125 – Relaxant Nervines: Herbs for Stress, Anxiety and Overwhelm

Welcome to the Frontline Herbalism Podcast with your host, Nicole Rose from the

Solidarity Apothecary.

This is your place for all things plants and

liberation.

Let's get started.

Hello. Welcome back to the Frontline Herbalism Podcast.

I hope you had a cheeky listen to the last little episode with the announcements because

I was talking about sexy merchandise that is available with the ordering deadline of this

Sunday that's raising funds for the mobile herbal clinic Calais,

as well as Herbalism PTSD and traumatic stress course, which is opening this weekend.

Please, please, please join the waiting list if you're interested.

All right, so today I'm going to be talking about herbs for stress, anxiety and overwhelm.

And the herbs that I tend to work with for these states are relaxant nerve irons.

And I'm gonna, like, interrogate kind of like what that means.

We're going to talk about some of the herbs that kind of fall into this category and then

how to, like, practically work with them.

So before we really dig in, I just want to, like, interrogate the word relax a little bit

because I think we associate it with,

you know, putting our feet up on the sofa,

having a fancy bath,

maybe having a lion,

someone in a spa or, like, some.

But, like,

it's kind of not really what humans have, like, evolved to do.

Like, that's kind of like how relaxation is really, like, kind of sold to us in capitalism

and our kind of cultures and how they've developed.

But when we say relax, and I'm thinking more about the impact on the body and releasing

things like tension and relaxing the vasculature, like the network of blood

vessels, for example.

So when we talk about the kind of different nervous system states, I don't want you to

think,

right, I'm only going to take these herbs when I'm going to put my feet up on the sofa.

Do you know what I mean? Because the world is much more complex than

that, and unfortunately,

we do need to function in our society.

So if you think about how humans have evolved,

we've not evolved to just lie down on sofas, if that makes sense.

And that is somehow meant to be the antidote to chronic ******* stress and, like, acute

survival mode and, you know, masses of information overwhelm that we've got in our,

like, current culture.

If you think about humans, how humans have evolved, you know, we are.

We're not like, relaxing, but we're doing activities that are kind of, you know,

reproductive labor in the sense of, you know, planting vegetables and foraging herbs or, you

know, like hunting animals which is, you know, not a relaxing thing.

It is more of a, like, state of mobilization realization.

But I'm just saying that, like,

this dichotomy of, like, really, really busy and then really, really relaxed isn't really

real or realistic as a kind of goal for someone to feel better.

Like, if your life is, like, so full of stress and like, the only minutes you get to kind of

feel sort of safer and kind of.

I don't.

I. Again, calm is a bit like the word relax.

It's like you can feel, like, as calm as a pond certain moments of the day.

But if the rest of your day you're full of,

like, hardcore adrenaline, fight or flight,

then,

you know, there's still something amiss.

Does that make sense?

But, like,

I know there's like, a lot of around, like, polyvagal theory and like, all these

scientists are like, polyvagal theory's been debunked and blah, blah, blah.

I was.

I put a thing in there at the beginning of,

like, hey, like, this isn't,

you know,

like, the only framework that exists.

And there's all these criticisms, you know,

and actually there's all sorts of theories around how the nervous system has evolved and

all of this stuff.

But, like, it's one tool in the toolbox to help understand our different nervous system

states.

One, you know, some of which are like, being in fight, you know, feeling threatened or

being in flight and having loads of anxiety and panic attacks.

And then there's one called safe and social, which is where you feel attuned to other

people.

You feel kind of like, I mean, even happy could be going too far.

Like, you might still be unhappy, but you actually feel able to connect to other humans,

to think clearly, to connect with the land.

And I think this kind of, like, safe and social state is like, much more of a, like,

accurate nervous system goal, I guess, than quote, unquote, relax.

Does that make sense?

Because really, like, ideally, how we want to be feeling is we want to be feeling, like,

connected and part of a crew and loved and safe and able to be ourselves and able to be

silly and able to play,

able to learn, able to study, able to think clearly.

Like, these are all things that come with a nervous system state that isn't in, like,

acute crisis all the time.

But, you know, like, as is, like, the ******* political frameworks around this stuff,

there's all these structural forces which push us to exist very differently in the world.

So it's not always something that have like autonomy of if that makes sense.

And I don't want to like pathologize the nervous system of like, oh, you need to be

like safe and calm and happy when there's like multiple genocides happening around the world

and the climate is collapsing and you know,

everything else.

So it's like, yeah, you know, taking things

with a pinch of salt and you know, I talk about this way more in the herbalism, PTSD and

traumatic stress course.

