Everyone experiences anxiety at different points in life—stress, and worry are natural parts of being human.
Even though it’s not unusual (anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. today), anxiety can be isolating and hard to confront when it gets out of hand.
Most days we’re able to bounce back from stressful events, but for those who struggle with anxious feelings, daily life can feel like an uphill battle.
Raising twins and running a Pilates studio taught me the true meaning of anxiety and burnout a few years back. After months of sleep deprivation, I began studying to become a women’s herbal educator, hoping to get to the root of my struggle with anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
I quickly learned that nourishing my body with botanicals—specifically adaptogens and nervines— is key to keeping anxiety and burnout at bay.
Adaptogens are a category of herbs that help us “adapt around stress.” Their anti-fatigue effects make them particularly potent when you’re up against mental exhaustion, frequent illness, or chronic stress.
If you’re burning the candle at both ends, treating yourself with any of these seven herbs will help you feel relaxed, balanced, and healthy again:
1. Ashwagandha (withania somnifera)
This is the first adaptogen I turned to when I was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, and it’s still a personal favorite. Ashwagandha is “known to give you the strength and stamina of a stallion”, but still gentle enough for anyone coping with anxiety. When taken regularly, it can ease shot nerves and improve sleep.
My favorite Ashwagandha product is Adrena Soothe by Dr. Aviva Romm. Try 2 dropperfuls in¼ cup of water two times per day, to reduce your stress.
2. Reishi (ganoderma lucidum)
Do you find you get sick when you finally go on vacation? The relationship between stress and illness is complex.
One study shows that chronic stress can raise the risk of viral infections, eventually manifesting in full-blown illness. Try reishi if you’re under the weather frequently, or just feel stressed out and run down.
Taken regularly, reishi can reduce the likelihood that your stress will literally make you sick– so you can enjoy your vacations, rather than spending them out of commission.
Wondering how to overcome anxiety? Grab this freebie to learn how 👇
3. Milky Oat Tops (avena sativa)
Filled with vitamins and minerals, milky oat tops are a great herbal remedy that nourishes your nervous tissue and promotes relaxation.
Pairing milky oat tops with stinging nettles is a perfect combination to boost your daily energy without spiking stress or anxiety.
Due to cross-contamination, you may want to avoid milky oats if you have celiac disease.
👉My favorite way to enjoy milky oats is in a cup of blended tea. Combine equal parts of dried milky oat tops and stinging nettles.
Add 1 tablespoon of the blended herbs to 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and steep the herbs for 20 minutes for a medicinal infusion, then strain and add a little raw honey for flavor.
4. Chamomile (matricaria recutita)
Just one cup per day of this well-loved tea can reduce menstrual cramps, shift your mood, and ease digestion. Safe for children, our family enjoys a cup of chamomile tea most nights to reduce our collective stress.
My favorite recipe for the whole family: Blend dried chamomile, lemon balm and milky oat tops together.
Then add 1 tablespoon of the mixed dried herbs to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. Add honey for flavor and double-check the tea has cooled before serving to children.
5. Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis)
If you’re prone to ragweed allergies, skip chamomile and enjoy a cup of lemon balm tea. This delightful citrus-flavored tea is known as the “gladdening herb”.
As a nervine and mild anti-depressant, lemon balm promotes relaxation and reduces nervous energy.
To enjoy: Add 1 tablespoon of the dried herb to 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. Add milk and honey for flavor.
6. Motherwort (leonurus cardiaca)
From motherhood to menopause, Motherwort is a true gift for women. It shouldn’t be used during pregnancy but should be your first go-to-herb after birth.
Motherwort’s calming qualities can help with everything from heart palpitations to extreme anxiety. Taking motherwort throughout the day can release tension and reduce panic attacks, and it’s a great solution for falling back to sleep if you wake up frequently during the night.
Motherwort has a bitter taste, so I find it’s best taken as a tincture. Follow the directions on the label for your dosing.
7. Lavender (lavandula officinalis)
My favorite way to use lavender is as an essential oil.
Tap diluted lavender essential oil on your wrists or spray it in the air to soothe stress immediately. Lavender is known to help induce sleep, which makes it a perfect remedy for unwinding before bed.
To enjoy: Dilute the lavender essential oil with water and add it to your body products, spray it on your pillow, or tap on your wrists as an organic, soothing perfume.
