herbs & stress

Hi everyone, this is my first post on here and sorry its a long one but it might just help someone so i thought i would post it

Basically its a story about herbal medicine and an incredible herbalist who pretty much saved my life. I was really unwell and the local doctors werent any help and could offer no explanation, i saw about 8 or 9 different ones in total and got nowhere. I was very active with a physical, stressfull job and constant deadlines and i also went to the gym 4-5 times a week. I was very pale, feeling very weak, having heart palpitations, sweating a lot and trembling, this went on for months with no one offering me any explanation until one night i collapsed and was shaking from head to toe, at which point an ambulance was called and i was taken to hospital where i was in a really bad state. I was in a permanent state of alarm/panic and shaking all day every day, i managed to get myself to a herbal clinic... one parent on each side helping me walk the 10 feet from the car to the clinic where i met the most caring helpful doctor/herbalist i have ever known

she diagnosed me as having hyperadrenalism, she explained i had put so much stress on my adrenal system through emotional stress at work and physical stress (work and the gym) that it had become hyperactive and i was now in a permamanet state of panic/alarm... i went home and for the next 6 months i just sat shaking all day while my mum held my hand falling asleep at night from complete exhaustion, if there was a loud noise or something worrying on tv or any kind of stress at all my adrenal system kicked in at about 100% overdrive and i would shake and sweat and feel totally unwell thanks to the huge amounts of adrenaline pumping around my blood stream, i had turned grey in colour due to the stress on my liver and was having constant heart palpitations. Adrenaline is an emergency response in the body so it shuts off the immune system and the digestive system as these systems are not needed when your body percieves ur life is in danger, i felt really sick but when i didnt eat it would affect insulin levels and kick in my adrenaline (vicious circle ) so i lived on milk and drained half the cows in the United Kingdom

As soon as i started my herbal medicine my heart palpitations improved, within a couple of days... herbs work very slowly but over the course of 3 years i improved, slowly and gradually. Ive now been told i wasnt long away from my body and organs giving up and there was no drug that could have helped me. Herbs helped calm my adrenal system and get it back in balance, its still hyperactive but i can cope and live a much more normal life, needless to say i also have a much better understanding of 'stress'!

Now its been found i have some damage to the T9 section of my spine which is the section of the central nervous system linked to the adrenal glands, whether this has been caused by all the stress or whether it was there all along no one can answer.

I just thought i would post this as i was basically lost for 6-7 months before i turned to herbal medicine, i know see this lady for everything and have found her to be absolutely superb, she is a qualified GP, herbalist and immunologist and her knowledge astounds me

Anyway the moral of the story is dont underestimate stress, i was only 19 when this happened and like most youngsters i felt i was immortal and could just keep doing what i was doing and that my body would cope... boy did i get a shock!

That is interesting. I used to have the 'heart racing for hours' problem, but not as overall bad as you described. Still get it occasionally but much less frequently since I stopped work. Plus some food additives exacerbate it, I used to have to eat in restaurants frequently because of travel and would get the racing heart afterwards.

Wish I had thought of a herbalist, lucky you did, sounds as if it could have been debilitating permanently.

Marion said:

That is interesting. I used to have the 'heart racing for hours' problem, but not as overall bad as you described. Still get it occasionally but much less frequently since I stopped work. Plus some food additives exacerbate it, I used to have to eat in restaurants frequently because of travel and would get the racing heart afterwards.

Wish I had thought of a herbalist, lucky you did, sounds as if it could have been debilitating permanently.

Click to expand...

Hi Marion, yes it was looking that way. Drugs wise, there are only tranquilizers and beta blockers for stress/racing heart etc tried both and didnt like them at all, the herbs worked very well for me

People never think about their adrenal system much, or what they are doing to it thanks to stress, caffiene etc.... can make u very ill if it becomes unbalanced.

Ulcers

When I was in high school, I self-induced an ulcer in my upper intestine/stomach by worrying and improperly dealing with stress and depression. I tried some medication, but it did not help. I then began drinking peppermint tea after every meal, and it did wonders for me. I didn't cure my ulcer, but made eating tolerable. Then, I went to Mexico for a week with a friend. When I came home, I had another Barium swallow test done, and the ulcer was gone. I think it was all the tequila

I'm a big believer in the fact that your body knows how to heal itself better than you do, if you give it the right circumstances. Bed rest, fluids, and some nice herbal tea will cure a cold faster than symptom-suppressing medication.

Also, a word of caution: herbs are medicine and should be treated with respect. You can harm yourself very easily if you don't do your research properly.

