What Is Kratom?

Long story short, Kratom (mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree coming from Southeast Asia and the extract from its leaves is frequently in use in alternative medicine to treat chronic pain and other similar conditions. Many use it also as a recreational drug by chewing its leaves or cooking tea out of them since it can elevate mood and serve as a euphoriant.

Kratom Is Also Known as:

Since in some parts of Southeast Asia, this natural remedy is in use for centuries, you can often find it under some of these names:

• Biak,
• Thang,
• Kakum/Kakuam,
• Ketum,
• Thom.

Are There Different Types of Kratom?

Yes, there are several different types, usually known as Kratom strains, and their names refer to their place of origin. The main difference lies in the process which leaves go through once they are dried. Some are more potent, but the overall effect of a strain also depends on your supplier.

• Maeng Da,
• Indo,
• Green Malay,
• Bali,
• Thai,
• Malaysian,
• Borneo.

How Does Kratom Work?

Kratom has a chemical compound called mitragynine located in its leaves, which has the ability to connect to opioid brain receptors and relieve aches, which is why many users claim they experience an antidepressant effect. While there’s still not enough research to fully confirm the potency and effects of Kratom, a study from 2017 confirms that it can relieve anxiety and boost mood.

When Used as a Medicine Kratom Helps With These Things

Although its efficiency is still not researched enough, there are indications that this dietary supplement can be highly beneficial for treating some of these problems:

• Depression,
• Anxiety,
• Cough,
• Diarrhea,
• Fatigue,
• Hypertension,
• Chronic aches.

How to Dose Kratom?

Lower doses of mitragynine can have a sort of an energizing effect, while higher dosage can have a sedative effect. There are no strict rules when it comes to kratom dosage, and you can start feeling the effect within 5 to 10 minutes. The recommended dose can vary depending on one’s age, health condition, and sex.

The method of ingestion and the strain also play an important role in the overall effect you get. It is not the same if you’re using tinctures, gummies, tea, or tablets, because, for example, Kratom extract is much more potent than the powder.

Related: Teas for Easing Anxiety and Depression

What Effects Can You Experience?

• Reduced anxiety,
• Mood boost,
• Euphoria,
• Increased focus,
• Muscle relaxation,
• Increased energy.

Possible Side Effects Include:

• Headache,
• Dry mouth,
• Itching,
• Drowsiness,
• Frequent urination,
• Vomiting.

The Bottom Line

Although it is natural, it is not recommended to mix it with alcohol or other abusive substances since it can trigger some more significant side effects. It is advisable to consult your pharmacist and follow the instructions if you want to use Kratom to enhance mood or treat some chronic aches.

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Ginger

Ginger has been a part of ancient traditional practices in Asia and several other parts of this region. Back in the day, people used to consume this aromatic herb to alleviate anxiety and make the most of its potency. Ginger accommodates an antioxidant – gingerol, which helps to neutralize your body’s harmful chemicals while you are stressed. Stress and anxiety lead to symptoms that can result in an upset stomach since it produces many vital acids for digestion. Ginger tends to rescue the production of stomach acid. 

Chamomile

Chamomile has been popular in Ancient Roman and Greek traditions. They used to consume chamomile for its calming and soothing properties. Several phenolics present in the herb like quinones, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and other compounds can help reduce anxiety and stress. If you want to enjoy a sip of chamomile tea, mix a couple of teaspoons of chamomile flowers (dry) in two cups of hot water. Let it get absorbed and infused for two to three minutes. After that, strain and add a bit of honey to provide a sweet note to the tea.

Cannabis

In the modern age, people are more familiar with cannabis as an alternative medication. The natural supplement gets extracted from cannabis plants and is used for recreational and medicinal purposes. This psychoactive supplement has several naturally-occurring compounds that bind to the receptors or your brain and alleviate anxiety, depression, and stress. 

Cannabis interacts with your body’s ECS, which is responsible for bodily processes. In several parts of the globe, people have started incorporating cannabis use amid their services. The hospitality sector is one of the sectors that have come out with cannabis-infused services, menus, massage, and many more. A cannabis dispensary has several cannabis-infused products that you can choose from. Apart from a cannabis dispensary, you can also look for restaurants and spas for cannabis-infused services.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a herbal supplement that can alleviate emotional and physical stress. It helps to lessen the stress hormone by lowering cortisol levels. In such a process, the stress hormones can cause your body’s neurotransmitters to become unbalanced. This leads to anxiety, insomnia, and depression. To make Ashwagandha tea, mix half a teaspoon of ashwagandha powder in the glass of hot milk. You can either take it right before your breakfast or can leave it for your evening hours.