But basically there is a kind of difference between navigating different states and then

becoming very stuck in them.

And I think anxiety is like one of these

extremely natural, adaptive things that actually enables us to survive.

For example, I'm a single mom to a toddler, which is ******* beautiful, but also really

******* hard.

There's a lot of like economic pressure on me

and emot pressure to like hold it all together and stuff.

And it's like my anxiety around money is actually like really serving me.

Like it makes me motivated of like, right, I'm gonna write my ******* Instagram captions like

after the baby goes to bed or you know, I'm gonna draft this newsletter or I'm gonna do

this client work so that I can get paid.

Like there is a level of like that anxiety is like really, really helpful to like keep you

going.

And like, I think we sort of the role of like fear in our lives as like a motivator of like,

hey, why do you work in your **** job? Because I actually fear fcking starving or I

fear, you know, being houseless.

Like those are very real ******* fears that our capitalist society manipulates.

Right.

Anyway, I feel like I'm just giving so many like disclaimers to this episode, but I think

there is a difference between anxiety that is driving us to protect ourselves and our loved

ones.

You know, like anxiety about the environment or the climate or whatever.

And then there is anxiety which is like ******* debilitating and is stealing our lives

from us because we are too anxious to leave the house or build relationships or start that

new thing, you know, that could actually, you know, generate some like life changing income

for you or you know,

support your community in a certain way.

Like,

you know, anxiety where it becomes sort of like disproportionate to the threat,

I think is where we can really, really, really work with plant medicines and you know, like

other practices and modalities so that we can feel more like resourced in ourselves.

But yeah, when it becomes our sort of dominant state, I think that's when we need to do

something about it, right? And I think, unfortunately, a lot of people

who grow up in childhood environments of, like, extreme stress or, you know, caring

responsibilities, hyper vigilance because of abuse and,

like, threatening behavior and things, it's like,

you don't know.

The alternative to not feeling like that and

finding your way back to that state or finding a way to that state is really ******* hard,

but really, really essential in any sort of, like, recovery or claiming your life back, if

that makes sense.

And I think those skills are quite hard to learn if you've not been exposed to them.

And I think plants are wonderful ******* teachers because you don't have that, like,

relational trauma that you do with a human.

You know, like,

excuse me, like, if you have gone through some sort of, like, hardcore, like, attachment

trauma,

like,

it's very difficult to then find healing through a relationship with someone.

Does that make sense? It is ultimately like, the thing you need to

do, but it's really, really hard.

Whereas with plan,

they're not gonna, like, ******* betray you in the same way.

So, like, you are able to access that safe and social time with them.

Which is why loads of people have amazing relationships with, like, companion animals,

right?

Or rescued animals, is because they can trust them and build that closeness and affection

with them in a way that they isn't necessarily easy for them to do with a human.

So when I talk about the herbalism PTSD course, like, it's.

It's the act of herbalism that is healing.

It is learning how to make medicine, learning

how to identify plants, learning how to just sit with a plan and, you know, kind of chat.

I know that sounds ******* bonkers, but really, that relationship building is what is

life changing.

But, you know, like, ingesting a plant

medicine is also life changing.

And I promise I will get to that in a minute.

But yeah, basically,

like,

plants help us access this kind of safe and social state, not so that we can just like,

quote unquote, relax in our bubble baths, but so that we can like, exist in this world and

do what we want to do and do what makes us feel alive and, you know,

get through it without,

you know, ******* horrific kind of different layers of chronic disease, which, again, are

caused by all sorts of things, not just the stress response, but the stress response is,

you know, a major factor in health.

So anyway, so I feel like I've tried to lay the groundwork around anxiety and that it's

protective and that our goal isn't this, like, relaxation state.

Our goal is to be able to exist in the ways we want to exist.

So some of the herbs that can help us with this are relaxant nervines, which have the

annoying word relax in them.

But these herbs tend to have a direct effect on this sympathetic nervous system.

So this is our activated, like, fight or flight response.

Right? And that's a very ******* physiological

response.

You know, like, your heart rate goes fast.

Like, your breath,

you know, speeds up.

Like your, you know, your blood pressure

rises.

Like there's all these, like, physiological

changes because your body is preparing for a fight or preparing to run away.

Right. Like, if I'm not going to give some horrible example.

But yeah.

You understand what I'm saying, Right?

I feel like people are much more familiar with this state.

So it's like,

sometimes that state is, like, really ******* needed.