Have you used botanical remedies before? Which ones work for you? Share in the comments section!
Warmly~ Tara
I’d love to know. Have you tried these before? Which one is your favorite?
Obsessed with natural remedies, Tara Gregorio is a Certified Women’s Herbal Educator located in Cold Spring, NY. She loves helping women reduce their medications with botanicals. Her favorite herbal recipes can be found on Pinterest and Instagram.
How can you reduce anxiety by addressing your gut health?
What if you could reduce your bloating, constipation, AND anxiety at the same time?
Picture this…sleeping better, fewer heart palpitations, and no digestive issues.
Here’s the thing…there’s a connection between your gut and anxiety. Called the…
Gut-brain connection
It’s called, the gut-brain axis and it turns out – when your body experiences inflammation it stimulates the HPA axis and releases cortisol – the stress hormone. source
But, wait up. Don’t worry, you can heal this.
So what can you do about it? You’ll want to “heal your gut”. Let me show you how.
But first, do you have any of these symptoms?
bloating
pain when eating gluten or dairy
skin eruptions
exhaustion
seasonal allergies
recurring yeast infections
achy joints and muscles
This may be due to your gut health.
In this post, I’ll share how functional medicine doctors are teaching us to heal our gut with the 4R approach.
What is the 4R approach?
This method addresses the underlying causes of gut imbalances and restores harmony, helping to alleviate symptoms and maybe even disease.
The program suggests you: Remove> Reinoculate> Repair> Reintroduce
Gut health anxiety and diet
How do you heal your gut?
Remove all triggers: i.e. all allergens and cross reactors like gluten and dairy.
Get off medications (with Dr.’s approval and replace them with natural remedies ).
Reduce your stress with meditation, exercise, and botanicals.
Take out what inflames you. You can get tested for food allergies, but honestly, it may not help. You probably already have an inkling of what foods bother you. The foods to create inflammation are:
wheat
corn
eggs
dairy
peanuts
soybeans
So, what do you eat?
Add in whole grains (like quinoa and rice), organic vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats.
Remove these foods for 4-6 weeks {or it may take up to a year to heal your gut if you have an auto-immune disease}
Encourage whole, organic foods every day
2. Step #2 Replace
After 2-4 weeks on an Elimination diet, introduce a good-quality digestive enzyme containing protease, lipase, amylase, and pepsin.
This is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women, too.
This will trigger the digestive system to produce digestive enzymes, secrete bile, and balance HCI levels in the stomach.
Take bitters 10-15 minutes before your meal.
If you have a lot of nausea with meals or when you take supplements, you might also need some additional stomach acid in the form of a supplement called Betaine HCl, or try 1 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar in water with your meals. {click on the links above to see the companies I love}
3. Step #3 Reinoculate
Wait 2 weeks on the elimination diet or up to 6 weeks before adding in a probiotic.
Adding in a probiotic can give you gas and bloating if you do not have enough digestive enzymes
Add a good quality probiotic to restore your gut flora. I like Klair probiotics.
You want it to have a minimum of 5 billion CFU in each dose, and a good range of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species.
Fermented foods such as miso, sauerkraut, and kimchee can also be a helpful advantage to your gut, add it to your diet 3-4x a week.
Although very delicious, kombucha can be high in sugar so consider using it sparingly.
4. Step #4 Repair your gut
Include the following supplement for 6 weeks or more to repair your gut. The following supplements can be taken for up to 6 months to help to heal the intestinal lining:
DGL licorice (aloe and licorice are not for internal use during pregnancy, and these are fine for children) are some of the most effective herbs for healing the gut lining.
Or Choose the GI Benefits Davinci lab within Fullscript for ALL of these ingredients
Do you get heartburn?
DGL or diglyceride licorice is a great alternative to tums and does not raise your blood pressure or affect your gut health as tums do.
DGL licorice is available as chewable lozenges and thus may be the simplest one to give to kids.
Klair labs have one here or Pure encapsulation combines aloe, slippery elm, and marshmallow root together!
Additionally, add these supplements to heal your gut
Zinc:
Dosing suggestions: 5-10 mg/day for children 4-7 years
10-20 mg/day for children aged 12
25-40 mg/day for older children and adults.