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort’s chemical name is Hypericum perforatum, which has been quite popular in ancient times. Earlier, people consumed the herb for its medicinal properties. One of the systematic reviews of 2016 found out that this herbal supplement is more impactful than a placebo to treat mild and moderate stress and depression. A cannabis dispensary might not have this supplement, so look for other online and offline stores to buy St. John’s Wort. However, before incorporating the supplement into your lifestyle or visiting a cannabis dispensary, have a word with your doctor.

Ginseng

Ginseng originated from the gnarled roots of Asian or American ginseng plants. It is essential to know that Asian, Siberian, and Eleuthero ginseng are various plants with several active ingredients. Chinese medicine practitioners have consumed and used this herb for thousands of years. That is because it can help in improving your energy levels and mental clarity. This, in turn, alleviates anxiety and stress. You can check this herbal supplement on any online and offline store near you.

Lavender

Lavender is also one of the herbs that people have consumed for centuries to remedy nervousness, stress, depression, and anxiety. The most common way of administering lavender is in the shape of lavender oil. A regular massage with lavender oil helps reduce stress and anxiety and gives way to positivity. One of the studies also shows that lavender effectively ameliorates stress and anxiety by affecting an individual’s nervous system. 

Its sedative effects can also lead to a significant change in mood, associated with anxiousness and nervousness. You can also store the oil for treatment in the future. 

Valerian

Valeriana officinalis or valerian is a herbal plant native to Asia and Europe. For several centuries, native people have consumed valerian root to treat anxiety, sleep problems, and depression. Valerian root can be consumed in several forms like tablets, tea, and tinctures. If you suffer from stress, anxiety, and depression, take around 120 to 200mg of this herb thrice. Make sure that you consume the last dosage of this herb just before bedtime.

Passionflower

Passiflora or passionflower is a herb with over five hundred species. Many experts suggest that passionflower is effective and impactful in treating nervousness, restlessness, and anxiety. According to one of the reviews conducted in 2010, some evidence suggests that passionflower’s antianxiety properties can be compared to benzodiazepines’. It is a class drug that experts and doctors recommend for treating anxiety. You can consume the herb either in the form of tablets or through a liquid tincture. 

Final Thoughts

In times of coronavirus, staying healthy and in shape are two of the vital things you need to take care of. Since your health is of utmost importance, make sure you buy such herbs for stress and anxiety. Also, know that people across the globe have started consuming herbal and natural supplements. These nine herbal supplements help you treat anxiety, depression, nervousness, and stress, but they also provide soothing and positive effects.

Read more: 

• 5 Best Tea’s for Anxiety
• Peppermint for Anxiety and Depression 
• 7 Helpful tips for Coping With Depression 
• Coping Mechanisms for Depression during Covid-19 

The post 9 Best Healing Herbs for Stress and Anxiety appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

While there are many pharmacological and psychological treatments for severe and moderate depression, learning other ways to cope is vital. Strategies such as eating well, sleeping well, and exercising may help. Here are some other helpful tips for coping with depression:

Seek Help from a Support Group

A support group is one of the best ways to deal with common issues such as depression or drug addiction. That’s why NA Meetings Asheville continues to help people come together and address their concerns. 

Depression-like conditions are not easy to overcome on your own. However, support groups motivate you to meet people who have successfully conquered it and are doing well in managing it. You get educational and community help to save you from relapsing into depression.

Use of Physical Exercise

Exercise improves your mental and physical health. But did you know that it offers positive effects when dealing with depression? Exercising makes you feel more energetic, sharper, and positive about yourself. Regular exercise can relieve stress and depression and enhance your mood.

Research shows that physical exercise helps in depression by keeping the mind occupied with other things. When exercising, you reduce negative thoughts. Besides, it releases good hormones, which improve your well-being when coping with depression.

Socialize with Friends and Family

Depressed individuals often feel low and lonely. They hate interacting with others and tend to keep issues to themselves. However, this behavior affects their physical and emotional health and can lead to further mental illness

It would help if you didn’t cut yourself off from the outside world. We are social beings, so it’s beneficial that you maintain healthy relationships with friends, loved ones, and families. They are an essential support network.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

A good diet plan is essential to improve your mental health when coping with depression. Eat balanced meals to help stabilize your blood sugar, which gives you the energy to carry on throughout the day. 