Fina~Your condition sounds a lot like mine, which began at age 15. After 6 weeks of tests as an outpatient and 2 weeks in pediatrics with continued testing the result was....stress. I felt like someone kicked me in the pit of my stomach. Meds helped some, but rest and working at a barn with lots of fresh air was my cure at that age. I still have problems that spark up from time to time and meds don't seem to do much. Nor does much on the counseling level. I am now looking more into herbal teas to help my stomach out, changing my diet and meditating. I would love to hear more on herbal teas that help your stomach out.

Herbs I Use For Stress:

I use the following herbs in teas for my stomach and stress:

Damiana - great cleanser for the nervous system, relieves stress, and is a mild hypnotic and will help you sleep. I had a lot of trouble with nightmares, and drinking this tea before bed really helps. (Also, audiobooks are great for insomnia and nightmares). Be careful with damiana as it is a hypnotic. Do not use if pregnant, breast feeding, or if it makes you uncomfortable. Please check a few online/book resources for yourself first. I've also heard you can smoke it, but I've never tried.

Peppermint - calms upset stomachs, although "they" say it is not good ulcers, in my experience it was fantastic. It also makes you feel more alert. This may not be good before bed if it has this effect on you, but I found it a great coffee replacement for the morning when I was not allowed to drink coffee because of the ulcer.

Chamomile - helps relaxation and tastes great with damiana and peppermint. It is in most "Sleepy Time" teas and helps with insomnia.

Catnip - very nutritious and calms upset stomachs. It has the opposite effect on people as cats; it makes you sleepy making it a cure for insomnia as well. I used to make tea for my roomates and they loved this tea and were surprised to hear it has catnip. It mixes well with the above herbs. And you cat will want to spend time with you when you smell so nice!

Hyssop - great spicy flavor to add to teas. The scent is so relaxing. I didn't notice the herb itself having any properties.

Honey - I'm not into too much sweetness, but a little honey is great to add to teas. It is a healthy natural sweetener. Honey is good for hangovers as well as it helps bring the alcohol out of the blood and tissue.

I also use these herbs in the bath tub and soak in "tea". The scent is wonderful and cleansing. I use a separate tea ball for the tub. You many not want to use catnip in the tub if you have curious cats. My cat actually used to join me in the tub, she would sit on my chest. Didn't like the water, though.

I can't think of anymore off the top of my head right now and this post is getting long. I'll keep thinking and post if I remember any more.

One book I found very helpful was Back to Eden (I'm not religious at all ). It was originally published in 1939, but has had many reprints. It lists herbs by symptons.


hope this helps, HearthCricket

Peppermint and Chamomile sound yummyish. I could give those a try. I have seen those SleepyTime Teas, but I sleep pretty good, so not too worried there. I am looking for something that is soothing to the stomach during the day, when I get stressed out or my stomach is off from cramps, etc. I don't do caffeine, anyhow, nor do I drink, so no problem with hangovers. I have been drinking decaf tea instead of decaf coffee for a few years, now, and really am enjoying the soothing feeling of it.

I used to be quite a tea-aholic in Canada, but I didn't bring my herbs with me to Taiwan (didn't think customs would like be taking that many plants ). I used to have at least 50 jars with little charms on each of them that represented the herb (at least to be). Basil had a little stone bear attached to it. I miss my herbs

But I can still collect knowledge

What teas has anyone else tried? Any favorite herbs?

Although it's not an herbal (technically) I've had good experience with raw cabbage and raw cabbage juice. There's something in the cabbage that coats the stomach and allows it to heal.

rufusj

That's quite a story Sirius ! I am so glad you have recovered .

It really seems like our society (especially in America ) encourages stress and refuses to recognize that people have limits . Personal limits can be influenced by heredity , so it's good to look back in the family tree and see what illnesses have befallen other family members in the past . We may live in modern times , but our bodies are still wired for previous eras.

I think in Victorian times , there was more of a tolerance for the "nervous collapse " , etc. Your had a big shock, your hair turned white , you went into your room and stayed there while people remained quiet and supportive . 20 years later you moved to the attic and nobody remembered you anymore but your needlepoint was outstanding . Sustained by dangerous legal opiate drugs and big fat detailed books , you really didn't mind .

Now however , one is encouraged to GET OVER IT and exercise more ,work harder , and treated like a failure . There is also the sneaking suspicion and unspoken accusation that it's ALL YOUR OWN FAULT and you've brought it on yourself as repayment for some personal sin or shortcoming. (Obviously I have experience with this . )

Anyway, do not underestimate the role of supplements like magnesium and B vitamins - we can be deficient in them and not realize it . They are cheap too , and so are of little benefit to drug companies who might wish to see us taking their expensive medications instead .