Are you in need of a pick-me up? Feeling the winter blues? Here are six natural mood lifters to help you during these down times:
1. Stinging Nettle – known as an energizer for women, Susun Weed, author of Wise Woman Herbal, explains that nettle can restore and rebuild the adrenal glands, tonify the kidneys, rebuild the pancreas and stabilize blood sugar. It is also full of nutrients. “One quart of nettle infusion contains 1,000 milligrams of calcium, in addition to lavish amounts of vitamins A, B, D, E and K,” says Weed. You can drink nettle tea hot or cold by adding 1 ounce of dried nettle leaf to a quart of boiling water and then straining it.
2. Gotu Kola – According to Sheila Kingsbury, N.D. R.H., gotu kola is “terrific for mood because it improves the flow of oxygen to the brain, making you feel awake and stimulated without feeling wired.” It is also good for stress as it helps regulate adrenal hormones. If your hormones are putting you in a funky mood, you’re feeling down, and/or you want to keep your blood sugar in check, gotu kola is great for you.
Kingsbury recommends taking one teaspoon of the herb in glycerite form three times a day. Take for at least four weeks for best results.
3. Milk Thistle – know for its liver-cleansing properties, milk thistle has been traditional used as a natural antidepressant. Phyllis D. Light, a registered herbalist and professor of herbal studies at Clayton College of Natural Health, recommends taking two capsules (375 to 425 milligrams) three times a day with meals for the first two weeks, then decreasing to four capsules a day. Take for at least a month with food. If on medications or pregnant, make sure to talk to your doctor before taking this or any herb.
4. Chocolate – For all you chocolate lovers out there, “cocoa is one of the great herbal mood enhancers” says Chris Kilham, ethnobotanist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and author of Tales from the Medicine Trail. Because chocolate boost natural levels of serotonin, you can “happily self-medicate with chocolate and greatly improve your brain chemistry,” says Kilham. Eat two ounces of dark chocolate that contains at least 60% cocoa daily.
5. St. John’s Wort – when taken properly, this herb can offer similar benefits to antidepressants. It is a “good choice for patients with mild to moderate depression,” says Amanda McQuade Crawford, author of Herbal Remedies for Women. She recommends taking one-half to one teaspoon of tincture three times a day or 300 milligrams capsules taken three times a day. This herb is best taken long term as it may be at least four weeks before you start seeing lasting positive results.
6. Altearah Yellow Perfume – Made with 100% certified organic essential oils, the yellow perfume is sunshine in a bottle. It’s perfect for seasonal blues because it offers courage, joy and energy. It is particularly helpful when you’re sad or depressed. Yellow helps center you and be more radiant. It restores self-confidence, joy, and peacefulness. The essential oils and the color of this fragrance evoke citrus and the sun. They convey joy and encourage spontaneity and action. You can learn more or get it at XLvita.com.
As with anything, please consult your doctor before trying these natural mood lifters or other herbs especially if you are pregnant, on medications, have had an organ transplant, or have a medical condition or concern. The purpose of our blogs is to expose you to the numerous options out there, not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
To your happiness,
Caroline