An antioxidant supplement
Look for one containing vitamins A and carotenoids, C, E, and selenium. These are often found in a multivitamin.
Pregnant women should get these from their prenatal vitamins only.
Fish oil is important for general health in pregnancy and breastfeeding, too.
L-Glutamine Powder:5-10 gm of powder twice daily for one month. (Much less for kids but talk with your child’s doctor before using and don’t supplement during pregnancy).
This is found in the Davinci blend.
Conclusion
Dysbiosis or digestive issues are common after pregnancy due to the stress of birth, antibiotic use, and poor diet most of us have postpartum. Elimination diets alone will not work unless you add gut-healing herbal remedies to help soothe and support the digestive tract and close the tight junctions.
Additionally, mold inhalation is becoming more well-known for causing digestive issues. Some of the symptoms I had with mold were bloating constipation and food sensitivities.
Do you think you’d try this? It’s easier than it seems. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, leave them in the comment area below.
Be honest.. you wish you could feel more rested and less agitated each day!
What if you could feel calm and carefree; even when the house is a mess? and the dishes are overflowing!
Think about this for a moment, if you had a soothing daily routine to follow – would your body feel better?
Our body craves routine and it craves to be oiled! Yes, oiled.
And.. women who have anxiety tend to be more of the Vata dosha body type in Ayurvedic medicine.
This body type tends to be drier and has more constipation.
Does that sound like you?
Think of this routine, like a warm bubbly bath to soothe your body tension. Choose 1 or all 9 steps to bring greater comfort to your body.
What is Dinacharya?
It’s the Ayurvedic daily routine, or Dinacharya, that soothes and nourishes your body. It should take just about 10-20 minutes every morning (not including the exercise portion) to master.
And… you can always choose one or all nine steps when you begin to have more time.
What’s an ideal Ayurvedic morning routine to stop anxiety?
Try these 9 simple steps to soothe your nervous system most days of the week.
Step #1
Wake up at the same time every day – kids will help with this!
Step #2
Scrape your tongue 10-12x to remove bacteria
You can buy a fancy tongue scraper or use the back of a spoon.
Pro tip: I often glance at my tongue to determine my health – your tongue is a reflection of your digestion. If it has a thick coating, it may be time to address your gut health!
These herbs are bitter, astringent, antibacterial, and aid digestion. Look for toothpaste without harsh chemicals like Triclosan and DSL.
Step #4
Drink warm water with lemon.
Squeeze half a fresh lemon into the water; you can add 1 tsp. of fresh ground, ginger to aid digestion. I LOVE, LOVE ginger people!
Warm water cleanses and awakens the digestive tract, encouraging a healthy bowel movement daily.
Step #5
Nature calls…going to the bathroom upon waking will help clear your digestive system. A healthy “motion” will have a soft brown log quality, little odor, and will be well-formed (like a banana).
If you’re constipated, consider waiting to eat and chug coffee before you go!
Undigested food, foul smell, mucus, blood, excessive dryness or “pellet-like” quality, as well as “sinkage”, indicates a digestive imbalance.
Altering diet, and lifestyle, and using herbs will help better this.
Rosewater helps soothe red eyes from too much computer work or just two hours of sleep!
Step #7
Self-Massage (or Abhyanga) is one of our best practices for soothing your nerves and feeling ageless.
To practice, massage your skin daily using a high-quality organic oil such as sesame, sunflower, or coconut oil.
Warm the oil in your hands, then rub down, making sure not to skip any parts. Let the oil soak in for at least 20 minutes and then shower or leave it on overnight!
Nasya, or nasal lubrication, can help soothe the nasal passages, particularly in dry months.
Take 1 tsp. of nasal oil on your ring finger, insert it into your nostril, and massage.
Step #9
Self-practice of meditation or yoga.
Begin your day with something you love! Choose an exercise routine you enjoy and stick with it daily.
Don’t forget your diet
Consider eating warm, cooked foods during the day to improve digestive fire. Eat your most substantial meal at lunch, and try to eat without distractions. 😜
What is the best evening routine for moms?
Skip Netflix, and go to bed at the same time every night.
Ask your partner to take the kids or put a movie in to take a warm bath – adding oil to the tub! {watch out it gets slippery)
Enjoy a warm cup of milk with nutmeg, cardamom, and a little honey.
