Support With Post-Bushfire Success
Early in December (doesn’t that seem a long time ago??) I wrote about herbs and homoeopathics which may help deal with the stress and anxiety. Little did I realise, 4 weeks later we would be dealing with an even greater fallout from this terrible bushfire tragedy.
Since we reopened last week, it has been wonderful to see our many customers coming into store again. Everybody has a story, some more distressing than others, however no doubt we are all suffering to some degree after this horrific disaster which has descended on our beautiful south coast. There have been many hugs and tears. Integral to our recovery is the sharing of our feelings and experiences and we feel privileged that our wonderful customers feel they can share those stories and feelings with us.
We know during our lives we are going to face times of stress, some more extreme than others. These past events I’m sure meant many of us are struggling and the symptoms of this stress will evolve in many ways. No doubt what we have recently experienced will affect each of us differently. Some of these symptoms may include insomnia, teariness, shallow and sometimes rapid breathing which can evolve into panic attacks, muscle tension, headaches, reduced appetite and sometimes an overwhelming feeling of loss of control.
Last week on radio I spoke about a calming homoeopathic formula I’ve been taking to help me get through this stressful time. I love this formula and have taken it over the years when I’ve not been coping well. Some of the ingredients included in this formula are passiflora, chamomile, false unicorn root and nux vomica. The bonus is, because the formula is homoeopathic, I find it works immediately and just gives me a feeling of calm when I’ve felt overwhelmed and on the cusp of not coping. I’ve in fact given this formula to many customers over the past few weeks with very positive feedback. In fact, some have taken the time to call me and thank me as they’ve also found the formula extremely beneficial.
I’m sure there are many children who have been adversely affected by these fires and the good news is, this formula is safe for children.
I’m also extremely mindful of the long-term effects of this stress many of us are coping with. Whilst this homoeopathic formula I’ve been taking is great because it works immediately, I’ve also been taking herbs to help maintain my adrenals and my nervous system.
I’ve often written about the herbs Withania and Rhodiola when it comes to treating stress and anxiety. This is with good reason. Withania (Indian Ginseng) is believed to be helpful in relieving stress as well as increasing our energy and endurance whilst under stress. One of the reasons I like Withania is because it’s an adaptogen herb. This is important because it means it’s able to adjust to both psychological as well as physiological stress which is far more beneficial when preventing or treating stress. It’s also thought to be effective in calming the nervous system, treating anxiety and as well helping to lessen nervous exhaustion. Rhodiola is great because it’s also an adaptogen herb which allows our body to manage our stress in a more effective way. Whilst it’s thought to be beneficial in strengthening the nervous system it’s also believed to be helpful in treating mild depression, improving energy levels and sexual function plus improving memory and concentration. It’s been found to help with anxiety and panic attacks and it’s also believed Rhodiola increases brain serotonin by up to 30% and is beneficial for improvement of mood and lowering of stress levels.
If you’re having problems with sleeping which often goes hand in hand with stress, I find a combination that works for me is a formula containing passiflora, hops and sour cherry. Or if you like, just take the sour cherry juice to not only help with insomnia but help your joint pain.
If you wish to know more about treating or preventing stress and anxiety call in to see Bev and the team at Go Vita, Your Health Shop at 5 North St in Batemans Bay or phone on 44729737. Don’t forget to tune in to Bev on 2EC every Wednesday at 12.30pm on Go Get Healthy.