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Oh the weather outside is delightful, but the family time can be frightful, and since we’ve no place to go, let the lavender flow! I truly do not need to go into the details of holiday anxiety for anyone reading this blog post. If you’re here you are most likely already preparing for the stress that comes naturally this season. If you’re like me, you already battle mental health concerns daily and the festivities exasperate these feelings. My anxiety is already incredibly high this year. Actually, it seems that my anxiety has progressively gotten worse each year following the pandemic. Thankfully we have so many resources to help alleviate this extra stress! Lavender![]() Most of us know what lavender smells like because of its common use in perfumes, soaps, and recipes around the globe. Lavender isn’t just a lovely smelling flower, it also has a long history of being used to create a relaxing atmosphere. In fact, lavender can promote calm moods without being a sedative. According to a 2005 study from PubMed, lavender essential oil has been found to be effective in reducing:
Lavender can help in regulating these bodily processes by restoring a natural state. This involves lowering the heart rate, adrenaline levels, and slowing the breath. How to use lavender for anxiety: Oral administration and aromatherapy are suggested to be the most effective methods to reduce symptoms. However, because I’m not a medical professional and cannot give you medical advice, I’m going to share with you how I use lavender to alleviate my holiday stress. Aromatherapy - Pack a bottle of high-quality, therapeutic lavender essential oil in your purse, pocket, car, etc. Sniff deeply out of the bottle with vigor for 10 minutes. Between the deep breaths and lavender you will begin to feel better after a minimum 10 minutes of inhalation. Lavender is also a safe to smoke herb. Feel free to also make an herbal cigarette to light up later. Bath time - Hot water is already known to help relax tired or sore muscles. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to your bath, a scoop of The Hall Family Homestead’s lavender and basil bath salts, or make your own bath tea with dried lavender plant parts. This next part is simple. Get nakey. Topically - When applied topically through massage, lavender oil is rapidly absorbed by the skin, resulting in a sedative and relaxing effect. Since I don’t always have my lavender massage oil on me, I’ll tap the side of the bottle and apply the oil behind my ears, wrists, and nape of the neck. Tea and Tinctures - Teas are dried or fresh plant material steeped in boiling water for a certain amount of time to infuse the water with the plant’s properties. Tinctures are highly concentrated plant or herbal extracts made from distilling lavender flowers and buds in alcohol or apple cider vinegar. I prefer a lavender tea throughout the day and will drink it hot or cold depending on what other herbs are involved in the blend. Chamomile![]() Chamomile is another one of those herbs we are all familiar with, but may not think about outside of it being a nice tasting after-dinner drink. Chamomile, however, is not only gentle and powerful, it seemingly does a thousand and one different things. Chamomile has been effective in:
Orally - I prefer a warm chamomile tea to envelope me in a warm hug after a stressful day. Something about the taste and feeling the tea gives me feels so nurturing. However, if I am on the go, a chamomile tincture also does the trick! Bath time - Chamomile makes a fabulous bath tea or bath salt blend. Topically - I like to keep chamomile lotion on hand to apply before bed. Chamomile is just so soothing and when mixed with skin happy butters and oils it can make you feel perfectly ready for bed and a great night’s sleep. Sweet Basil![]() I have a special place in my heart for sweet basil. Not just because it makes the most perfect pesto, but because it’s also a healing herb. Basil was a gateway herb for me as it was the first green thing outside of green beans I ate right out of the garden and loved entirely. To be clear, sweet basil is not the same as holy basil. While holy basil has been classified as an adaptogen and highly praised for its impact on regulating the nervous system, it is not scientifically confirmed to be similar to sweet basil outside it being a closely related kin. Sweet basil has been found to be effective in supporting:
Though sweet basil has not been officially declared an adaptogen, research indicates sweet basil works on both sympathetic and parasympathetic sides of the atomic nervous system. As with lavender and chamomile, the following can also be used similarly with sweet basil:
All of these herbs can be easily grown in your yard or purchased at your local grocery store. Remember, if you can’t find fresh you can always buy a pre-made tea blend with any or all of these ingredients.
May your holiday season be merry, bright, and stress free!
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AuthorCaitlin is a full-time special education teacher with a penchant for the wyrd. When she isn't hanging out with the coolest kids, she's out in her garden tending to her herbs or frolicking with her 2 goats, 40 chickens, 6 ducks, 2 turkeys, 2 dogs, and 6 cats. She understands it's a hoarding situation at this point, but life is too short to worry about boring things like that. Archives
May 2024
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