You've had a bad day at work; too many late nights; not sleeping properly... these are just three simple examples that can quickly lead to stress and tension. In today's hectic world it seems there is never enough time, and stress and tension can quickly take their toll on your health and well-being.
For short term relief a herbal tea of chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint or Linden (lime) flower will soothe that edgy feeling.
These teas are also reputed to nourish and strengthen the nervous system.
Soothing chamomile tea is ideal for all kinds of digestive upsets, particularly when related to stress and tension, and helps to induce sound, natural sleep. Lemon balm tea will lift the spirits, peppermint tea is very refreshing and calming, and Linden flower tea relieves tension and anxiety, aids sleep and reduces muscle tension. To make your herbal tea put one level teaspoon of the dried herb in a ceramic cup, add 250 millilitres of boiling water, cover, infuse for three minutes, and strain into another cup.
Drink up to three cups a day.
Diet also plays an important role in treating this problem. Include vitamin B, yogurt, wheat germ, bran, sunflower seeds, brewer's yeast, green vegetables, including dandelion greens if you can source them, and tomatoes, peaches, passion fruit, oats and oatmeal in your regularly.
For an excellent source of vitamin B, and a great start to the day, nothing beats a good bowl of porridge with a few raisins, and other dried fruit added. And for a quick energy fix, when your feeling tired and slightly stressed out, try the following:
- A banana will fill you quickly and provide almost instant energy.
- A handful of sunflower seeds, which are high in B vitamins, is an excellent energy fix.
- Avocado and banana mashed up, and mixed together with a little honey, will make a powerful energy spread when served on oat biscuits.
Most important, set aside a little time for yourself each day to do absolutely nothing. Just relax: stare into space, watch the waves at the beach, or watch the wind in the trees. In fact do anything that allows you to turn off.
Learn to relax your face. Once it is relaxed, the body tends to follow. Do this by relaxing the lower jaw; every time you feel your teeth clenching just let go.
Your forehead will then follow and you'll lose those wrinkles across your brow. Another way to ease those tense muscles is to gently rub a drop of eucalyptus oil into your forehead.
Remember that herbs and a proper diet will help you to cope with stress.