Like, if someone was coming in my house to, like, attack my baby, I would be very,

like, grateful for my fight response, where I can just be a fierce mama bear and whip into

action.

But again, if I don't need to be in that really hectic fight or flight response, like

that is disproportionate to what I'm kind of trying to cope with,

then it is putting a big toll on my body.

Right?

Like, it is meaning that,

you know, you're releasing all these stress hormones like cortisol and everything else,

and your insulin starts going wonky and, you know, like, you are not able to kind of like

repair your tissues as well.

So when we're in this parasympathetic state, this more like rest and digest state, there is

again this physiological cascade where our muscles relax, our blood pressure reduces.

Like, our tissues get a chance to repair themselves,

and our digestive system is able to, like, function much more optionally.

So there's more adequate blood flow.

You know, the enzymes are flowing.

Like, we're able to actually kind of like, digest our food, which means we can access

energy to again live our ******* best lives.

Best life. Who am I? I mean, I guess I am a millennial.

Anyway,

but by working with these herbs, we can support the body to access that

parasympathetic state.

And not just that, like, quote unquote,

relaxation state, but really that kind of like, much calmer, safe and social.

Like, I'm getting **** done, I'm doing the things I want.

I'm having fun with my friends, I'm learning, I'm living, I'm organizing.

Like, I'm, you know, like, alive and kind of connected to the world.

Like, that's kind of, I guess, what we're going for.

So yeah, how,

you know, what.

What herbs are these?

Like, they sound ******* amazing, right? And that's because they are.

So there's a bunch of them.

And the ones that I profile in the herbal PTSD and traumatic stress course in much more depth

include lavender,

lemon balm, chamomile, catnip and Fever View.

And, you know, depending on where you are living in the world, there will be many other

herbs, I'm sure, that kind of serve this function, so to speak.

So these herbs can help in all different ways and mechanisms reduce anxiety.

They can often aid sleep because,

I mean, **** me, that's like a whole other episode.

I'm going to talk about sleep and sedative herbs soon, but, like, basically to enhance

the chances of, like, a quality sleep in the nighttime,

having more of this, like, safe and social time.

And this kind of rest and digest state is like, actually essential in, like, preparing

the body to sleep.

And when our cortisol and our stress hormones are all over the place, that really messes

with our sort of circadian rhythms and our body's ability to relax.

So these nervine relaxants, like, I see them as kind of like toning down the anxiety

through the day so that there's less levels of activation so that you are much more prepared

for sleep.

And the better you sleep, the more likely you can recover from chronic illnesses, the more

likely you feel in a safe and social state the next day.

I think I shared a funny meme once that was like,

I didn't sleep well and coincidentally,

everyone was irritating today.

And it's like, yeah, you just feel ****

because you haven't slept well.

So, yeah, working on sleep is super critical

in my experience as a herbalist.

Many of these herbs have kind of a combination on the gut.

So kind of gentle antispasmodics, like, help the whole kind of GI system to relax in the

way that it enables, like, processes of digestion.

So it's not like, oh, I'm relaxing my gut so that, you know, I have diarrhea.

It's more that, like,

I'm, you know, reducing the kind of, like, tension and constriction in the system, which

enables enzymes and things to flow.

You know, they might have the action of, like, relieving, like, tension just, like, broadly

in terms of, like, musculoskeletal pain and tension and that, you know, that can really

have an impact on things like headaches or, like, migraine prevention when, yeah, lots of

people who are living in this,

like, fight or flight state have, like, very chronic states of Tension or you know, they

kind of, yeah, have that kind of like constitutional.

I don't say vulnerability, but like pattern towards that.

Like I'm a, you know, historically very sort of like more hot, tense person.

And so these herbs are like ******* life changing for me in order to feel more like

relaxation and less kind of like, yeah, tension in my, you know, like I used to have

costochondris, like this chronic pain in my rib cage and that was like really connected to

tension.

Patterns of shortness of breath and holding tension in my body from years and years of

literal emotional tension of holding everything.

Anyway,

relaxant nervines can also have a real direct action on the neurotransmitters in the brain,

including these inhibitory ones that reduce the activation in the central nervous system.

And in the herbalism, PTSD and traumatic stress course,

at the end of each plant profile, I share some like research papers that I've been able to

find on these particular plants.

Just like key ones.

Normally it's like three or four for each module and I've put the papers in the

resources,

the folder for the course as well so people can go and read that material directly.

But yeah, there's a lot of interesting research around how these plants have an

effect on certain neurotransmitters and kind of brain chemistry.

And you know, lavender is like super ******* well researched in that respect.

