How to Deal with Anxiety with Natural Remedies

Many people feel anxious or apprehensive at times, with symptoms such as shallow breathing, heart palpitations, perspiration, nausea, and quivering, clammy hands. Situations beyond our control (the weather, the economy, world peace) can cause anxiety, as can those things that affect us more directly (working, paying bills, making presentations, dealing with difficult people).

Some anxiety is to be expected, but too much nervous tension can wreak havoc on the ability to live a balanced life, often resulting in negative thinking, procrastination, recurring and uncontrollable thoughts, irritability, poor dietary and lifestyle habits, antisocial behavior, and insomnia.

Making some dietary and lifestyle adjustments may help reduce the anxiety in your life. Eliminating caffeine, sugar, refined foods, and too much chocolate is recommended, as these foods can set your already jangled nerves further on edge. Try to enjoy nutrient-rich comfort food on a regular basis.

Taking a daily walk or slow jog in nature, letting loose on a punching bag, and practicing meditation and yoga all can do wonders to calm an overactive mind and relieve pent-up emotions, as can turning off the television news and radio talk shows. The remedies offered here should help relieve tension, but by all means, seek professional help if you are feeling overwhelmed.

COOL YOUR JETS: PULSE POINT INHALANT BALM

This aromatic balm lends incredible soothing effects to help balance a central nervous system that is on edge. A tiny amount can be massaged on any spot where you feel tension, or you can inhale the calming aroma directly from the jar as needed to mentally relax. I recommend it for nervous tension, anxiety, headaches, and insomnia.

Note: This is an aromatherapeutically concentrated formula, so use only a peasize portion as directed.

4 tablespoons refined shea butter (unrefined shea butter will work, but its stronger fragrance will often mask the aroma of the essential oils)
30 drops lavender essential oil
25 drops bergamot essential oil
10 drops geranium essential oil

EQUIPMENT: Small saucepan or double boiler, stirring utensil, plastic or glass jar or tin

PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus up to 24 hours to thicken

YIELD: Approximately ¼ cup

STORAGE: Store at room temperature, away from heat and light; use within 1 year

APPLICATION:
Up to 3 times per day Warm the shea butter in a small saucepan (a ¾-quart size works great) or double boiler over low heat, until it is just melted. Remove from the heat. Add the lavender, bergamot, and geranium essential oils directly to your storage container, then slowly pour in the liquefied shea butter. Gently stir the balm to blend. Cap and label the container and set it aside until the balm has thickened. Unlike beeswax, shea butter takes a long time to completely thicken, and this formula may need up to 24 hours, depending on the temperature in your kitchen. When it’s ready, it will be very thick, semi-hard, and white (or creamy yellow if you’ve used unrefined shea butter).

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
“A little dab’ll do ya,” as the saying goes. Use this concentrated formula judiciously — a pea-size amount or less is truly all you need for the total application. Using more might cause lightheadedness or grogginess. Massage into your temples, under your nose, on your throat, on the nape of your neck, on your chest, or on your pulse points — wrists, inside of elbows, back of knees, and just under the earlobes. To use the balm as a relaxing inhalant, breathe deeply from the jar for 10 to 15 breaths.