Stress Management With Fascism on the Rise

I admit, I am not lately filled optimism. Our society feels lightyears away from where I want it to be. I want all people to have safety, community, and the resources they need to thrive. I want humans to stop exploiting our beautiful Earth and I want the plant and animal kingdoms to be able to do their magical thing. I want climate catastrophes to be a bad dream. I want my daughter to have a chance at relaxation, joy, and connection in her childhood and, by golly, into her adulthood. I want to break free of the cruelty of capitalism: I really want us all to work less and be able to enjoy each other, the heartbreaking beauty of this world, this gorgeous, short thing called life. I think we all want these things and I also know it’s easy to forget. I forget all the time.

Right now, for several reasons, seems like a time to reflect. In the midst of a world that feels really very ominous, it looks like we can either turn the other way and cross our fingers that __xyz__ doesn’t happen to us… or we can face our collective reality with open eyes, prepare, and clarify, iteratively: What do we want out of our lifetime? What kind of world do we want to live it in?

Maybe if you’re a “fighter” on the fight-or-flight spectrum, you’re even more courageous in stressful times. But for the rest of us, (I’m a freezer, in case you were wondering where I've been) courage takes cultivation. We can’t be strong up top if we're all wobbly down below. I guess you could say that my resolution for this chapter is strength training: mental, physical, physiological. Part of that practice is training a strong foundation - and nurturing a balanced nervous system - to embody bold actions of care through these times.

There are a lot of ways to stabilize and nourish our nervous systems. I’m experimenting with a handful - but herbs are forever the tool I know best!

Herbs for the Nervous System and a Strong Foundation

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a calming adaptogen that can help us better cope with stress. Classified as a 'rasayana' or rejuvenating herb in Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years, at least as far back as 600 A.D. Ashwagandha gets its name from Sanskrit words that can be translated as essence of a horse, which I think is a beautiful summary of the root's energy. If you've ever spent time around horses you know that they emanate this deeply calm vitality: At rest they can be so gentle, soft, and settled, but you can also feel the raw potential they hold to launch into a swift gallop, buck fiercely, or kick with immense strength. I don't know about you, but this is how I want to feel - at ease, gentle, restful - and ready to rear into action when needed! This is the vibe that ashwagandha brings.

In science this state is called a "regulated nervous system" or a balanced stress response. Ashwagandha's traditional use is backed up by modern science, which has shown that the adaptogen can help people feel less stressed, support sleep, balance cortisol levels, and improve energy. 

Considered to promote a youthful state for both physical and mental health, Ashwagandha is a beautiful tonic that benefits many systems. Ashwagandha root is especially recommended for those who experience worry, nervousness, or sleeplessness and is suitable for all ages. The flavor is delicately sweet, a bit hay-like, round, creamy, a little bitter, and we recommend taking it in powder form or using ashwagandha tincture in liquid herbal extracts. 

Our organic Ashwagandha Powder and the ashwagandha root that we tincture is grown in the USA by a small regenerative farm. Because we work directly with the farm that grows it, we're able to ensure it's fresh and potent. Freshness equals a more powerful herb!

Holy Basil

Most of you know holy basil, or Tulsi, by now - a plant revered as sacred in India and known for its powerful healing properties, its adaptogenic ability to balance, and its energetic protection. Tulsi is gentle but fierce, grounding and clear - rejuvenating! Scientific studies show that Tulsi reduces stress related symptoms, improves cognitive function, and reduces fatigue. As an adaptogen, tulsi benefits many systems when taken over time, balancing the endocrine system, immune system, and nervous systems simultaneously. The herb helps protect the body against chronic stress and is both calming and energizing. Holy basil nourishes the mind, relaxes the body, and invokes a very gentle clarity.

We use holy basil in several of our tinctures, but it takes center stage in our Tulsi Trinity Tea. Not your typical cup of tulsi tea, Tulsi Trinity elegantly blends three varieties of tulsi: Amrita, a very special variety with a rich, cinnamon and clove-like flavor; Kapoor, a mild basil with sweet bubblegum notes; and Vana, also called 'forest' or wild tulsi, the most fragrant, sharply flavored, and peppery. The elegant dance between the three varieties offers a captivating and complex flavor that is both soothing and stimulating. 

Milky Oats

Milky Oats is, without a doubt, the darling of my tincture collection. Milky oats is a classic trophorestoritive herb, a nervine tonic that can nourish and repair the nervous system naturally. It's like the perfect food for the nervous system, and appropriately so: Milky oats are unripe seed heads of the same plant we make cereal out of, Avena sativa, harvested when they contain a white, latex-like liquid - the “milk”.

Milky oats benefits those of us struggling with chronic stress or occasional sleeplessness. Those of us who have frazzled, frayed, or exhausted nervous systems. New parents, people with taxing jobs, anyone overstimulated. So… most of us?

Milky Oats makes me feel like I’ve come home. Which is appropriate, because what is home if not our calm and settled self?

While it's possible to feel some immediate effects, Milky Oats truly shines as a longer term tool to build resiliency. I recommend taking Milky Oats consistently as a slow build and gentle repair for at least 6-8 weeks.

References

Jamshidi N, Cohen MM. The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017;2017:9217567. doi: 10.1155/2017/9217567. Epub 2017 Mar 16. PMID: 28400848; PMCID: PMC5376420. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5376420/

Kennedy DO, Bonnländer B, Lang SC, Pischel I, Forster J, Khan J, Jackson PA, Wightman EL. Acute and Chronic Effects of Green Oat (Avena sativa) Extract on Cognitive Function and Mood during a Laboratory Stressor in Healthy Adults: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Humans. Nutrients. 2020 May 29;12(6):1598. doi: 10.3390/nu12061598. PMID: 32485993; PMCID: PMC7352613.

Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep?https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ashwagandha-HealthProfessional/

P.V. Tewari. Kasyapa Samhita or Vrddhajivakiya Tantra Text with English Translation and Commentary. (2018), Chaukhambha Visvabharati.

Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. “Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) for the Treatment and Enhancement of Mental and Physical Conditions: A Systematic Review of Human Trials.” Journal of Herbal Medicine 2021;28:100434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hermed.2021.100434