Introduction
Harvard scientists and researchers have suggested that happiness has a direct impact on our overall health and well-being. It is not just about fleeting positive emotions; we need to find ways to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in order to experience true happiness. In addition to engaging in activities that bring us joy and practicing gratitude, there are several herbs that can help calm the nervous system, reduce insomnia, and promote a sense of happiness. Let’s explore seven of these herbs and their potential benefits.
1. Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)
Lemon balm is a non-habit forming herb that contains volatile oils, especially citronella, known for their mild sedative effects. It can help reduce nervousness, including nervous headaches, depression, and insomnia. Lemon balm also has antiviral properties and can aid in wound healing and insect bite protection. Additionally, it can boost the immune system, making it a valuable herb to keep on hand.
2. Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Gotu kola is known for its calming effects on depressive episodes and its ability to strengthen cognitive function. It acts as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, peripheral vasodilator, and relaxant, making it beneficial for both mental and physical stress. By incorporating gotu kola into your routine, you can improve your overall well-being and manage stress more effectively.
3. Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)
Brahmi, an Ayurvedic herb used for centuries, is considered a natural brain tonic and well-being booster. It enhances intellect, significantly improves memory, and provides stress-relieving benefits. Consuming 10 to 20 ml of brahmi daily can help you enjoy its cognitive and stress-reducing effects.
4. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
St. John’s Wort is commonly used to treat mild to moderate depression. It can be especially helpful for patients who do not respond well to SSRI medication. However, it is important to consult with a doctor before taking St. John’s Wort, as it may interact with certain prescription medications. Research has shown that St. John’s Wort may be as effective as standard prescription antidepressants for major depression of mild to moderate severity.
5. Oat Straw (Avena sativa)
Oat straw is not only effective in treating anxiety, but it is also used for migraines, shingles, fatigue, and even epilepsy. It has a calming effect on the nerves, making it particularly beneficial for individuals detoxing from drug or alcohol addiction. Additionally, oat straw can help reduce nicotine cravings.
6. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Siberian ginseng is an excellent alternative for those looking to break free from a coffee or caffeine addiction. It provides energy without the accompanying crash. As an adaptogenic herb, it adapts to the body’s needs, helping to boost concentration and manage environmental stress.
7. Golden Root (Rhodiola rosea)
Golden root, also known as Arctic Root or Roseroot, is considered one of the most powerful adaptogenic herbs. It helps regulate the body’s immune, physiological, and neurological responses to stress. The Russians have long used golden root to improve physical stamina and adapt to challenging environmental conditions. It possesses mood-enhancing and anti-stress properties, helping the body produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that contribute to happiness and stress reduction.
Additional Ways to Reduce Stress and Enhance Happiness
While incorporating these herbs into your routine can be beneficial, there are other lifestyle factors that can further reduce stress and boost happiness. Regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and practicing meditation have all been proven to have positive effects on mental well-being. By making these habits part of your daily life and adding these natural ingredients to your diet, you can improve your overall state of mind and experience greater happiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some examples of alternative medicine?
Alternative medicine refers to treatments other than those considered by mainstream medicine to be useful for treating disease. These include traditional Chinese medicine as well homeopathy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, nutritional therapy and reiki.
Alternative medicine may also refer to practices not based on scientific evidence but used successfully in clinical practice. These include yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, reflexology and flower essences.
What are the benefits to complementary and alternative medicine?
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) refers to medical practices that are used by patients who do not feel they are receiving adequate care from allopathic medicine. These include homeopathy, herbal medicine, massage therapy and homeopathy. Traditional Chinese medicine, biofeedback, spiritual healing, chiropractic care, homeopathy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic care and other therapies. Because they don’t fit within the traditional medical system of diagnosis or treatment, CAM practitioners often choose to use “alternative” treatments. Many CAM treatments also include elements of traditional medicine. There are a variety of forms of acupuncture, including those that use needles and others that use heat or moxibustion.
