As Good As Taking A Chill Pill

If life has you feeling irritable and edgy there is no need anymore to ask the doctor for a valium. Mother Nature has a pharmacy full of natural cures for nervous tension, worry and other problems.

When people are worried they tend to turn to foods that are high in carbs and sugars. That is when it becomes time to consume some yams. These work as powerful stress-busters. They are high in fiber and full of vitamins that support the nervous system such as Vitamin A and E.

Peanut butter can help you if you feel irritable and exhausted from a lack of good sleep. Peanuts are high in Vitamin B6 which helps regulate blood sugar and stabilize mood. It is best eaten on whole wheat toast so that it breaks down slowly in your body. The reason you want to have it on whole wheat toast is because this type of bread contains complex carbohydrates. This is known as the 'feel-good hormone.' If you want to enhance your mood even more try eating a peanut butter, banana, honey and whole wheat bread sandwich.

If you feel as if you cannot get your body to settle down and relax then drink some chamomile tea. It has been shown especially effective when it comes to suppressing muscle spasms.

Dark chocolate is another stress reliever. Just 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate can lower the stress hormones of cortical and ctecholamines in the body. This helps relieve anxiety.

St. John's Wort is a herb that is sometimes called 'The Break Up Remedy. It is useful for treating mild to severe depression. It can be taken in pill form as a supplement or you can take it as a tea.

If you are having trouble falling asleep then try having a few slices of turkey. Turkey contains tryphotan which helps people doze off. However although it may help people fall asleep it does not necessarily help them stay asleep.

Another herbal tea that can help with anxiety, especially the kind that has you worrying about finances or health, is Passionflower. It is very common and is a well –recognized over the counter sedative.

Valerian root is another common herb used to calm people down and put them right to sleep… You can but it as jukes, tablets, teas, tinctures. It is known as Nature's Valium.

Of course before taking any herb or any food in excess you really do need to consult with your doctor to make sure it will not conflict with any existing health conditions or mediations you are taking.

Curing Insomnia with Bath Salts

Moms and kids sometimes have trouble getting to sleep. Combine these aromatherapy baths with a glass of hot milk and you have a sure shot at curing insomnia.

Here are some recipes for making relaxing baths that are known for curing insomnia.

Lavender Salt Bath
This is a very classic recipe for curing insomnia.
• 1 cup Epsom salts
• A Jar with a lid
• A handful of dried lavender petals
• A handful of dried chamomile buds (do not add these if you are allergic to ragweed)
• Six drops essential lavender oil.
First put the salts in a jar and then add the lavender petals and (optional) chamomile buds. Add the six drops of essential lavender oil. Shake the contents and let sit. In a few hours the lavender will infuse the relaxing Epsom salts with the oils.

Marjoram Bath
• 1 ounce dried marjoram leaves
• Ten drops of oil of eucalyptus
• Three drops of oil of lavender
• Three drops of oil of cinnamon
• 1 small drawstring bag (made of cotton or linen)
Mix up the marjoram and essential oils in a bowl and then (while wearing gloves to protect your skin) put them in the drawstring bag. Close the bag tight and when it is time to take a bath, run the bag under very hot water.

Sedative Bath Bag
This is a bath bag recipe that requires a cheesecloth or cotton drawstring bed. The marjoram acts as a sedative and hypnotic. You will need
• ½ cup lime flowers
• ½ cup hop flowers
• 2 tablespoons marjoram
• 1 cup oatmeal
Mix up these ingredients in a bowl and add them to the cotton bag. If you tie a ribbon around the bag you can hang it from the faucet as the tub runs water. Immerse yourself in the tub when the water is lukewarm.

Sea Salt Physical Relaxing Bath
This particular bath has an actual physical effect on most people and serves though remove chemicals from your body. It is also a very simple bath to which you can add any type of aromatherapy oil.
To a running hot bath add –
• 1 pound baking soda
• 1 cup sea salt
Climb in bath but if you start to feel a bit dizzy, get out, dry off and go to bed as this means that you are detoxifying and becoming relaxed enough to go immediately to bed!
You can also buy all kinds of commercial preparations that induce sleep. Most of them are herbal in nature and consist of such ingredients as hops, Melissa, passion flower, orange, rose, eucalyptus, juniper, pine, camphor, skullcap, lavender, chamomile and other oils that can put you to sleep.

Like Epsom salts, Dead Sea salts are also very relaxing and well known for their healing and relaxing properties. They also relieve aches and pains and relax the muscles which further facilitate great sleep.

Keep in mind that before you do any type of insomnia bath you should run the recipe by your doctor, especially if you have any type of skin condition.