Natural Remedies & Herbs for the Holidays
By Kyla Sheffield
HERBS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
The silly season is just around the corner, and whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it can be a hectic time of year, especially here in the southern hemisphere where it’s also summertime! Here are some herbal tips to help you survive and thrive this holiday season!
HERBS FOR STRESS
The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration and joy. But sometimes the pressures of gift buying, family dynamics, kids home on school break, and increased social engagements can leave you feeling a little stressed-out instead of blissed-out.
Some great herbs to try include:
Damiana, Passionflower, Skullcap, California Poppy, Hops & Chamomile are all great herbs for relaxing nervous tension and decreasing stress & anxiety, helping you unwind into peace and calm.
Ashwagandha, Rhodiola & Siberian ginseng are classified as ‘adaptogens’ that are great for helping your body deal with stress and fatigue…ideal if your overworked or burned-out.
Some great stress-relieving products to try include:
When we’re feeling stressed, we really like our Stress Less herbal tea blend or some SereniTea liquid extract. Another great product is called Rescue+, which is a combination of Australian Bush Flower essences and classic Bach flower remedies for stress and shock – a great one for physical or emotional trauma (and essential in any herbal first aid kit!). )
HERBS FOR SOCIALISING
It’s good to have some herbal party tricks up your sleeve! There are so many great herbal party alternatives to alcohol (& other drugs)… so why not try brewing up some herbal punch and be the star of the party?
Damiana is one of our favourite herbs, as it boosts mood and relaxes the nerves. It’s a great herb to help take the edge off and get you in the mood to party!
Yerba Maté, Guarana, Guayusa & Kola Nut are all stimulating herbs that have a clear, long-lasting energy buzz…great to add in if it’s going to be a late one!
Rhodiola, Suma, Maca, Siberian Ginseng & Panax Ginseng are adaptogenic tonic herbs that boost energy without the caffeine. I like to combine some stimulating herbs with some relaxing herbs to give a nice happy buzz.
Passionflower, Hops, Skullcap, Blue lotus, Wild lettuce, or California poppy are all excellent relaxing herbs that you can use to create a chilled out, mellow vibe in your punch or tea. Most of these herbs also make great smoking alternatives (as well as Lion’s Tail, Marijuanilla and many more!).
For stronger smoking alternatives we have several herbal extracts and resins to choose from, as well as a beautiful & delicious vaping tonics range. (Ask in store or call the warehouse for more info).
And don’t forget the chocolate! Stimulated and mood-boosting, chocolate is a great party favorite that can be added to treats or drinks for a great buzz. Raw cacao beans are packed full of antioxidants that help you fight free radicals. Cacao also contains magnesium & theobromine that help keep you relaxed and in a great mood.
Mucuna is a mood boosting & aphrodisiac herb that boosts dopamine levels in the brain. It’s included in many of our party products. Mucuna is also helpful after partying to help rebalance brain chemistry & regulate mood after overindulging in alcohol or other drugs!
For an energising & refreshing Party Punch try this:
- Boil 1 litre of water.
- Add 3-4 Tablespoons Vibrancy tea blend & let steep covered for 15 mins.
- Strain into punch bowl & let cool.
- Add 1 litre of pineapple juice (or white grape juice) and some ice.
- You also add soda water or kombucha if you want some fizz!
- Add lemon juice and honey to taste.
- If you want to make it stronger, add some Summertime, BlissTea or other liquid herbal extract.
- Garnish with Lemon or Pineapple slices or fresh mint leaves to make it festive. Makes about 8 cups.
For a Supercharged Chocolate Chai try this:
- Simmer 3-4 Tablespoons of High Chai tea blend in 1 litre of water for 10 minutes.
- Strain and add 1 litre of milk (your choice), and honey to taste.
- Reheat gently and serve hot; or let cool, add ice and serve chilled.
- To make it even stronger: spike with ½ bottle of Bliss Zone chocolate elixir.
