Once in a while everyone feels tense of stressed out. Sometimes there is a clear cause and you know what is causing you distress. It is also possible that you don’t really know where the anxiety is coming from. 90% of the people experience (short term) anxiety. Anxiety can cause physical complaints like:

• stomachache
• back pain
• headache
• tiredness
• pain in arms and legs
• pain on your chest

Whether the cause of anxiety is clear or not: our goal is to overcome the symptoms! Are you wondering how you can undertake action without having to grab to (heavy) medication? There are a lot of natural remedies that helps us relax and cease anxiety!

Which natural remedies do you need in your kitchen cabinet?

• Valerian: valerian pills have an calming effect. The chemicals in valerian help us sleep in and sleep through the night. It also doesn’t affect our focus in a negative way, making the product ideal! Valerian doesn’t work for everyone though.
• St. John’s wort: St. John’s wort pills enhances your mood and can be taken when you have feelings of sadness. It often happens that antidepressants are replaced with a combination of valerian and St. John’s wort (sidenote: when it comes to (replacement of) medication always ask a doctor for advice!). The effect of St. John’s wort will show after a few weeks of using the herb.
• Lavender: lavender has a tranquilizing effect. It helps against nervousness and feelings of irritation. It relaxed the nerves and muscles. Research shows that you will generally feel more relaxed and more happy when you structurally take lavender oil. It also reduces sleeplessness.
• Passion flower: the passion flower has a calming effect. The effect is similar to that of valerian: the effect is calming but not anaesthetic, you will stay focussed. You can use passion flower in the form of oil, capsules or syrup.
• Green tea: green tea contains i-theanine. I-theanine stimulates sleep. Research shows that green tea protects against psychological stress and depression in the elderly. Furthermore, green tea reduces pain (i.e. menstrual cramps).
• Tea with lemon balm leaves: lemon balm is a medicinal plant and has a medical effect. It can be used to reduce sleeplessness, stress and panic attacks.

You can buy the remedies listed above (herbal remedies or teas) at the drugstore.

Beside natural remedies, it is also important to provide your body with the right nutrition. Try to become aware of your eating habits. Want to know more? Read here how your nutrition can impact your feelings.

NiceDay

Try to drink a few cups of green tea a day, but don’t drink your tea too strong. You can plan this activity in your Planner, this will make NiceDay remind you of drinking tea!