However, reduce your consumption of simple carbohydrates, such as white flour and refined sugars. Avoiding these food choices will stabilize the blood level and, in turn, elevate your mood. 

Depression levels reduce when you consume low-fat dairy products, fewer animal-based foods, olives, fish, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. 

On the other hand, taking a diet with high quantities of red meat, sweets, potatoes, and fewer fruits/ vegetables may worsen depression. Therefore, always focus on maintaining a healthy diet.

 Eliminate Negative Thoughts

It’s a considerable challenge for depressed individuals not to give in to negative thoughts. Going through depression makes you feel like the world is over, and nothing makes sense. Eliminate such thoughts by shifting the focus of your mind to look at positive thoughts. 

Positive thoughts help you to have a better view of the world. When you shift your thoughts towards positivity in your life, you will begin to feel better about your environment. Enrolling in cognitive behavioral therapy is one way to encourage positive thoughts.

One recent study shows that positive activity interventions involving thoughts such as gratitude, kindness, and positive feelings towards other people help manage depression.

Sleep Regular Hours

It’s familiar to lack sleep when coping with depression. Research shows that depressed individuals complain about insomnia or too much sleep. Thinking about your problems can hinder you from enjoying a good night’s sleep. 

On the other hand, some spend the whole day just sleeping due to depression to evade their thoughts.

Enjoying up to eight hours of sleep helps improve physical health and moods and reduces depression. Sleep is as essential to our health as breathing, drinking, and eating. Inadequate sleep will lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. 

If you have trouble falling asleep, turn off any electronics an hour before bed and sleep under dim light.

Establish a Regular Routine

It’s hard to stick to a routine when you have depression. Consequently, without a well-established method, you may probably sleep the whole day or engage in drugs. The best way to maintain focus is to devise a list of activities you can do and ensure that you accomplish them.

You can begin your morning with a short run, consume breakfast, and then fruits. You can do some house chores, visit friends, and finish office work. In the evening, you can meditate to keep your mind off your worries.

Conclusion

Depression is a challenging mental disorder that can potentially lead to fatal outcomes when you fail to manage it. Drugs prescribed for depression will only help a little, but they can become addictive and cause dependency.

These natural and helpful tips will put you at ease when coping with depression. Make sure to eat well, sleep well, seek the support of friends, and exercise. However, talk to your doctor if symptoms persist.

Read more:

• 5 Best Teas for Anxiety
• 5 Simple Ways to Sooth and Manage Anxiety
• How to Destress

The post 7 Helpful Tips for Coping With Depression appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

What is Peppermint Oil?

Peppermint oil is extracted from the leaves and stems of the peppermint plant, which is a cross between watermint and spearmint.

The medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary properties of peppermint are due to menthol, an active compound contained in it. Among other benefits, peppermint oil is believed to have a calming effect, and as such, can help reduce the impact of anxiety and depression.

How to Use Peppermint Oils

Peppermint oil comes in different forms, including essential oils, extracts, and capsules. Ideally, peppermint essential oil is a more concentrated form and is mostly used for aromatherapy. You can also dilute it and apply it to your skin.

Peppermint extracts is a more diluted form of peppermint. It is an excellent option if you want to add peppermint flavor in your food. On the other hand, you can take peppermint capsules as dietary supplements.

Peppermint Oil Anxiety Benefits

If you have been following news regarding essential oils, then you know that they can help relieve stress and anxiety symptoms. Peppermint oil is not exceptional.

Anxiety affects many people regardless of their gender, race, or even age. While clinical disorders may exhibit themselves differently, most of them are characterized by fear, worry, apprehension, and tension.

While psychotherapy and anti-anxiety medications are commonly used to treat anxiety, it comes with a myriad of troublesome side effects. As such, most people are looking for other alternative remedies such as aromatherapy.

Research shows that peppermint oil can help calm the nerves, ease nervousness, reduce the feeling of mental fatigue, and boost mental clarity. Among other things, this is as a result of its refreshing nature. For better results, consider adding lavender and geranium to peppermint oil for anxiety.

