A cup of American skullcap tea to take the anxiety away...this herb is known as a nervous system nourisher. Like oatstraw, it is supposed to help strengthen nerves. It seems to help promote a calmer attitude when I drink three or four cups during the week. Less stress is, in my opinion, one of the first steps to really improving your quality of life. Make the effort with a simple cup of herbal tea!
Like many of nature's anti-stress herbs, drink your skullcap tea in moderation and avoid if pregnant. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, some American skullcap has been contaminated by other plants that have a connection with liver problems. To be safe, don't just purchase processed skullcap products unless you trust your source. I stick with Mountain Rose Herbs for organic herbs.
Drinking skullcap is great for relieving stress-related headaches, anxiety, and irritability. David Hoffmann's Illustrated Holistic Herbal mentions easing pre-mentrual tention and renewing the central nervous system as some of skullcap's benefits. It doesn't exactly have the best flavor (bitter!). It can be delicious still. I have become used to the taste and actually look forward to the scent and the soothing feeling for my mind and my digestive system. To enjoy your relaxing herbal infusion, steep one teaspoon of dried skullcap leaves and one teaspoon of peppermint leaves. The mint helps to balance the bitterness. Skullcap also blends well with valerian root. You can mix equal parts of all three herbs and then store in a colored glass jar for your own supply of incredibly calming, anti-stress herbal tea. At the end of the day this is a nerve nourishing way to help your body unwind. If you have any good skullcap tea recipes, please share! This is one of my favorite calming herbs.
photo: iStockphoto/Chris Gramly
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