If you’re anything like us, you try your best to eat healthily, sleep well and exercise enough to keep your body happy and balanced. But, given all of life’s challenges, even your best efforts won’t exempt you from the occasional moody day.
And if you’re not mindful, your energy, mood and stress levels can become a vicious cycle of fatigue, irritability and overwhelm.
Native Australian plants and other natural herbs can provide a gentle yet holisitic way to boost your mood and ease anxiety. As an added benefit, the ritual of brewing the plants as a tea or a herbal long infusion can serve as a meditative practice and a moment of self-care to help you destress further, unlocking a new level of calm.
Here are 5 plants that can help boost your mood:
1. Wild Crafted Jilungin (Terminalia canescens)
Jilungin is a native Australian plant that has been traditionally used by Indigenous Australians to ease stress, calm an overactive mind or improve overall well being. It is wild harvested by the Nyul Nyul community in the Dampier Peninsula region in Western Australia and can be enjoyed during the day or night to alleviate symptoms of anxiety.
2. Native Rosella (Hibiscus heterophyllus)
Countless studies have now shown that there is a direct connection between gut health and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Incredibly, Hibiscus has been proven to be a rich source of polyphenols as based on evidence A, B and C and a source of antioxidants as based on evidence A, B and C, helping good gut bacteria thrive. Further, Hibiscus has also been shown to improve relaxation and sleep based on evidence A and B.
3. Aniseed Myrtle (Syzygium anisatum)
Aniseed Myrtle has been used as a traditional remedy for stress relief by Indigenous Australians. The native plant has been used to slow neurotransmitters in the brain and create a sense of calm. It also contains lutein which recent studies have shown can help regulate the stress hormone, cortisol.
4. Ashwagandha Root (Withania somnifera)
Ashwagandha Root is a powerful adaptogen that can help with vitality and creating calm by regulating the body’s response to stress. It has been proven to help reduce stress as based on evidence A, B and C, and improve mood by reducing anxiety and depression as based on evidence A, B and C.
5. Shatavari Root (Asparagus racemosus)
Shatavari Root has been proven to help reduce stress (based on studies A and B) protect the brain against oxidative damage (based on studies A and B) and has an antidepressant action (based on studies A and B)