Peppermint Oil for Depression

Apart from fighting anxiety, you can also use peppermint to manage depression. The World Health Organization ranks depression among the leading causes of disability globally. Among other things, depression can lead to fatigue, lower self-esteem, interrupt sleep patterns, and even result in feelings of hopelessness or unworthiness.

As with anxiety, patients who are worried about the effects of antidepressants and psychotherapy are turning to peppermint and other essential oils. Psychotherapy and antidepressants can lead to nausea, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, drowsiness, among other side effects.

Due to its energizing properties, peppermint oil can give relief from lethargy, and other symptoms associated with depression. The best thing is that it does not come with other troublesome side effects.

So, Should You Replace Psychotherapy with Peppermint for Anxiety?

You’ve probably heard that some kids use peppermint candy in an attempt to reduce stress during tests. Well, while there’s no sufficient evidence to support this, there’s some truth in it.

For instance, one clinical study shows that inhaling peppermint essence can help patients suffering from anxiety and heart attack. Another study revealed that peppermint aromatherapy could help reduce anxiety before coloscopy.

Even so, it is essential to note that research on peppermint oil for anxiety and depression are still ongoing. As such, it is always advisable to consult your doctor if you’re suffering from anxiety or depression.

While aromatherapy and other alternative treatments can help manage stress and depression symptoms, they should not replace your doctor’s medications. As a rule of thumb, ensure to talk to your doctor before you stop using any medicines.

Read more: 

• Spill the Tea
• 4 Countries Every Tea Lover Needs to Visit
• Why Green Tea is the Greatest Beverage on the Planet

The post Peppermint for Anxiety and Depression appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

Even though this despair is temporary, at times, it doesn’t feel like that. We’re not sure when life will get back to normal, but in the meanwhile, dealing with it through binge-eating or drinking too much will only make that downward spiral worse. To combat those negative feelings, in the meantime we’ve come up with 6 coping mechanisms to deal with depression during COVID-19.

Find Some Form of Physical Activity

When all else fails, get the endorphins going. Although we all respond differently to depression during COVID-19, a structured home workout might make you feel good and provide a sense of routine where there is none. However, if you have trouble sourcing that motivation, an outdoor exercise like rollerblading, biking, or jogging will help invigorate you without feeling too much like a workout.

For Depression During COVID-19 Get Outside

Instead of masking up at a crowded store and indulging in some retail therapy, do a hike with a rewarding view. Or, even just lay out in the sun on a blanket with a good book, if you don’t feel like being active. Soaking in Vitamin D and being around nature can help you release that internalized anxiety or depression and provide a healthy distraction, along with a real reminder to stay grounded.

Seek Out Sources of Familiarity and Comfort

Maybe it’s your mom’s Mac and cheese recipe, reruns of The Office, or some Youtube clips that make you laugh while you’re in the state of depression during COVID-19. It could just be snuggling up with your pet, or listening to your favorite songs. This act is kind of like hugging yourself. Remind yourself of the tiny moments of enjoyment in life, and the big picture won’t seem so overwhelming.

Connect with Others in a Genuine Way

Catching up over small talk can help you meet your daily quota of human interaction, but is it connecting with someone? During COVID-19 use your support network and get your loved ones to listen to your struggles when you’re experiencing depression. Opening up and being vulnerable is never easy, but it is incredibly courageous to do and makes it feel more comfortable to reach out for help the next time. Opening up about your troubles does not make you a burden – it deepens your bond.

Eat Mood-Enhancing Foods For Depression During COVID-19

While eating comfort food or McDonald’s might make you feel right at the moment, you’ll crash eventually and feel even worse than you did. Try to consume healthy and fresh foods filled with omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients. Think roasted salmon and wild berry salad. It still sounds pretty decadent to us!

Staying informed is essential, but so is taking care of your mental health and taking a break. Consider unplugging from social media and the news at least a couple of times a week, so that you don’t start obsessively checking for updates. There’s loads of misinformation out there, and educating yourself with it will breed even more misinformed fear. You can always check conspiracy theories on Snopes.

Battling depression during COVID-19 can be difficult to manage. Recognizing the “triggers” will help you make the lifestyle changes that are required to get you out of those “blues”.

Read more: 

• 5 Simple Ways to Soothe and Manage Anxiety
• Cycle Your Way through America- Boost Your Mental and Physical Health
• 5 Best Teas for Anxiety

The post Coping Mechanisms for Depression During COVID-19 appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.