Natural Ways to Manage Anxiety and Reduce Stress with Plants

It’s been a week... it’s been a year! If you are like us, you may have been experiencing some more anxious feelings lately. We wanted to share some quick tips to help you cope and to make it easier for you to move through anxiety and mitigate any anxiety related health problems that can occur. 

Lavender can reduce stress by activating a reaction in the brain via smell. Lavender can be enjoyed by sipping in tea, rubbing a dab of lavender essential oils on pressure points or using the oils in hot baths or showers. 

Chamomile is known as a very effective calming tea due to the antioxidant called apigenin that binds to specific receptors in the brain to reduce anxiety and promote calming sleep.

B Vitamins, Magnesium and Calcium are all components that help to regulate cortisol, the stress hormone, and can be found naturally in the following plant sources: 

• B Vitamins: Leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, chickpeas, lentils
• Calcium and magnesium: sea vegetables, bananas, cashews, dark chocolate, avocados, seeds such as flax, pumpkin, and chia
• Calcium: kale, spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts 

Ashwagandha is known for reducing levels of cortisol. It can be enjoyed in teas, taken as a supplement or mixed into smoothies.

We also recommend utilizing other anxiety reducing activities, such as breathwork, tapping, and meditation. If you are experiencing heightened levels of anxiety, please reach out to a health care professional.

Additional resources are included below:

Resources

Tapping how to via @thesoulfulsprout

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHF-NG5gsWn/

Breathwork for anxiety

https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety

Calm – meditation app

https://www.calm.com

External Health Professionals

https://www.anxietycanada.com/

http://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/guides-and-publications/anxiety-guide-en.pdf