Lost your edge to stress?

Heart sink as yet another deadline looms? 
Overwhelmed by your weekly task list? 
Staring at the ceiling instead of sound asleep? 
Snapping at your nearest and dearest?
Sound familiar? Then you may have symptoms of stress.  

A catapulting career, demanding job and fast-paced lifestyle are all hugely rewarding, but we walk a fine line between the high life and burn out.  If you’ve got too much on your plate, would you turn to a herbalist for help?  You may not realise it, but they might have the answer you’ve been looking for.

Fight or flight?

Way back when we lived in the wilds, stress was a true life-saver.  When we faced a predator, we legged it and the adrenalin fuelled our escape.  These days your predator is more likely to be a tough client or a snarling boss – do you turn tail and run?  Thought not.  You’ll probably sit tight and work on, while adrenaline floods your system with no outlet.  Repeat this scenario regularly and it can lead to chronic stress.

Stress signs

Stress can affect all areas of our lives.  Early signs can arrive insidiously, wearing down vitality and confidence.  Other symptoms are more marked: palpitations, anxiety, insomnia and fatigue rank among the most common.  Women might find their monthly cycle disturbed and your libido can plummet.

 Some common symptoms of stress:

Sweating  

Anxiety    

Fatigue

Palpitations  

Loss of confidence

Irritability

Loss of appetite

Fuzzy headedness 

Depression

Loss of libido

Sleeplessness

 Irritable bowel

So what can a herbalist do?

Medical herbalists are qualified to degree level to diagnose illness in a similar way to doctors.  They are trained to prescribe herbs alongside any other medication you may be taking.  Herbalists recognise the strain that modern life can put on our bodies and work with us to help us regain a balance. 

Symptoms of stress are commonly seen in a herbal clinic.  At one end of the scale is general fatigue and irritability, at the other debilitating panic attacks, palpitations and insomnia.  Stress often aggravates underlying conditions like eczema, psoriasis and irritable bowel syndrome leading to a complex medical picture requiring a professional herbalist to untangle it. The way stress affects each one of us is unique – that’s why herbalists create individual prescriptions for each patient.  Getting the right combination of herbs, strength and dosage in each prescription is vital to ensure that the medicine is safe and appropriate.

Katherine’s experience

Katherine says she was ‘wrung out’ when she contacted the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (www.nimh.org.uk) for advice.  ‘I’d never been to a herbalist.  I had a cupboard full of remedies bought over the counter but none of them seemed to have worked.  I had hit a really low point.  I needed professional help’.  Katherine’s doctor had prescribed anti-depressants to calm her nerves but Katherine felt they didn’t solve the problem.  She also had worries about becoming dependent on the drugs.

The NIMH put her in touch with a local practitioner.  ‘The herbalist spent over an hour with me, asking about my medical history.  I had time to talk about how I was feeling.  I never felt rushed’.  Katherine started to understand how all her symptoms could be linked to stress.  ‘I have irritable bowel syndrome which had flared up so I was in a lot of discomfort.  I couldn’t sleep properly and I lay awake for hours.  Sometimes I awoke with a start in the middle of the night.  I was fighting with my husband, we just couldn’t seem to get along.  I dreaded Monday mornings and every time my boss walked in my heart sank, waiting for the next round of criticism.  I had lost my confidence and I just felt really down.  I was still expected to be on the corporate social circle and for months I tried to put on a brave face’.  Eventually Katherine was unable to keep up the pretence that everything was ok.  

In the following 6 months, Katherine visited her herbalist every 3 weeks.  ‘After the first week I threw the anti-depressants away.  I trusted that mix of herbs I was given was made specifically for me and I could feel it calming me down when I got anxious and uptight.  My irritable bowel symptoms reduced and I began to sleep a bit better.  My husband noticed a huge difference.  I stopped drinking so much red wine to try and relax and began eating more healthy foods.  I felt more like the old me – able to cope with work, not so moody.  My herbalist talked me through some dietary and lifestyle changes.  It became clear to me that my lifestyle was not sustainable and I had to do something to redress the balance’.

‘Now I know my personal signs of stress I can act as soon as I feel the pressure building up.  I don’t need to wait until I feel worn out.  I make adjustments as I go along.  Visiting a herbalist was a very empowering experience for me – I learned what I needed to keep healthy.  I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it’.

•Oatstraw is traditionally used to treat nervous exhaustion

•Motherwort can help regulate nervous palpitations

•Skullcap alleviates irritability and promotes clear thinking

•Licorice is often used for overworked adrenal glands

•Passiflora can help relieve some types of insomnia