Recognising and dealing with stress using natural supplements

Some stress, of course, can be beneficial. Healthy stress pushes you to perform better and achieve more than usual.  Often, however, stress reaches chronic, harmful levels, causing among other things a compromised immune function and weight gain.  Unhealthy stress overstretches your coping mechanisms and your performance level starts to drop.

The body operates as a unit, with the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual working together to maintain a balance.  Each aspect needs nourishment, but mental and emotional nourishment is often lacking in our work-driven society.  To still the mind and let the cares of life drift away is a deeply healing process. Nourish yourself with good food, sleep, exercise and relaxation.

Learn to recognise the first symptoms of being overstressed.  It is important to understand that “dis-ease” is a response to stress and that disease can help you to stop, rest and allow time for self-healing. Homoeopathic remedies, Herbal remedies and nutritional supplements support the body systems and stimulate the natural innate defensive mechanism of the body to enhance the process of self healing.

Remedies available at the Naturopathic Health Care Centre


1. Homoeopathic Remedies

 1.1 Natura Rescue:

Rescue is the tried and trusted remedy that aids in restoring calm and balance to help you cope with challenging situations. For use in the relief and treatment of emotional shock, fear, nervous stress, feeling of desperation, tearfulness and grief, sleeplessness due to emotional stress

1.2 Nervuton 2

Nervuton 2 has a relaxing and mildly sedative effect on the nervous system to help reduce the symptoms of stress including nervous tension, irritability, restlessness and disturbed sleep patterns, especially difficulty falling asleep.

1.3 Cerbo

Cerbo is a homoeopathic complex which helps relieve symptoms of an over-stressed, hyperactive nervous system.  It helps overcome brain fatigue, chronic tiredness, restlessness, poor concentration and poor memory and aims to promote astute brain functioning and muscular co-ordination.

1.4 Nerva 1

The mind and skin are intertwined, resulting in many skin conditions being caused or exacerbated by stress,

1.5 Nerva 2

Nerva 2 assists in supporting the function of the nervous system to assist in the treatment of tension headache, nerve-related muscular cramps and spasms

1.6 Nerva 3

This is a homoeopathic complex which helps to relieve the emotional symptoms of stress such as sadness, grief, tearfulness, over sensitiveness and moodiness.



2. Stress Reducing Vitamins 

 
2.1 Vitamin B

B Vitamins is essential for the normal function of the nervous system. Vitamin B12 is involved in the synthesis of the nerve insulating myelin sheath.

2.2 Magnesium

Magnesium is a natural stress reducing food supplement that aids to balance the production of neurons and acts on the transmission of nerves which maintain a healthy nervous system. It helps you to sleep soundly and to relax.

2.3 Brain Child Children’s Supplement

These supplement formulations contains Essential fatty acids (EFAs), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are important building blocks of cell membranes and make up 60% of brain tissue.

Supplementing with DHA may be beneficial for:

• Normal brain, visual and cognitive functioning,

• Language, communication & performance ability,

• Improved memory, and

• The support of children with attention- deficit and/or hyperactivity disorders (ADD/ADHD), restlessness & moodiness.

The B-VITAMINS in formulation is vital for mental health. The brain uses large amounts of B-vitamins. Because these vitamins are water-soluble, they pass out of the body quickly – this means that even a short term deficiency may have an effect on how your child thinks and feels


3. Stress Reducing Herbals

 
3.1 Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthrococcus)

Siberian ginseng is often called an “adaptogen.” that strengthens the body and increase general resistance to daily stress.

3.2 Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba improves memory and concentration by improving blood circulation to the brain. It may slow down Alzheimer’s disease by interfering with changes in the brain that interfere with thinking.

Interesting Fact

Ginkgo biloba, also known as the maidenhair tree, is one of the oldest species of trees on the planet. The tree is considered to be a "living fossil", meaning that it has continued to survive even after major extinction events. Ginkgo trees have very unique properties - they are capable of growing more than 130 feet and can live for over one thousand years. In fact, there are some trees in China are said to be over 2,500 years old. The plant has a number of therapeutic properties and contains high levels of flavonoids and terpenoids.  These are antioxidants that provide protection against oxidative cell damage from harmful free radicals.

 

Bronne: Homoeopathy: Miranda Castro; Comed Health website, Herbal Remedies for Healthy Living: SW van Rooyen