So. Yeah, so these herbs can have all of these different actions and knowing the differences

between them is really, really ******* helpful because then you can get like really specific

with what you're sort of craving and I guess your sort of predisposition for stress.

So I, yeah, I can.

I'm going to talk about each of these in like

a little bit more detail so that you can think about like practical ways to work with them.

But yeah, I just wanna.

Yeah, I guess I just wanna say that like

working with them can be really, really, really life changing.

Okay, so yeah, let's dive into the plants.

So this is gonna be really difficult for me to talk about these herbs briefly because, like,

there's just so much to them all.

And yeah, shameless plug.

Like the herbalism, PTSD and traumatic stress course is epic because you get to have that

like comprehensive deep dive into that plan where I can really talk about these actions

like in much more depth.

But yeah, okay, so let's start with lavender because it's ******* lovely in it.

Like I put a post on Instagram about lavender recently and how it was like outside of my

friend's psychiatric unit.

My friend Taylor who died in prison and how.

Yeah, I used to just, you know, feel comforted

by seeing these plants, but also feel frustrated and sad that I couldn't take them

in to Taylor.

But I think lavender is, like, one of the herbs that people have, like, the most sort

of, like, familiarity with.

So it's like, quite a good kind of, like,

gateway herb, if that makes sense.

But, yeah, lavender is one of our kind of, like, strongest acting herbs, I find, in this

kind of category that can sort of almost instantaneously help move us into a much more

parasympathetic state of.

So there's different ways to work with lavender.

Like, you can kind of, like, go hard, if that makes sense,

by having more of the herb, like,

and that really helping you with, like, a state of sleep.

So I've talked about it so many times, but I make this amazing lavender oil with, like,

dried lavender flowers that are powdered with a tiny dash of vodka, mixed with olive oil and

then strained.

And I get the olive oil from a co op that.

That is, like, Palestinian led and it comes from the West Bank.

And so, yeah, it just, like, it's really kind of, like, beautiful.

And people, like, love receiving it and appreciate that kind of solidarity.

But anyway,

this lavender oil, you can just cake yourself in it and that can just really enable you to

have, like, this kind of much richer, deeper sleep.

But I think we sort of underestimate, like, the role that lavender can play, like,

in the daytime.

And. Yeah, so before I move on to that, I

guess I want to say there is, like, a difference between, like, an infused oil and

an essential oil.

And essential oils are really, really, really strong, potent, consolidated amount of, like,

tons of plant material.

And so, you know, if you put lavender essential oil in, like, a burner or something,

like an essential oil burner,

that will probably knock you out enough to go to sleep.

Do you know what I mean? Whereas working with, like, the infused oil,

for example,

is just kind of different because you are able to, like.

I hate the word function because of, like, ******* capitalism, but, like, you are able to

sort of, like,

function better.

But I think people underestimate the role of lavender as, like, a daytime nervine.

And you can use lavender tincture.

It's really, really strong because it's got a

lot of, like, volatile oils in it.

So I don't tend to work.

It's not something I would, like, chug down in

quantity like I would hawthorn or rose or chamomile, for example.

Like, it's much more because of its very strong chemistry it's like, yeah,

you know, much, much smaller dosing.

But for example, like, after I had my baby, like, one of the,

like, teas I would take had a lot of, like, chamomile and, like a sprinkling of lavender

in there.

And it just like took the edge off the stress, you know, Like, I was like, pretty much hiding

a kite, to be honest, in terms of, like, oxytocin and all these, like, lush herbs.

But yeah, a little pinch of lavender in a daytime blend is really, really good.

Or like, for example,

if, you know, you're traipsing around central London in the underground and everything is

like, go, go, go, go, go.

And it's like super adrenaline.

Then just like having that little bit of lavender oil, like, on you or having like an

aromatherapy inhaler that you can just sniff in those moments,

I think can really, really resource the nervous system to not hit that kind of, like,

I'm a ******* panic attack level of stress.

Does that make sense?

The nice thing about lavender as well is, like, it's not like,

it's not like a downer herb that just, like calms you down,

if that makes sense.

Like, it's very uplifting to mood and, like,

on the practical medicine making courses that I teach, which is like this three day face to

face course, like on the middle day,

I chose it specifically because it's like, we have a little bit more of a rest time in the

evening and we make lavender oil in that afternoon.

And people just think, oh, yeah, it's just because, like, the weather is nice, but, like,

they are high on lavender, trust me.

And, you know, like, I really make them, like, make shitloads of it because it is a bit hard

work to process, I'm not gonna lie.