Some CAM therapies can be effective for pain relief, stress management, relaxation, sleep disorders, and anxiety. They may also improve your general sense of well-being and reduce fatigue. Some CAM therapies address specific conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. Other CAM therapies might be more enjoyable.
Although there is no clear definition of CAM, many definitions include at most one of the following:
- A holistic perspective that takes into account both body, mind, spirit, and environment
- The belief that the mind, body and soul interact and influence one another
- It is believed that illness is caused by an imbalance between the environment and the person.
- A treatment that focuses on the whole person instead of just the symptoms
- Combination Western science and Eastern philosophy
- Methods that treat mind, body, spirit in a holistic way
- Use natural products over synthetic chemicals
- Touch of healing
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Yoga
- Herbal remedies
- Homeopathy
- Chiropractic care
- Massage therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Spiritual healing
- Biofeedback
- Nutritional counseling
- Energy healing
There are potential risks to certain CAM therapies, in addition to the potential benefits. Incorrectly used, certain CAM therapies could cause serious harm and even death. Others pose potential side effects that must be weighed against their perceived benefits. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking about using any CAM before deciding whether to go ahead.
Who uses alternative medicine?
People use alternative medicine for many reasons:
- They want to avoid harmful drugs and surgery.
- They believe natural remedies work better.
- They prefer noninvasive treatments.
- They want to spend less.
- They feel more secure using natural products
- They want more control over their own healthcare decisions.
- They want to take control of their health.
- They desire a better environment.
- They are looking for less stress in life.
- They want greater freedom in choosing their doctors and their healthcare plans.
- They want their children to have a better education.
- They want healthy food and good nutrition for their family.
- They seek safe, effective medicines.
What Is Alternative Medicine?
It is a healing approach that focuses on prevention instead of treating. It also encourages people to become informed consumers actively engaged in improving their health and well-being.
Alternative medicine is any method of diagnosis and treatment that doesn’t use conventional (allopathic) medical methods.
Statistics
- In 83% of the cases, the readers agreed. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
- An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
webmd.com
doi.org
liebertpub.com
- Games for Health Journal, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials on Acupuncture to Treat Insomnia
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed: The rise of complementary and other medicine: A sociological perspective
- PubMed: Holistic medicine.
How To
What products can be used in holistic medicines?
The best way to describe these products would be as “natural” but not necessarily organic. These products could have been grown naturally without pesticides or fertilizers. But they were also processed in a way that is safer for your health. Some herbs may cause allergic reactions so you might need to prepare them differently depending on what they are. Health food stores sell herbs that are more uniform than those in grocery stores. Higher levels of herbicides or fungicides can be found in these latter products.
The majority of herbal supplements are made from dried plants. Some prefer liquid forms of herbal supplements, as they tend to be more affordable. However, this doesn’t mean that they are safer. Liquid herbs can lose nutrients during processing. There is no guarantee that the product will retain all its original potency. Also, most herbal supplements do not undergo quality control testing before going on sale shelves.
Usually, herbs and spices are added to food after it has been cooked. These condiments include ketchup and mustard, salad dressings, barbecue sauces, soup mixtures, and marinades.
Supplements are usually taken orally (by chewing). Most vitamins and minerals come in tablet form. Others are available in capsule form.
Homeopathic remedies can be highly dilute substances that are derived from animal, plant, mineral, and synthetic sources. They are meant to stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms. They are not considered “homeopathic” but they work in the same way as regular medication. They instead activate the body’s immune system and restore balance. Homeopathic remedies may be safe and not toxic. They are used extensively in Europe, Canada and Australia, New Zealand as well as South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Acupuncture involves inserting needles at specific points on the meridians of your bodies. It is based on a traditional Chinese medical theory that says there are energy channels through which life force flows. According to the theory, illness occurs when these channels become blocked. The stimulation of certain points along the Meridian lines with fine needles is thought to restore energy flow and allow the body to return to normal function.
To correct misalignments in the bones, chiropractors manipulate the spine. American doctor Daniel David Palmer developed this technique in 1895. Palmer claimed that he could cure and diagnose diseases by manipulating the spines. His methods included spinal adjustments as well as muscle tests and percussion.
Chiropractic has become very popular over the past few years. Many people believe chiropractic works better than conventional medicine when it comes to back pain.
Massage therapy can be described as rubbing, tapping, tapping, or stroking muscle, joints, and other parts of the body. Massage helps loosen tight muscles, reduce tension, and relax sore muscles. Swedish massage, deep-tissue, sports, reflexology and myofascial relief are some of the techniques used by massage therapists.
Reflexology refers to alternative medicine that uses pressure to apply pressure to specific areas of your feet and hands using thumb pads and fingers. Reflexologists believe that this technique stimulates the body’s natural ability heal.
Aromatherapy uses essential oil extracted from plants to relieve stress and boost mood. Aromatherapy is also beneficial because essential oils can have a positive effect on health conditions, such as headache relief and arthritis treatment. There are many kinds of aromatherapy.
Craniosacral Therapist uses gentle touch and pressure to alleviate discomfort and pain. Cranial refers the skull and sacrum, which in Latin means “sac”, is cranial sacral therapy. In this therapy, the therapist applies light pressure to various spots on the head, face, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and torso while moving her/his hands across the patient’s body.
Cupping therapy works by placing cups on the skin to create a vacuum and draw out toxins. Cupping may also be used in combination with acupuncture (burning herbs), or as a detox method.
Dietary Supplements are oral or topical products containing vitamins, minerals. Dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA under the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1995. Two criteria must be met before a dietary supplement can be legally sold. First, it must contain a “dietary ingredient,” meaning that it contains more than one percent of a vitamin, mineral, herb, or other botanical listed on the Food and Drug Administration’s Generally Recognized As Safe List. It must adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices. This means it was properly manufactured.
Electrotherapy uses electricity to stimulate the nerves and muscles. The most common type of electrotherapy is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). TENS devices provide low-level electrical pulses through electrodes placed on the skin. These pulses activate receptors in the brain that block pain signals. There are also electromagnetic therapy options such as magnetic field therapy, interferential current therapy, and ultrasound therapy.
Energy healing is based on belief that each person has natural healing abilities. Additionally, our thoughts, feelings, and intentions have an effect on our physical and mental health. Energy healing has been around since ancient times. Modern practitioners however, accept that there are multiple layers to our energy. One layer of energy is called emotional. The second layer is called mental energy. Others include physical, spiritual, chakras, vital, life force, prana, kundalini, biofield, aura, and quantum fields. Some believe that these energies are connected to the universe at large. Some people claim they can heal others with the power of their mind. The scientific evidence for energy medicine is still limited.
Energy psychology is the study of how emotions can affect physiological functions. Energy psychology is often considered an alternative for psychotherapy, as it does not focus on past events but rather on helping clients to change their behaviour. Energy psychology does not require any specific theoretical framework but draws from many disciplines, including cognitive behavioral therapy, transactional analysis, interpersonal psychoanalysis, attachment theory, and developmental psychology.
–
——————————————————————————————————————————————
This blog is a source of general information and discussion on health and related topics. Information and materials on this blog, on the website, or in any of the connected materials are not intended to replace or used as a substitute for the advice of a medical professional, diagnosis, or treatment. This blog does not represent the application of any nursing, medical or other health professional advice or diagnosis. We are unable to diagnose health conditions, offer second opinions or provide specific treatment recommendations via this blog or on our website.
If you or another person is suffering from a medical issue and you are concerned, consult your doctor or seek out other medical professional treatment as soon as possible. Do not disregard medical advice from a professional or delay seeking it due to information you seen on the blog or website or in any of the linked materials. If you’re experiencing an emergency medical situation, dial 911 or seek emergency medical assistance on the closest phone immediately.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
By: Dick Benson
Title: 7 Herbs to Boost Happiness and Reduce Stress
Sourced From: alternativemedicine.com/vitamins-supplements/7-herbs-to-enhance-happiness/
Published Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 21:35:11 +0000
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some examples of alternative medicine?
