The 7 Best Herbs To Reduce Stress & The Effects Of Stress

Herbs are not second best to "chemical medicine" in helping to fight stress. In the contrary - herbs are much more intelligent, have many more components that all work together, and of course, they have EVOLVED TOGETHER with our likewise immensely complicated human bodies, side by side. 


Especially when it comes to reducing the effects of stress on the body - which is so more than "just a chemical reaction"! - herbs are a perfect solution to reduce stress related build ups of toxins, to calm the overactive mind, to help break down adrenaline, to strengthen the heart and breathing systems, all of which are under attack by ongoing stress. 

Here are the 7 best herbs to reduce stress and the effects of stress.


1. St John's Wort - Hypericum Formosum

What makes this herb the No. 1 herbal stress reliever is the fact that St John's Wort helps the pituitary gland to break down excess quantities of the the stress hormone norepinephrine. Norepinephrine blocks the production of human growth hormone, which is our personal wonder medicine, produced right by our own bodies to keep us young, healthy, and active.

St John's Wort thereby works in two different ways to help with stress - firstly, by removing the stress hormone norepinephrine, and secondly, by creating the space for the pituitary gland to produce extremely beneficial hormones which go on to do much more good all through your systems

2. Sage -  Salvia Officinalis

This herb got its name from the Latin "salvare" - which means to save. Sage is a classic example of why herbs can score over man-made cocktails of chemicals, because as time goes by, research is discovering more and more benefits of this seemingly simple herb, which the ancients knew about all along.

Sage has been scientifically proven to enhance memory and clear the mind; it is also a powerful antioxidant, and many other things besides.

Stress is not just a physical matter; there are many aspects to it, emotional, spiritual, and Sage acts strongly on those levels, restoring balance and common sense where there was chaos.

3. Rosemary - Rosmarini Officinalis

Greek scholars used to wear rosemary in their hair to help them think clearly and study well - Rosemary has many beneficial effects on the mind, and the body.

As an anti-stress herb, Rosemary relaxes the muscles in the body and that's one of the most important things in the fight against stress which is always associated with tension. With more relaxation in the muscles, you get better blood flow into the brain and eyes as well, so that's where the mental clarity comes in as well.

Apart from all of that, Rosemary is stuffed with minerals and vitamins, and cheaply available everywhere, so if you can only afford one herb against stress, this might be it for you.

4. Dill - Anethum Graveolens

Does your stomach flip when you're stressed? One of the bad side effects of having too much adrenaline for too long in our systems is that our digestive system shuts down and starts working erratically. This is why highly stressed people get stomach ulcers.

Dill has been used since ancient times to soothe upset stomachs, relax the stomach, relieve digestion cramps so if you carry your stress in your stomach, Dill is the first choice of herb to help with stress.

The name dill is derived from the Saxon verb dilla, to lull, because of its tranquillizing properties, and its causing children to sleep. Perfect!

5.  Tarragon - Artemisia Dracunculus

With its name from the Arabic word "tarkhun", which means "little dragon", Tarragon is a fine herbal friend against stress. Amongst its many good qualities is pain relief, which leads to relaxation and feeling more peaceful without being tranquilized.

Tarragon promotes calmness, balance in appetite and it also contains minerals which can be in short supply in a modern industrial diet.

This herbal remedy has been used for thousands of years for calming hyperactive children - which makes it a very good herb for stress relief.

6. Chamomile - Matricaria Chamomilla

The ancient Egyptians dedicated the chamomile herb to the sun because it cured so many things, including fever, aging, and the problems associated with overindulging in rich foods, drugs, and alcohol. In the middle ages, chamomile was the preferred remedy to stave off delirium tremens and to cure children of nightmares.

A lot of stress problems these days also have components of overindulgence and taking in too many substances of one kind, or the other - and we pay the price in physical stress on the body. The kind of long term stress that modern people experience is clearly a form of overheating the circuitry, so chamomile comes in handy there too. Proven to have a relaxing and restorative effect, a good all round anti-stress herbal remedy.

7. Red Clover - Trifolium Pratense

Red clover contains strong concentrations of natural plant estrogen called phytoestrogens. This is a hormone that occurs both in men and women, and recent studies have begun to suggest that additional estrogen can alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia, which are not all that different from the symptoms experienced under very high stress.

Red clover also reduces cholesterol, acts on the arteries and the blood, and does lots of other good things for people who suffer from stress and could be considered candidates for a future heart attack.

In Conclusion

• Taking herbs for stress relief is one of the easiest, cheapest and healthiest ways to help your body and your mind in the fight against stress.

