Death, divorce, financial troubles, work, poor health, troubling personal relationships, teenagers, with all of these common stressors it’s a wonder how anyone isn’t stressed. We’re in this boat together and we all feel it, but don’t worry, stress is as natural as the herbs that combat it. That’s why I took the time today to share my three favorite Herbal stress busters.
Herb #1 – Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®)
Zembrin® is an extract of the South African herb, Sceletium tortuosum. Two of the country’s indigenous people groups, the San and Khoikhoi have used this herb as a sedative and mood elevator for hundreds of years.[2] Another tribe in South Africa, the Hottentots have used it as mood enhancer as well.[3] Today, it’s known for its ability to support and maintain healthy serotonin levels in the brain.[4]
Herb #2 – Mucuna pruriens (L-Dopa)
L-Dopa is contained in Mucuna pruriens, a wild legume, originating from eastern Indian and southern China that’s also called the “velvet bean.”[5] The velvet bean has the ability to support a healthy reaction to nervous disorders. L-Dopa is a source of Dopamine, a chemical messenger that transmits calming signals in brain and other areas of the body. [6]– [7] Dopamine also helps regulate emotional responses.[8]
Herb #3 – Camellia sinensis (L-Theanine)
L-Theanine is an amino acid contained in Camellia sinensis (green tea) that regulates certain aspects of brain functions like relaxing the mind. [9] In one study, twelve participants were given an arithmetic task as a mental stressor. Some participants took L-Theanine while others did not. The final results showed that the herb caused a decrease in heart rate in participants who were performing the stressful task.[10]
These stress fighting herbs are important because, lets face it, we all experience stress in our daily lives. That’s why we formulated our product CALM specifically to help with occasional stressors using a host of great herbalomic factors including L-Theanine, L-Dopa and Zembrin®. These three herbs work together in CALM to manage occasional stress and support a positive mood. CALM is also formulated with Sam-e, which helps encourage feelings of tranquility and relaxation during stressful periods.[11] Learn more about it here.
[1] http://www.hccua.org/health/healthandwellness.cfm?id=348
[2] http://www.zembrin.com/2013/02/11/a-south-african-herb-that-may-rival-prozac/
[3] http://www.sceletium.org/
[4]Harvey A, Young L, Viljoen A, Gericke N. Pharmacological actions of the South African medicinal and functional food plant Sceletium tortuosum and its principal alkaloids. Journal Of Ethnopharmacology [serial online]. October 11, 2011;137(3):1124-1129. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed August 9, 2015.
[5] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942911/
[6] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4213977/
[7] http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Dopamine.aspx
[8] https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/dopamine
[9] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24304633
[10] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16930802
[11] http://www.systemicformulas.com/product/calm/
