neck and shoulder tension…

The specific course of treatment depends on the nature and severity of your symptoms. Acupuncture treatment for stress, for example, may last approximately ten to twelve weekly sessions.

Ayurveda

The principle medical system of India is known as Ayurveda and is over 5,000 years old. This “Science of Life” is considered the art of living in harmony with nature. Developed from the ancient text of The Vedas, Ayurveda views the human body as a “homunculus” of our cosmic Universe, regulated by the balance between three primordial humours, call Dosha.

Your dosha are your Ayurveda mind and body type. There are three doshas in Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. We each have all three of the doshas in our physiology, just in different proportions, so your dosha is unique and personal; it is like your fingerprint.

Anxiety and fear are one of the most widespread of all the emotions. In the practice of Ayurvedic medicine, the body-mind system is expressed in the three Dosha or personality/body types. Vata, Pitta and Kapha make up these types, as we are usually more one than another or a combination of two of them. Anxiety and fear are considered expressions of excess Vata in the channel of the mind or (Mano vaha srotas).

Balancing Vata is credited with a number of positive mental and emotional expressions like creativity, joy, intuition, expansiveness, clairvoyance, and deep spiritual understanding. However, when aggravated Vata accumulates in the channel of the mind, it tends to cause constriction, which can lead to fear, anxiety, contraction, and even loneliness. 

Tranquil Mind tablets are specifically formulated to soothe and calm the nerves without creating dullness or lethargy.

Vata Digest tablets offer strength, resiliency, and tone to the neuromuscular system, helping the body to better cope with anxiety.

Ashwagandha has long been celebrated for its ability to support the body in coping with stress and anxiety, while calming the mind.

Healthy Vata tablets help to balance vata systemically and can certainly help to calm excess vata in the mind.

Emotional Aspect:

There is an emotional aspect to every illness. Often times, it is the emotional thoughts or “excess emotions” that will lead to illness. The following therapies are utilized for calming the mind, help with stress relief and focuses on our mental powers over any situation. The ability to balance your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual self are exceptional tools on your healing journey.  Here are some suggestions:

Metaphysical Thoughts

The power of your mind and your belief system has everything to do with the condition, the speed and the way that you heal.

* Our Belief System is one of the major factors that can get us through situations or can cause our life to crumble around us! I do believe that there is a lot of innate goodness and balancing our minds do subconsciously to get us through hard times. The other portion of this is how we “program” ourselves to deal with any given situation.

* Our self-confidence and self-love are often the key to opening and strengthening this portion of our thoughts which in turn emanates from ourselves!

* Energy follows thought. Program thought to be positive and your energy will reflect it!

* Really appreciating what we DO have as opposed to what we would like to have, sometimes makes a significant difference. This is always an important element in healing that is often neglected.

Stress, Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Anxiety disorders are responsive to counseling and to a wide variety of psychotherapies. During the past several decades, there has been an increasing enthusiasm for focused, time-limited therapies that address ways of coping with anxiety symptoms directly, rather than exploring unconscious conflict or other personal vulnerabilities.

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are caused by irrational thoughts. Irrational thoughts are based on your beliefs. Understanding what your belief system is doing to create your anxiety is key to controlling your panic attacks. Beliefs which make us feel worthless, invisible, forgettable, self conscious and doomed are all beliefs which fuel panic attacks.

Panic attacks are anxiety gone senseless! They are fear out of control. They are baseless fears that allow our emotions to get bigger than they really are. Self-esteem issues are different in different people. Although you may feel great about yourself in one area of your life, you may be extremely down on yourself in another. Putting our self down with phrases like – that’s impossible, – I can’t, – I’m not good enough… are all beliefs, which hamper our spirit and our means of becoming who we really are!

Positive affirmations or words of encouragement lend themselves to changing what we believe and who we need to become. Negative words that destroy our self esteem and block our growth are destructive patterns that create fear. This “self attack” helps to create an environment for self loathing and anxiety. Left unchecked, we create our own downward spiral which is the panic attack.

If you come under a panic attack. STOP. Use this mantra which has saved my life many times:

Crystal Reference