Shanti's Favourite Teas To Help Reduce Anxiety (or better yet, let's call them Best Teas for Ease!)

Several years ago, I suffered an extreme bout of prolonged anxiety. Panic attacks, insomnia, night sweats, heart palpitations, feeling faint, ringing ears, even issues with my vision and having a hard time catching my breath. Mind racing, heart racing, thoughts racing. The worst of this era of my life lasted about a year or so, but there were more years building before that where these incredibly uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety crept in to my life. During that time, I tried so many things, trying to both lesson the symptoms as well as to promote sleep and increase energy. Tinctures, herbs, breathing exercises, physical exercises, yoga, meditation, teas… if you have suffered from anxiety, you know this list can feel endless!
 
I remember drinking so much chamomile tea to "relax" that I overdid it (was downing about 5 strong cups a day) and then learned that too much chamomile can… yep… increase anxiety! Paradoxical, but true.

 
I even gave up caffeine at that time, and I am a life long coffee, chai and black tea drinker. But I gave it up, happily, hoping that would help.
 
During this time, I learned a lot about herbs, natural remedies, the immune system and about health and healing in general. I also learned some serious life lessons, one of those being that when it comes to our health – mental and physical – there often isn't one simple thing that will make all the difference. No single herb, single medication, single type of help or professional. Rather, it is a building up of the tools and being open to receiving help, in all its forms, that ultimately leads to healthfulness and the big word I landed on – EASE. To me, the word ease means the opposite of anxiety. I don't claim to always experience ease, but I find myself in it much more often than I ever did. And I know now how to build it and grow it. My tool kit has expanded.

So today I want to share a few of those with you. The Tea Tools, if you will! These include herbs, flowers, teas and spices that help with ease, that lesson anxiety.
 
Shanti's Favourite Teas for Ease: Teas to help reduce anxiety and to promote health and happiness
 
1. Chamomile

Chamomile is a beautiful little yellow flower that is used to treat a number of issues, from insomnia to healing wounds to reducing anxiety. It can be enjoyed straight up or can be blended with other herbs to promote sleep, ease and health. 

We offer it in both of these forms. For just the chamomile blast, we offer Chamomile Tea. For healthful blends, try Chamomile & French Lavender Blend for a perfect before-bed cup, or as one of five ingredients in "Mom's Garden" Blend – a delightful and calming herbal tea blend created by my herbalist momma.
 
2. Peppermint

Peppermint is famous for its ability to help with digestion, but it is also a lovely ingredient that aids in reducing anxiety. Peppermint leaves can be found straight up in our Peppermint Tea or blended with hibiscus flower petals and rosehips in our appropriately named Happy Hibiscus Blend.

 
3. Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Tulsi (also known as Holy Basil) is an amazing herb that has been used for thousands of years to help with human ailments ranging from hormone issues to heart health, immune system support to stress reduction. It can be found straight up in our Tulsi (Krishna) Tea.
 
4. Rose

Ah, sweet rose petals. One of earth's most uplifting and pretty flowers is also one of its most grounding and healthful! Rose petals of course come in countless colours with a range of fragrances, but we use a dark red rose petal that comes from India and smells of the mountains. In addition to being a beautiful ingredient, rose petals are also antioxidants that are high in vitamin C. They help with menstruation issues, reduce inflammation, and aid in reducing stress and anxiety.

Rose can be found straight up under Rose Petals and can be added to your own blends, to baths, to baking and potpourris and more. Rose petals can also be found alongside nettles and raspberry leaf in our Nettle & Rose Blend and in our deeply nourishing "New Momma" Blend - a blend for new and nursing mothers.

5. Lavender

Lavender is a fragrant herb that today grows in many parts of the world. It's lemony smell can be recognized anywhere. The benefits of lavender include aiding in sleep, increasing blood flow and helping with healing, and works well alone or synergistically with other herbs to ease anxiety, stress and insomnia.

We include French Lavender in two of our blends: Chamomile & French Lavender Blend and "Mom's Garden" Blend
 
6. Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm is one of my favourite herbs, and it grows in abundance in my garden. Every summer, I do a huge harvest and this lasts me throughout the year. While it is drying, the whole porch is awash in a delightfully lemony minty smell that reminds me of deep summer. Lemon balm is a great herb for treating nausea and digestive issues but also increases calmness and memory/cognitive function, decreases insomnia and boosts mood.

Lemon balm can be found in our "New Momma" Blend. When I first had my twins, it was deep summer and very hot out. I would go down to my garden and pick whatever looked good. This always included lemon balm (as well as rose petals, calendula, raspberry leaves and fennel) and I would put all of these in a Bodum, pour over with boiling water, and then enjoy iced once it had steeped for at least an hour. This tasted incredible at the time, and I have no doubt that it was exactly what my body needed for rebuilding and simultaneously, for reducing stress.
 
7. Turmeric

Turmeric is a true superfood and its benefits are far too many to list. But some of my favourite are its ability to decrease inflammation, support the immune system, and to decrease anxiety and depression.

Turmeric can be found in our Spiced Golden Milk, alongside cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black peppercorns. In this form, it can be brewed up on the stove with whole milk or milk alternative (I love using coconut milk or soy milk) and a generous spoonful of high quality local honey. This is a deeply soothing cup that is also a great immune booster!

This list is by no means extensive, but after experimenting with dozens of home remedies and all kinds of herbs in many forms, these are my favourites. Please remember not to overdo anything. Try a cup, let it settle, see how it feels. A cup or two a day is plenty. No need for five! Also experiment with these herbs on their own as well as in blends alongside other healthful and easing ingredients as herbal or tea blends. Remember to breathe, and remember to sit. A cup of tea is a great excuse to do just that. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, or if you have any suggestions or recommendations of herbs or teas that helped you with your anxiety, so that I can share them here.

Wishing you tons of ease and happiness.
 
Much Love,
Shanti