- EXTRA: You could also spike it with bourbon, grand marnier, rum or kalua if you wanna go that route.Or try this recipe: http://happyherbcompany.com/content/party-punch
Party Products:
Want something that’s easy to use that you can carry with you when you go out socializing? We have so many options in this category – my favourites are BlissTea, Partea, Summertime liquid extracts, Activate, Desire or Bliss Zone chocolate elixirs, Vibes capsules, or some of our new liquid extracts Love Bubble or Fully Charged.
HERBS FOR DETOX & LIVER SUPPORT
Overindulgence in food, alcohol and sugar can really tax the liver…making you feel like crap! If you support your liver before and after partying, it’s amazing how much better you can feel. Just try it!
Some of the best herbs for supporting and cleansing the liver are Dandelion Root, Milk Thistle seeds, Turmeric, Licorice, Burdock & Mugwort.
Try this TEA before & after you party or overindulge: http://happyherbcompany.com/content/liver-lover-tea
Another must-have for your holiday survival kit is Activated Charcoal. It has the amazing ability to absorb toxins from your body, and is a lifesaver if you are hung-over or get food poisoning (trust me…I know)!
Detox & Liver support Products:
We also have some great liver support products for easy convenience – check out our RevivaTea liquid extract or What Hangover capsules. We also have 2 excellent detox teas: Purity or D-tox tea, and I also love the Kickstart breakfast herbal blend from Eden Healthfoods. Start the new year refreshed by loving your liver now!
HERBS FOR DIGESTION
It’s so easy to overeat at social gatherings… especially when it comes to sweet treats (well for me at least!). Peppermint, ginger, fennel and chamomile are well known digestive allies, great as a tea before or after meals. Many of the herbs for the liver are also great for stimulating digestion, especially Dandelion Root, Turmeric, and Mugwort. One herb that excels for digestion is Paw Paw leaf. It contains papain – a digestive enzyme that helps break down tough proteins.
Another essential way to support digestive function is to include some probiotic foods or supplements in your diet. Sauerkraut, miso or natural yogurt are all good sources of friendly bacteria for happy gut health. We also stock several types of probiotic supplements including one made from biofermented coconut water – yum!
After a heavy meal, try this TEA RECIPE:
In a large teapot add:
1 T Peppermint, 1 T Paw Paw leaves, 2 tsp of Licorice root (or fennel seeds), 2 tsp Chamomile flowers, 2 tsp fresh Ginger root
Fill teapot with boiling water and steep covered for 10-15 minutes, strain and enjoy. This is also great chilled on a hot day!
Digestion Products:
Try our Tummy Tea or D-Tox Tea blends – both great options to stimulate digestion.
HERBAL GIFTS
Needs some inspiration for gift ideas? Give the gift of health & wellbeing to someone you love. We’ve got some many great products for everybody, young and old.
Give the gift of HERBAL KNOWLEDGE with some excellent books about plants & how to use them. We recommend Happy High Herbs by Ray Thorpe (link: ) and How Can I Use Herbs in my Daily Life by Isabell Shippard (link: http://thehappyherbshop.3dcartstores.com/Book–How-I-can-Use-Herbs_p_17.html) ….but we have many more great books to choose from.
INSPIRE PASSIONS & give your lover some sexy herbal aphrodisiac blends. I recommend Lover’s Tea, or High Chai tea blend, AphrodiTea, Desire Chocolate Elixir and Midnite Desire.
Give the woman you love the NURTURING she deserves this Christmas. I highly recommend the Happy Breast Balm gift pack, as well as Epzen magnesium salts, & the Mountain Lotus range.
Give the gift of HEALTHY SKIN this holiday season! I love Happy Lips, Calendula Cream, Sea Cellfix & Purity tea blend.
Give the gift of BRAIN POWER – great for students or anyone who’s brain needs a boost! I recommend Lion’s Mane mushroom extract, Brainstorm tea blend and the Memory & Cognition spagyric.
Give the gift of ULTIMATE HEALTH with some incredible & edible superfoods! I love Hemp Seeds, Maca Power, Superfood Formula and Bee Pollen.
Hope these tips help you have a fun-filled, stress-free and happy healthy holiday season.
Nextwave
