De-stressing Your Holiday Season

By Kari Moe-Hoffman, HBC Manager

The holiday season can be an overly stressful time for many of us. It is easy, no matter how conscientious you are, to reach a point of being totally overwhelmed and exhausted. If the shopping doesn't get to you, the social functions will. The health and body care department offers a variety of therapies to help ease stress and anxiety so that you can do what you are supposed to do this time of year-enjoy yourself! Find your inner peace with a little help from herbal remedies and tea, flower essences, and aromatherapy.

Herbal Remedies and Tea

Herbs that act as adaptogens and/or nervine tonics, such as ginseng, rhodiola, skullcap, and wood betony, can be very grounding and a good arsenal to combat holiday stress. These tonics feed the nervous system and assist us in managing stress, fatigue and anxiety. Herbalist Matthew Wood recommends the herb Wood Betony for its positive effect on the nervous system and its potent effect upon the brain and mental function. Matthew states that it is a wonderful herb for stress and tension because it both relaxes and strengthens; it builds nerve force and reduces nervous and muscular tension, which can be great for people that suffer from stress headaches. It also helps digestion, making it an even better holiday choice.

A favorite herb of the Wedge's health and body care staff is holy basil, or tulsi, meaning "the incomparable one." Holy basil promotes a positive stress response and elevates one's spirit. It is said to deliver nutrients to the mind that are necessary for the experience of enlightenment. Try this one on when searching for those last minute gifts.

A personal favorite is rhodiola rosea, an adaptogenic herb from Russia that increases the body's resistance to stress. This herb helps your body cope with stress while increasing mental and physical energy. It is great for restoring mental clarity and keeping you going with a smile.

Relax, unwind and hydrate by drinking your herbs as tea. We offer a full selection of herbal, green and black teas in our bulk herb section. A new favorite tea in the bulk herb section is Rose White Peony from Two Hills Tea. It combines rose petals with white tea, the least processed of all teas. White teas are lower in caffeine than green or black and contain a high level of antioxidants. Republic of Tea offers a Chamomile/Lemon tea that contains lemon balm, chamomile, skullcap, passionf lower, valerian and lavender- great herbs for stress reduction. The ritual of sharing a cup of tea is a great way to keep the peace this holiday season.

Flower Essences

Flower essences can help ease stress and lift your holiday spirits. These delicately prepared herbal infusions bridge the mind and body by enhancing emotional and psychological well being. Flowers are hand-collected at the precise peak of bloom and infused with pure water. The elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire are orchestrated into the preparing of the essences, which are "energetic" or "vibrational" in nature, similar to homeopathic remedies.

Rescue Remedy, a combination of f lower essences by Bach, has been shown to be highly effective at easing anxiety, tension and pressure so that you can calmly deal with any holiday state of affairs. Rescue Remedy (or try Five Flower Formula) contains the following essences: star of Bethlethem, for trauma and shock; clematis, for avoidance of the present through daydreaming, being 'far away' and not present mentally; cherry plum, for fear of mind giving away, verge of an emotional breakdown, and anger; impatiens, for irritability, tension and fidgety; and rock rose, used for frozen terror and panic. Another favorite is Simpler's Stress Relief Compound. This is a liquid herbal extract that contains Rescue Remedy along with other herbs for relaxation.

We carry Bach English flower essences and FES North American essences. Come search the Flower Essence Repertory to find the one specific for your state of mind. Try just holding the book and opening it; the essence that appears could very well be just the one you need.

Aromatherapy

We cannot ignore essential oils when it comes to relaxation and stress reduction. Try several drops in a bath, candle, sachet, or massage oil. Essential oils can be applied as perfume or used as room sprays, or try adding them to humidifiers, on radiators, or in a wood fire. Essential oils are wonderful gifts we get from plants that have been shown to have distinct and powerful effects on the mind. They literally clean the air and can change your mood.

Room diffusers are a great way to let essential oils permeate your living space, creating the perfect holiday mood. Cold air diffusers, or nebulizers, are the best method for diffusion because they gently break up essential oils into tiny molecules without the use of heat, thus retaining the integrity of the oil and their therapeutic effects. Vapor diffusers are another good option for diffusing oils. They use a fan to diffuse oils and are easier to maintain than cold air diffusers. The following essential oils are some of my favorites for stress reduction:

• Basil: Uplifting and energizing; good for stress, mental fatigue, and anxiety
• Geranium: Good for nervous tension and depression; balances stress and anxiety
• Lavender: Relaxing, calming and soothing; balances the nervous system
• Peppermint: Good for refreshing the mind and stimulating the senses
• Pine: Clears the mind and helps with mental fatigue; use it to breathe more freely
• Rose: Soothing for nerves; calms anger and grief; can alleviate hangovers
• Rosemary: Invigorating; stimulates memory and helps fight fatigue
• Vetiver: Good for nervousness; has a sedative effect
• Ylang-Ylang: Creates sense of wellbeing; good for anxiety, tension and anger

In addtion, remember to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, eating great organic foods and exercising. Make use of herbs, tea, flower essences and aromatherapy to cope with stress. Also, remember to shop early; this might be the single best thing for stress reduction. The health and body care department wishes you a happy and stress-free holiday season.