Stress levels are high and tend to rise greatly during our Winter holiday season, so today, we will focus on two important classes of herbs that are useful during times of stress. 

Adaptogens are herbs that help you adapt to difficult situations, and Nootropics are herbs that help support balanced nervous system function.  Both are needed and luckily there are several nourishing herbs that are safe to take long-term that help in these ways.  Taking them won’t give the same immediate and noticeable effect of a Xanax, but they also don’t have the same side effect profile.  Like most herbs, the magic is in the monotony; to get the support and desired outcome, you need to establish a long-term and regular relationship with these herbs. 

Let’s dive in shall we? 

Adaptogens: 

There are several definitions of what an adaptogen is and a bit of controversy and disagreement over the finer points within the herbalist community.  However, there are some key components that all definitions share: 

“Adaptogens have a normalizing effect on the body by counteracting or preventing disturbances brought about by a stressor or harmful factor.  Ultimately they are thought to restore function and bring about inner balance.” (Tilgner, 2018)

Some herbal texts indicate that any herb that has an effect on hormonal systems especially the adrenal glands is an adaptogen, but this is an oversimplification.  Others suggest that any herb that increases cortisol levels would be categorized as an adaptogen, again, this misses the mark.  

Adaptogens help you adapt and cope in non-specific ways that are overall supportive.  These herbs “improve resilience, immunity, and stress tolerance.” (Stansbury, 2018)  Many different herbs can be considered adaptogens.  A short list includes: Ashwagandha, Ginseng, Holy basil, Licorice, Linden, Oats, Turmeric, Gotu Kola, Reishi mushrooms, Schisandra, and Rhodiola.  We will focus on two from this list below: 

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica): 

This unassuming plant that is a staple of Ayurvedic medicine likes to grow in warm regions along riverbanks.  Here in the PNW, it makes a great easy to grow houseplant that will provide ample medicine if kept in out of the cold.  Fresh, it can be eaten by itself or added to salads and other dishes.  Dry, it makes a lovely mineral rich tea. The whole plant can also be extracted into alcohol or glycerine for use as a tincture or vinegar to increase mineral levels.  Powdered gotu kola can be mixed into foods or added to capsules. 

Gotu Kola is often used in skin repair formulas as it is fantastic as a skin healer and supports connective tissue regeneration.  I add a tincture of gotu to my wound cleaning and healing tincture blend.  It is also featured in many memory formulas due to its ability to support blood vessel function and health including in the brain; it is quite helpful in cases of brain fog and I drank a tea of gotu through my recent concussion recovery.  It also shines as an adaptogen decreasing enlarged adrenal glands, sparing corticosteroids during times of stress, and acting as a calming herb by increasing levels of GABA.  It has also shown to have protective effects against tissue damage due to chronic inflammation of high blood sugar levels. 

The short and sweet of it is, gotu kola helps keep your tissues healthy, decreases anxiety, and supports the efforts of your adrenal glands during times of stress and/or injury.  All this while not being overstimulating.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Ashwagandha is another staple Aryvedic herb.  With this plant, we use the root.  Ashwagandha grows readily here in the PNW; however, it doesn’t tend to last through the Winter making it an annual crop.  We use the root of this plant which can be harvested in late Fall/early Winter when the leaves begin to die back after the plant has produced it’s bright red berries. I work with ashwagandha as a tincture or boil the root to create a decoction.  It makes a lovely addition to a golden milk or chai recipe. Powdered, the herb can also be added to foods or capsules. 

Ashwagandha shines as an adaptogen that is quite relaxing while restoring energy.  You will often see it listed as an aphrodisiac and descriptions of it giving the ingester the strength of a stallion!  It’s best effects are seen in people living with nervous exhaustion.  Dr. Jillian Stansbury lists Ashwagandha as being “specific for stress and adrenal disorders associated with high cortisol levels and poor sleep.” She also recommends it for people who fall asleep easily but tend to wake several hours later and struggle to get back to sleep.  We also see increases in mental function following exhaustion with regular use of this herb.    