You can eat the herbs with your food, dried, fresh, in teas, stews, on pizzas, in salads, soups, curries and stir fries every day. Most of the herbs on this list are available for pennies at the local supermarket. There are also mountains of herbal supplements you can take in pill form - not as much fun by a long shot as putting living or dried herbs into your food!

Probably the nicest and most de-stressing way to get your anti-stress herbs is to grow them in a pot or in your garden. Then you also have a real connection with nature there which is, after all, THE best form of stress relief there ever was - or ever will be.

Source : Herbs Reduce Stress

St. John's Wort - Herbal For Treatment of Alcoholism

Brief Sumarry:


Hypericum Formosum is also known as Tipton's Weed or Klamath weed, St. John's wort. 
St. John's wort is today most widely known as an herbal treatment for depression.

Clusiaceae (Mangosteen Family) 
The common name comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St John's day, 24 June. 
Ingestion by livestock can cause photosensitization, central nervous system depression, spontaneous abortion, and can lead to death.

St. John's wort may be useful for treatment of alcoholism. 
St. John's wort might alleviate the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

General Knowledge:

St. John's wort or hypericum (Hypericum perforatum) is a wonderful weed-herb that has shared mankind's history in magic, medicine and lore. In the Middle Ages it was considered a plant of magic and protection. In order to invoke the magic, it was important that it be picked on St. John's Day, June 24, the traditional feast day of St. John the Baptist. It's history goes back to Greek times where it was thought to protect one from evil. It still seems almost magic that when you rub the bright yellow flowers together in your fingers, your fingers stain red like a berry stain.

St. John's wort (H. perforatum) is a perennial that came from Europe. It is an erect plant of about two and one half feet tall. It has small elliptic leaves that appear to have tiny perforations or holes when held up to the light. These are, in fact, translucent oil glands. The flowers are bright yellow, five petaled, with a spray of golden stamens, borne in terminal corymbs. They havetiny black dots along the petals, which are also oil glands and are where the red stain on your fingers comes from and what gives the oils and extracts their beautiful red color. There is a native variety of hypericum (H. formosum) that is similar in appearance and that can be used in the same ways, however, it is only half the potency of H. perforatum.

St. John's wort is fairly easily cultivated, but be warned, it is invasive. It grows wild in most location and can be wildcrafted. When you do find clean, plentiful stands of it, feel comfortable gathering it as it is a prolific weed and needs to be kept in check. Gather the top six inches of blooming plants. It can be extracted in alcohol or oil in its fresh state, or dried for tea. It is not considered as strong in its dry state.

The popular use for this plant is as an antidepressant. Used alone or compounded with other herbs many people are finding it to be useful for moderate cases of depression. Studies have shown response rate to mild to moderate depression 50% to 80%. In Germany it is licensed for treatment of depression, anxiety and insomnia. It has been used traditionally as a relaxant and to treat melancholy. It has a long history as nerve healer and tonic, an actual restorative. It does take about 10 days to get the full antidepressant effects and should be continued for up to six months, with intermittent breaks. It has some MAO action, but apparently not enough to be significant as a dietary problem.

It is a tissue healer and anti-inflammatory with excellent applications for nerve injuries, tissue injuries, burns and internal inflammations. People find it helps with ulcers, hiatus herniation, gastritis, enteritis and gall bladder problems. It makes a good salve or ointment for external application of wounds, shingles, rashes, itches and varicose veins. The oil is used for massage of tissue with nerve damage, injury, or inflammation like sciatica. It has antiviral properties and can be used on cold sores. Studies are being done with HIV/AIDs patients and the indications thus far are encouraging.

It's actions are: antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, astringent, choleric, nervine, tonic and vulnerary. It's character bitter, sweet, cool and drying.

St. John's Wort is readily available commercially as tea herb, tincture, glycerite, capsule, compound and ointment. The cautionary note is that it may be phototoxic to some people. It certainly is to white skinned cattle and some antidotal evidence of it in light skinned people. So use caution if you are in the sun a lot and watch for this. If you should have a reaction, discontinue using St. John's wort until you no longer in the sun so much. There are some antidotal reports that in some people it can disrupt sleep patterns. It has also been know to cause an allergenic reaction in some people.

St. John's wort is not recommended in pregnancy. It should not be taken with antidepressant drugs and the sleeping time of narcotics can be enhanced. Anyone currently taking antidepressants should just stop them and start with St. John's wort. It is recommended that you work with your health care practitioner and take three to six months.

The official recommended dosage is 300 mg. three times a day. This can be capsules or hydroalcoholic extracts. For tea, use two teaspoons per cup of boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes two or three times a day.

Contribute : by Diane Abernathy (http://www.juniperandsage.com/herbs/st-johns-wort.php)

Other Source: Healthy Home Gardening