Everyone wants the answers to stress relief nowadays. If you don’t have time to actually relax, give these herbs a try.
Passion Flower (Passifloraceae)
Passiflora is a family of over 500 plant species including vines, fruits (passion fruit), and the noble flowering herb known as passion flower. This is perhaps the most unique and beautiful flower one could ever discover in nature’s cornucopia. It is rumored that this plant received its name in reference to “The Passion of Christ” where each aspect of this plant’s expression is correlated to the last days of Jesus.
This flower instills a sense of peace and tranquility by its phenotype (shape, texture), and pharmacological effects. Passion flower has been extensively studied for its influence on anxiety reduction, sleep improvement, estrogen inhibition, and monoamine oxidase inhibition.
I read somewhere that anxiety is the rust of life, destroying its brightness and weakening its power. Passion flower has been a common herbal advisement for countering chronic anxiety due to its monoamine oxidase inhibitor influence.
Pairing passion flower with cacao enhances our sense of inner and outer beauty and may allow our creative faculties to erupt in a dynamic orchestra of passionate expression.
Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea):
Rhodiola belongs to the Crassulaceae family that is accustomed to cold climatic regions of the world, including the Arctic, Central Asia, North America, and various regions of Europe. Rhodiola has been a staple treatment in traditional Chinese herbalism and resides as one of the premier herbs in their legendary line up.
Scientists have identified around 140 chemical constituents ranging from terpenoids, organic acids, phenolcarbonic acids, phenols, alkaloids, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Rhodiola has been mostly studied in reference to its beneficial effects on reducing mental and physical fatigue. It appears, according to the data, that rhodiola helps to improve mental concentration and influence the reversal of burnout symptoms.
Researchers believe rhodiola displays anti-depressive effects due to its inhibitory activity towards MAO-A and MAO-B. A clinical study conducted in Armenia demonstrated significant benefits in female patients ranging from age 18–70 diagnosed with mild-moderate depression. The patients were given rhodiola extract in 340–680 mg per day with no negative side effects.