Alternative medicine refers to treatments other than those considered by mainstream medicine to be useful for treating disease. These include traditional Chinese medicine as well homeopathy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, nutritional therapy and reiki.
Alternative medicine may also refer to practices not based on scientific evidence but used successfully in clinical practice. These include yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, reflexology and flower essences.
What are the benefits to complementary and alternative medicine?
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) refers to medical practices that are used by patients who do not feel they are receiving adequate care from allopathic medicine. These include homeopathy, herbal medicine, massage therapy and homeopathy. Traditional Chinese medicine, biofeedback, spiritual healing, chiropractic care, homeopathy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic care and other therapies. Because they don’t fit within the traditional medical system of diagnosis or treatment, CAM practitioners often choose to use “alternative” treatments. Many CAM treatments also include elements of traditional medicine. There are a variety of forms of acupuncture, including those that use needles and others that use heat or moxibustion.
Some CAM therapies can be effective for pain relief, stress management, relaxation, sleep disorders, and anxiety. They may also improve your general sense of well-being and reduce fatigue. Some CAM therapies address specific conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. Other CAM therapies might be more enjoyable.
Although there is no clear definition of CAM, many definitions include at most one of the following:
- A holistic perspective that takes into account both body, mind, spirit, and environment
- The belief that the mind, body and soul interact and influence one another
- It is believed that illness is caused by an imbalance between the environment and the person.
- A treatment that focuses on the whole person instead of just the symptoms
- Combination Western science and Eastern philosophy
- Methods that treat mind, body, spirit in a holistic way
- Use natural products over synthetic chemicals
- Touch of healing
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Yoga
- Herbal remedies
- Homeopathy
- Chiropractic care
- Massage therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Spiritual healing
- Biofeedback
- Nutritional counseling
- Energy healing
There are potential risks to certain CAM therapies, in addition to the potential benefits. Incorrectly used, certain CAM therapies could cause serious harm and even death. Others pose potential side effects that must be weighed against their perceived benefits. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking about using any CAM before deciding whether to go ahead.
Who uses alternative medicine?
People use alternative medicine for many reasons:
- They want to avoid harmful drugs and surgery.
- They believe natural remedies work better.
- They prefer noninvasive treatments.
- They want to spend less.
- They feel more secure using natural products
- They want more control over their own healthcare decisions.
- They want to take control of their health.
- They desire a better environment.
- They are looking for less stress in life.
- They want greater freedom in choosing their doctors and their healthcare plans.
- They want their children to have a better education.
- They want healthy food and good nutrition for their family.
- They seek safe, effective medicines.
What Is Alternative Medicine?
It is a healing approach that focuses on prevention instead of treating. It also encourages people to become informed consumers actively engaged in improving their health and well-being.
Alternative medicine is any method of diagnosis and treatment that doesn’t use conventional (allopathic) medical methods.
Statistics
- In 83% of the cases, the readers agreed. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
- An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
- According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
webmd.com
doi.org
liebertpub.com
- Games for Health Journal, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials on Acupuncture to Treat Insomnia
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed: The rise of complementary and other medicine: A sociological perspective
- PubMed: Holistic medicine.
How To
What products can be used in holistic medicines?
The best way to describe these products would be as “natural” but not necessarily organic. These products could have been grown naturally without pesticides or fertilizers. But they were also processed in a way that is safer for your health. Some herbs may cause allergic reactions so you might need to prepare them differently depending on what they are. Health food stores sell herbs that are more uniform than those in grocery stores. Higher levels of herbicides or fungicides can be found in these latter products.
The majority of herbal supplements are made from dried plants. Some prefer liquid forms of herbal supplements, as they tend to be more affordable. However, this doesn’t mean that they are safer. Liquid herbs can lose nutrients during processing. There is no guarantee that the product will retain all its original potency. Also, most herbal supplements do not undergo quality control testing before going on sale shelves.
Usually, herbs and spices are added to food after it has been cooked. These condiments include ketchup and mustard, salad dressings, barbecue sauces, soup mixtures, and marinades.
Supplements are usually taken orally (by chewing). Most vitamins and minerals come in tablet form. Others are available in capsule form.
Homeopathic remedies can be highly dilute substances that are derived from animal, plant, mineral, and synthetic sources. They are meant to stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms. They are not considered “homeopathic” but they work in the same way as regular medication. They instead activate the body’s immune system and restore balance. Homeopathic remedies may be safe and not toxic. They are used extensively in Europe, Canada and Australia, New Zealand as well as South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Acupuncture involves inserting needles at specific points on the meridians of your bodies. It is based on a traditional Chinese medical theory that says there are energy channels through which life force flows. According to the theory, illness occurs when these channels become blocked. The stimulation of certain points along the Meridian lines with fine needles is thought to restore energy flow and allow the body to return to normal function.
To correct misalignments in the bones, chiropractors manipulate the spine. American doctor Daniel David Palmer developed this technique in 1895. Palmer claimed that he could cure and diagnose diseases by manipulating the spines. His methods included spinal adjustments as well as muscle tests and percussion.
Chiropractic has become very popular over the past few years. Many people believe chiropractic works better than conventional medicine when it comes to back pain.
Massage therapy can be described as rubbing, tapping, tapping, or stroking muscle, joints, and other parts of the body. Massage helps loosen tight muscles, reduce tension, and relax sore muscles. Swedish massage, deep-tissue, sports, reflexology and myofascial relief are some of the techniques used by massage therapists.
Reflexology refers to alternative medicine that uses pressure to apply pressure to specific areas of your feet and hands using thumb pads and fingers. Reflexologists believe that this technique stimulates the body’s natural ability heal.
Aromatherapy uses essential oil extracted from plants to relieve stress and boost mood. Aromatherapy is also beneficial because essential oils can have a positive effect on health conditions, such as headache relief and arthritis treatment. There are many kinds of aromatherapy.
Craniosacral Therapist uses gentle touch and pressure to alleviate discomfort and pain. Cranial refers the skull and sacrum, which in Latin means “sac”, is cranial sacral therapy. In this therapy, the therapist applies light pressure to various spots on the head, face, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and torso while moving her/his hands across the patient’s body.
Cupping therapy works by placing cups on the skin to create a vacuum and draw out toxins. Cupping may also be used in combination with acupuncture (burning herbs), or as a detox method.
Dietary Supplements are oral or topical products containing vitamins, minerals. Dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA under the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1995. Two criteria must be met before a dietary supplement can be legally sold. First, it must contain a “dietary ingredient,” meaning that it contains more than one percent of a vitamin, mineral, herb, or other botanical listed on the Food and Drug Administration’s Generally Recognized As Safe List. It must adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices. This means it was properly manufactured.
Electrotherapy uses electricity to stimulate the nerves and muscles. The most common type of electrotherapy is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). TENS devices provide low-level electrical pulses through electrodes placed on the skin. These pulses activate receptors in the brain that block pain signals. There are also electromagnetic therapy options such as magnetic field therapy, interferential current therapy, and ultrasound therapy.
Energy healing is based on belief that each person has natural healing abilities. Additionally, our thoughts, feelings, and intentions have an effect on our physical and mental health. Energy healing has been around since ancient times. Modern practitioners however, accept that there are multiple layers to our energy. One layer of energy is called emotional. The second layer is called mental energy. Others include physical, spiritual, chakras, vital, life force, prana, kundalini, biofield, aura, and quantum fields. Some believe that these energies are connected to the universe at large. Some people claim they can heal others with the power of their mind. The scientific evidence for energy medicine is still limited.
Energy psychology is the study of how emotions can affect physiological functions. Energy psychology is often considered an alternative for psychotherapy, as it does not focus on past events but rather on helping clients to change their behaviour. Energy psychology does not require any specific theoretical framework but draws from many disciplines, including cognitive behavioral therapy, transactional analysis, interpersonal psychoanalysis, attachment theory, and developmental psychology.