Take Triphala with warm water, 1 hour before sleep. Triphala, an Ayurvedic herb can help reduce constipation and enhance your sleep.
Get to bed before 10:00 pm, as your body, renews itself between 10-2:00 am.
Warmly~ Tara
P.S. Shop all my favorite ayurvedic products here
Certified women’s herbal educator, Tara Gregorio is helping moms around the world reduce medications with herbs & homeopathy. Learn more about Tara here: https://taragregorio.com/
Are you wondering why you’re experiencing panic attacks?
It’s common after childbirth due to hormones, insomnia, and vitamin levels.
But, have you ever wondered if you can “fix” it without medications? Let me show you how.
First, what are the most common symptoms of postpartum anxiety?
Panic Attack Symptoms
sweating
shaking
shortness of breath
“digestive issues”
feelings of choking
chest pain
feel like your falling
and a fear of dying
—
In this post, I’m going to share my favorite herbal remedies to reduce panic attacks; which include adaptogens and nervines combined, along with holistic practices that I teach in The Present Momma group coaching.
Here are the botanicals to help soothe your anxiety AND they are safe while breastfeeding.
Natural Treatment for Panic Attacks
Adaptogens for Stress
1. Ashwagandha (withania somnifera)
This is the first adaptogen I turned to when I was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, and it’s still a personal favorite. Ashwagandha is “known to give you the strength and stamina of a stallion”, but is gentle enough for anyone coping with anxiety. When taken regularly, it can ease anxiety and improve sleep.
My favorite way to take Ashwagandha is with a tincture. Here is one I like> Ashwagandha tincture.
Some moms prefer supplements or powder. Try to find a high-quality supplement from a company you trust.
Breastfeeding? Withania somnifera is considered Category C; compatible with breastfeeding ⁶ and has been used to promote lactation in Ayurvedic medicine. One teaspoon (.5g) of Withania powder may be given 2x day with milk for lactation.
Additionally, you’ll want to add herbal nervines to your diet.
Nervines for anxiety
2. Motherwort (leonurus cardiaca)
From motherhood to menopause, Motherwort is a true gift for women. It shouldn’t be used during pregnancy but should be your first go-to herb after birth. Motherwort’s calming qualities can help with everything from heart palpitations to extreme anxiety.
Taking motherwort throughout the day can release tension and reduce panic attacks, and it’s a great solution for falling back to sleep if you wake up frequently during the night. This is my go-to remedy for heart palpitations.
Motherwort has a bitter taste, so I find it’s best taken as a tincture. Follow the directions on the label for your dosing. I like this one.
Breastfeeding safety: Motherwort is considered an L1/L2 by the German Commission E. Safe while breastfeeding.
3. Passionflower (pasque flower)
Calm a restless mind, and reduce tension headaches, painful periods, and insomnia with passionflower. Cooling to the body and tasty enough to add to your nightly tea or take in a tincture dropper for ease and efficiency.
Breastfeeding: Passionflower is considered L1/L2 safe while breastfeeding by the German Commission E.
4. Skullcap (Scutelleria laterifolia)
Use Skullcap in cases of stress, anxiety, or tension to promote well-being and induce relaxation. You can use the loose leaf and add it to your Chamomile tea at night or combine this tincture with a Valerian tincture and take it nightly to reduce panic attacks and induce sleep.
Breastfeeding safety: Skullcap is considered L1/L2 safe while breastfeeding by the German Commission E.
5. Milky oat tops
Milky oat tops are considered a mucilaginous botanical and known to boost milk supply but also when taken as a tea they soothe your nervous system.
See The ONE daily tea blend to help soothe your nerves every day.
Breastfeeding safety: Milky oats are considered L1/L2 safe while breastfeeding by the German Commission E.
Ready to learn more? Watch this video 👇
Conclusion
The postpartum time is a season of chaos. Herbal remedies can help soothe your nervous system and ease the longest days. Always consult your doctor before trying any of these and reach out if you have questions.
I’d love to know your thoughts. Do you think you could try some of these?
Warmly~
Tara
Certified women’s herbal educator, Tara Gregorio is helping moms around the world reduce medications with herbs & homeopathy. Learn more about Tara here: https://taragregorio.com/