Ashwagandha helps those struggling with chronic stress by improving sleep, increasing vitality without being over stimulating, relaxes an overtaxed nervous system, and can help you get your libido back. 

Nootropics

Nootropics are substances that support brain health and function.  “This would include improvements in memory, creativity, alertness, concentration, motivation, attention, focus, and mood.” (Tilgner, 2018)  This occurs through the delivery of needed nutrients, changes in neurotransmitter activity, increased blood flow to the brain, and decreased inflammation and protection against its effects in the brain.

Nootropics are called for in situations where stress, anxiety, depression, or injury where brain function has been effected.  They make a great ally for learning situations and to prepare for stressful situations where a clear head is imperative. 

A few examples of nootropics include: Amla, Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Ginkgo, Lion’s Main, Ginseng, Gotu kola, Rhodiola, Turmeric, Oats, and Skullcap. 

Milky Oats (Avena sativa)

Oats make great food, medicine, and topical applications for itchy/irritated skin.  When used as a nootropic, we are wanting the oat seed heads at the stage where they are filled with a milky white liquid.  This occurs for only around 3 days, so harvesting must be precise.  These fresh milky heads can be eaten, can be added to hot water to make an infusion, or extracted in alcohol or glycerine to make a tincture.  Once dry, they no longer contain the magic of the milky stage, but still make lovely medicine and food. 

As medicine, milky oats have been used to treat addiction, treat nervous exhaustion, increase mental function, treat depressed states, and have been shown to increase theta wave production in the brain during concentration. 

Due to the short shelf life of the milky stage, I rely on tincture of milky oats quite extensively for my personal health and while working with patients.  I use this herb so much that I now purchase 32oz of tincture at a time and have a bottle of 50% oats and 50% skullcap as my basic foundation for many herbal formulations. 

Milky oats support your brain and nervous system when you are exhausted.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

This mint family herb is quite easy to grow and establish as a perennial herb.  Dry it makes a sedating tea that is great for bedtime and fresh, it makes a supportive nootropic tincture.  Skullcap is an herb whose medicinal properties are different when prepared hot vs cold.  When heat is added, this supportive herb becomes a potent sedative that I recommend only using to induce sleep.  For regular use, a cold infusion, tincture, or consumption of the raw plant are recommended. 

Skullcap is fantastic for people who are anxious, stressed, fearful, and who suffer from muscle spasms or nervous stomach issues.  It also works well for people who experience heart palpitations with stress.  The nootropic effects come from several constituents including melatonin and serotonin which can be found in the leaves of this plant.  Two constituents “[b]aicalin and baicalein are known to bind to the same site of the GABAA receptor as benzidiazepine.”  This allows skullcap to work as a potent anxiolytic agent again without the side effects of pharmaceutical benzodiazepines which have a high addiction potential along with many long-term side effects. 

I also purchase skullcap by the 32oz bottle as I use this herb quite extensively with patients and anticipate the need for its support increasing. 

Skullcap will support your nervous system during stress calming you, soothing spasms, and aiding your digestion.

I hope this has been a helpful and enlightening review of some of my favorite herbs to work with during times of stress.  I currently have a tincture bottle filled with equal parts of all four herbs that I carry around with me daily.  

As always, if you are pregnant, on medications, do not have experience with these medications be sure to check in with a trained clinical herbalist, Naturopathic Physician, or other health care provider familiar with your health history before starting to work with herbs as medicine.  Do not trust the information you find on the internet, including my writings, as a substitute for personalized medical care.  You and your health are too precious to take risks!

To our health!

References

1. Tilgner, S, Herbal ABC’s: The Foundation of Herbal Medicine.  Wise Acres LLC, Pleasant Hill, OR, 2018.

2. Stansbury, J, Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals: Volume 3 Endocrinology, Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, Vermont, 2018