Fall is a big adjustment for parents, teachers, students, and farmers. In the co-op, we are seeing many people settle into the fall rhythm. Some of us are in the middle of harvest season too. This is the time of year we are pulling not only our crops but our playful summer energy back in and focusing on priorities at home and school. For many that means an increased need for support with focus and stress relief. We’ve seen an increase in requests for focus support herbs in the aisle, so I wanted to share some of my favorites with you that I lean on and a recipe for a tea or tincture that I make for myself for those needs.
The mint family plants are excellent supporters for our nervous system, as one thing they all have in common is an action to impact blood flow along our spinal column. The more warming aromatic mint family plants such as peppermint, rosemary, etc. have a more upward action towards the head whereas the bitter mints such as wood betony, skullcap, motherwort, etc. have a more downward and relaxant action. One of the best things about mint family plants is their safety, without any alkaloids that could be hard on little livers, making them a great choice for kids as well as adults.
Lemon Balm is an excellent choice for lifting the spirits and providing aromatherapy along with its calming properties. Lemon Balm, depending on the dose, provides tension relief without being too sedating. Lemon Balm is well known when it comes to fever breaking as a heat releasing herb, perfect for the person who is stressed and maybe even red in the face from it or a little irritable. I think of this herb as perfect for releasing the internal pressure when we have too much to do. This herb is perfect for the person, including kids, who are having a hard time adjusting to the overwhelm of the school year and the overexcitement of so much activity.
Tulsi is also a perfect herb for adjusting our patterns and bringing down the pressure we put on ourselves in times of stress. Beyond all others, Tulsi is my number one support for shifting deeply seated patterns of stress in my life. You have probably heard me talk Tulsi again and again by now. Even the scent alone before I drink the tea or take the glycerite helps me remember my breath and break the stress cycle. As well as in the moment calming action, Tulsi has adaptogenic benefits, meaning that the more we work with her the more we can break the pattern of high cortisol responses to our stressors. If going back to school or approaching harvest season is leading to overwhelm and daily stress, I think Tulsi is an excellent choice for resetting this pattern in our lives and giving ourselves peaceful moments that build on one another. While Tulsi is relaxing, I find Tulsi preparations completely suitable for daytime consumption, supporting my energy levels at the same time as providing calm. Tulsi also helps me to rely less on caffeine to support energy.
Rosemary is well known for its wakeful and stimulating with references from ancient times to Shakespeare (Rosemary for Remembrance) to the Eclectic and Physiomedicalist Traditions to today. She is another herb who helps me rely less on caffeine and brings me uplift and focus that is unique and different than the type of stimulus caffeine provides. Commonly included in formulas for memory, even the aromatherapy of Rosemary is stimulating and chosen to bring blood flow to the head. Sage is often paired alongside to further support blood flow to the brain. A trio of Rosemary, Sage, and Lemon Balm has been studied (see the article in source number 2).
Skullcap is an excellent choice if the need for getting your work done is causing looping thoughts, especially high levels of stress in the work or school environment, or headaches, skullcap could be a great choice. Skullcap is a beautiful herb that helps me to create a calming boundary and decisively reduce tension when I am holding myself so tight like a string and playing the same notes over and over in my head. I work with a low dose of Skullcap when I need to calm down to put my herbal focus cap on, paired with aromatics like tulsi, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, etc. and work with Skullcap in a higher dose maybe paired with Passionflower if I need help to put work aside and relax or sleep.
Explore other calming nervine mints such as wood betony, lavender, motherwort if stress relief is your main concern. Wood Betony can be especially grounding. Lavender is so well known for not only relieving tension but providing some uplifting aromatherapy as well. Motherwort is an excellent choice if you experience your stress and tension in your heart or if stress impacts your menstruation.
Simple recipe:
Combine 4 or more of these herbs in a tea, tincture, glycerite blend and have it on hand. Equal parts works well for me.
For the tea, pair 7 grams of each herb in a jar that will fit 1 oz of herbs. If I know I’m going to be busy, I’ll plan ahead by spooning this blend out into disposable tea filters.
For the tincture/glycerite, prepare in a 1oz bottle:
7.5mL (1.5 tsp) each of Lemon Balm Glycerite, Tulsi Glycerite, Rosemary Tincture, and Skullcap tincture.
Adjust amounts depending on your individual needs.
You could personalize this blend by adding Lavender, Motherwort, or Wood Betony for additional support.
Pump or spray tops can be helpful if taking to school instead of eyedropper tops. For an alcohol free version for younger kids, a 1 or 2oz pump bottle with a blend of just Tulsi Glycerite, Lemon Balm Glycerite, and optionally Lavender Glycerite (for kids who like the lavender flavor) is ideal.
This topic will be continued in next week’s article, we will discuss Brahmi, one of the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia’s approaches to supporting cognition and mental wellness.
This article is for expressive and educational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice. If you are having worsening depression or mental health concerns, or thoughts of suicide, speak with a mental health professional immediately, or call or text 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Further Reading:
