Saturday, June 10, 2006

Coping with Stress

Coping with Stress

Stress, in itself, is not really a threat. It is quite motivating in fact and everyone needs some degree of stress in order to do things right. Stress provides one with urgency and sense of importance when dealing with some situations. Too little stress produces an individual that is almost ‘rusted-out’ which can be stressful itself (the irony).

However, when stress is too much for you to handle (bills, dogs, kids, nagging spouse, etc.), you face the inevitable breakdown felt by every human being. Too much of stress produces an irritable individual, and changed you into a completely different people.

The usual symptoms of stress are:

  1. Having problem concentrating.

  2. Emotional instability, on the verge of tears, or flaming personality.

  3. Always exhausted, even after a good night sleep. Unable to settle down, to relax.

  4. Feelings of giving up hope on living.

  5. Poor appetite or extreme eating.

  6. Reluctant to enjoy or to have fun.

  7. Feeling of unable to trust everyone.

  8. Problems in relationship, lost interest in sex

  9. Fidgeting, biting nails or chewing hair.

  10. Constantly throwing tantrum.

  11. Irritability.

Too much of stress will produce an unhealthy person physically. Usually, insomnia will reared its ugly head, ulcer will be boring holes through your stomach, and your heart will be pumping faster than usual. All of these are clinical symptoms and if serious, one should always consult one’s physician.

Sometimes, one might be suffering from anxiety disorder if those symptoms mentioned above I left unchecked…

If you feel that the effect of stress is not really that heavy on you, try the remedy suggested below, it is fun and quite effective…



If you are suffering from insomnia or anxiety:

Warm Milk and Honey

This drink will help you unwind and a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger (all of these powdered) will do wonders! There’s no dosage for this, put as much as you prefer.


Hop Tea

Infuse three hop cones (heads) in a cup (pint cup) of boiling water. One might also stuff some hop cones into their pillow to ease insomnia.


Lavender Tea

Brew an infusion of Lavender (using direction from previous post) and drink before going to bed.


Chamomile Wonder Tea

Put 1 tablespoon of Chamomile and 1 tablespoon of spearmint and infuse in one cup of hot water. Sweeten with honey. This will produce a wonderfully relaxing drink.


Those mentioned above are quick fixes and if none of them work, continue on with one of those mentioned above and add this to your treatment regime. However, if you feel uncomfortable, discontinue.


Calming Tea (Nervine)

  • 1 teaspoon each of grated Valerian Root and dried spearmint

  • ½ teaspoon each of dried chamomile and lavender flowers

  • 1 pint of boiling water

Prepare a standard infusion (refer to previous post on infusion) of the said herbs, strain, and take a glass three times a day, for one week only.


Tonic Tea for Depression

2 teaspoons of dandelion heads and 1 teaspoon of basil steeped in 1 pint of boiling water or 2 teaspoons each of nettles, basil, and lemon balm infused in 1 pint of boiling water. Take whenever you need it.


Tonic Tea for Stress and Anxiety

  • 1 tablespoon each fresh dandelion (insect free!) and nettle tops

  • 1 teaspoon each fresh blackcurrant and borage leaves

  • 1 pint of boiling water

Prepare a standard infusion (refer to previous post on infusion) of the said herbs. Strain and drink with lemon and honey. Take as necessary.



If you are suffering from indigestion:

Make a standard tisane (refer to previous post) from the herbs (or a combination of herbs) below:

  1. Chamomile

  2. Hops

  3. Licorice

  4. Fennel

  5. Lemon Balm

  6. Meadowsweet

  7. Slippery Elm


Calming Tea

  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Balm

  • 1 teaspoon Hops

  • 1 teaspoon Chamomile

  • 1 pint of boiling water

  1. Put the herbs into a warmed teapot and fill with boiling water. Steep no longer than ten minutes. Strain into a teacup.

  2. Drink as medication, not more than three times a day (approximately after three meals a day).


Before I end this post, do remember that sometimes life is not as bad as you think, just as a common weed can treat your ailment, why not you can ‘cure’ your problem? No problem is really a big problem that you can’t handle. It is just you haven’t find the right solution to it. So, let’s unwind and think clearly. Take a relaxing bath or a luxurious shower. Have you forgotten the little things in life? Your partner perhaps? Have you neglected that his/her love for you, or have you totally ignored him/her?

Take some time to appreciate the little things in life, smell the flowers that are growing in the hedges, or notice how happy a child playing in the street. Remember everything in life is simple, it’s just that human tend to complicate it…



“W. Somerset Maugham 1874–1965:

Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one’s mind.

Of Human Bondage (1915) ch. 39”

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