​Calming the nerves is not always easy.

There is nothing worse than the feeling of anxiety that you feel when you are stressed. It is human nature to want to worry about things but not everything is within our control. Over time, stress and anxiety can have a detrimental effect on our bodies. Here’s an example of how stress can affect your body, say a large dog comes running after you. Your hypothalamus sets off an alarm in your body which in turn, prompts you adrenal glands to release hormones, adrenaline which prepares your body for fight or flight. The release of adrenaline increases your heart rate, raises your blood pressure, dilates your pupils, slows down digestion and sends more blood to the muscles in your arms and legs. The amount of adrenaline released is enough for you to feel it for 3-5 minutes. That’s the time needed to react to a situation without compromising other organs.

When you experience stress for a long period
of time, another hormone cortisol, comes into play encouraging the release of more adrenaline. This may last for days or weeks causing serious health issues such as racing heart, dizziness, poor digestion, headaches, trouble sleeping, and other serious issues. There are things you can do to help your body relieve stress.

Here are 8 ways to relieve stress naturally.
 
1. Take regular walks- a buildup of adrenaline can cause anxiety and taking regular walks especially in calming places such as the woods or on the beach can lower the production of stress hormones.

2. Decreasing or eliminating caffeine- I love having my morning coffee but that’s where it ends. Drinking too much caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, increases the amount of acid in your stomach which can cause heartburn and causes increased heart rate among other things.

3. Avoid alcohol- Alcohol changes the levels of serotonin in the brain making your symptoms worse.

4. Do something relaxing- writing, reading, yoga anything that changes those negative thoughts to positive ones.

5. Diffuse essential oils- some essential oils such as lavender have a calming effect on the body.

6. Talk to people who support you- Talking to someone supportive can really help make you feel better.

7. Drink plenty of water- dehydration can cause heart palpitations which can lead to anxiety.

8. Try some herbal remedies such as chamomile, passionflower, lemon balm or lavender. There are several ways to take herbs. Personally, I love a nice cup of herbal tea to calm and relax me. When I am on the go I make sure to take my remedies in tincture form. Tinctures are ready to go and easy to take.

​Check out Wild about Herbs website for ready-made teas and tinctures.
Talk to your health care professional before taking and herbal remedies.

I love a good cup of herbal tea! Hot in winter, cold in summer, calming, soothing, energetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-infective, detoxification, no matter what I need there is an herb for it.

I am currently concentrating on a gentle herbal detox to cleanse the blood, liver and lymph. Tea alone is not enough to provide a good detox but when combined with lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and other healthy choices, detox tea can aid in the process of alleviating the symptoms of bloating, lack of energy, irritability and other issues. I have been working on a detox tea and it is ready to go!

When combined with other changes it can provide liver support, provide healthy looking skin, and cleanse the blood and lymphatic system.

Nettle helps in eliminating waste and is high in iron, contains vitamin C, it is rich in minerals and vitamin K; it is a natural antihistamine, natural diuretic and contains antioxidant properties.

​Dandelion is such a nutritious herb! The flowers, leaves and roots can be used and contain high amounts of antioxidants flavonoids supporting the liver and renewing cells.

When I lived in Pa. my father-in-law would pull the leaves and my mother-in -law would make a delicious salad. I could have eaten the whole salad for dinner (lol). The leaves contain vitamins A, B, C, and zinc. Dandelion is naturally a diuretic and slightly bitter to help stimulate the liver and gallbladder.

Cilantro is full of micronutrients, and antioxidants. It helps rid the body of heavy metals is antibacterial, helps alleviate digestive issues such as gas and bloating, contains a rich amount of phytonutrients, flavonoids and phenolic compounds, vitamin K and A.

Burdock Rt.is a good blood cleanser and works together with the liver and lymphatic system to purify the bloodstream of waste and toxins. It contains folic acid, vitamin C, E and magnesium. It promotes sweating and is a diuretic.

Milk Thistle is helpful for repairing damaged liver cells, helps produce bile, and has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antiseptic properties.

Red Clover, A blood cleanser that supports the detox process, it breaks down toxins in the lymph system and produce estrogen like effects in the body and research shows it may help with menopause symptoms.  It contains calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C.

So when is a good time for tea? Anytime you want to sit down and relax to have a good cup of relaxation and let the herbs do the rest. You can find a nice variety of choices to choose from on my website when you click here. 

I am excited to share that you can find all of my inventory stocked at:

• Gypsy Market 72- 22923 US HWY 72, Athens
• Madison County Farmers Market* 1022 Cook Ave NW, Huntsville 
• Southern Trends- 1042 Winchester Rd NE, Huntsville
• Top Key Market- 10005 Memorial Parkway Frontage Rd SW, Huntsville
• Twisted Tree- 7670 Old Madison Pike, Madison

*Check my Facebook page or Madison County Farmers Market Facebook page for days that I will be there.