So, like, having a whole group of people

making it so that we can use it in Calais and use it in the care packages and stuff is

sweet,

but also, like,

it's amazing watching the whole mood of the group change.

Like, everyone starts getting, like,

silly, a little bit flirty.

People are like, oh, let's go swim in the po.

You know, people just want to, like, lie down and, like, sunbathe if it's sunny.

And, like, I'm just there, like, laughing in my inside because I know it's the lavender,

like, doing its magic.

And suddenly everyone is so much more ******* relaxed.

But, like, also, yeah, just like, uplifted in terms of mood.

So I think lavender is, like, really, really special in terms of its simultaneous, like,

reducing this, like, level of intense anxiety, but also just like, lifting the mood.

So, yeah, I'm gonna stop talking because I could just talk again.

I could just talk about these herbs, like, all day long.

And, yeah, do not get me started on these ******* amazing families of plants and how

they interact with, like, the gut bacteria and the gut bacteria's relationship to the nervous

system.

Like,

you know, there is just, like, so many ways this could go.

So I'm not.

I'm not gonna go there.

In our, like, Black Flag Herbal Clinic,

we've got, like,

this is the Anarchist Free Clinic started this year.

We've got some signal chats where if someone's opted in to have student support,

then we'll be able to discuss what came up in the consultation and ideas around herbal

recommendations and things.

And we always have the best little clinical

chats around different things.

And it always ends up in me talking about some ******* microbiology thing of, like, oh, well,

did you know, this is really interesting.

Anyway, right, I'm gonna move on because otherwise it's going to be a very long

episode.

All right, so now I'm going to talk about chamomile.

And I've just remembered there is actually a whole podcast episode about chamomile where I

read the chapter about chamomile from the Prisoner's Herbal book, because this was one

of the herbs that I found in prison.

Like, there was, like, chamomile on the, like, canteen, like, on the, the, you know, they

call it commissary in the US but on the thing that you can order once a week.

But there was also, like, wild chamomile, like, pineapple weed that I worked with, like,

really a lot.

So please check out that episode if you're

interested in, like, the broader properties of chamomile.

Oh, and again, in my course, I just talk about chamomile for ages.

So I don't know how I'm going to keep this brief, but I think chamomile is, like, the

herb for, like, daytime use.

Like, do not get me wrong, a chamomile blend in an evening t blend is ******* divine.

But in terms of, like, reducing the activation of the sympathetic, this fight or flight

nervous system,

but still being able to kind of, like, function and exist and focus and your work or

your organizing or your caring or whatever you're doing,

I think chamomile is, like, second to none.

I also think chamomile is, like, wildly underestimated medicinally.

Like, it has the most incredible impact attacks on the gut.

And I think, again, its affinity with the gut is what is really helping with the stress

response.

You know, I use it in the my, like, gut restoration tea blends for like, anyone in

sort of digestive distress of different ways.

Like, it's really fantastic in terms of, like,

helping heal, kind of intestinal permeability and like, aiding relaxation so that you can

have like, your digestive enzymes that are working properly to digest your food,

to increase your energy, reduce your inflammation, blah, blah, blah, blah.

But yeah, like, chamomile is like the,

you know, it's just epic.

So like I.

In my herbal care packages, I make a kind of nervous system soother blend, which is like,

more for like a daytime use that contains chamomile, lemon balm and hawthorn.

And yeah, again, like, I would feel safe giving this to someone if they were gonna go,

you know, and do something like it's not gonna, like, knock you out while you're

driving,

I guess.

Side note, people are very different.

And for some people, chamomile, I guess can put them to sleep or a cup of chamomile tea,

can them out.

And we've all got different baseline in terms

of our nervous systems.

But I think for people with like, chronic anxiety,

if it's like a 10 out of 10, Chamomile will like drop that down to like a 7 out of 10.

Does that make sense? Whereas I think if someone is already at a

nice, like, cheeky 2 out of 10, not that anxious, pretty relaxed person, having

chamomile might just like,

you know,

make them sleepy or inactive.

But I think for people, yeah, with like, a lot

of activation, then chamomile is like, really fantastic.

So, yeah, it's fantastic.

And helping us with this kind of shift, it's

got this real affinity with the guts, which I've mentioned.

But if anyone has that kind of like, fault line tendency where they manifest anxiety in

their tummy, I think chamomile is really fantastic.

Like, for me, I'm like, my digestion is pretty rock solid these days.

But, like, I'm a musculoskeletal girl of like,

pain and stress will come up for me, like in my ribs and in my shoulders and my back,

Whereas I don't really get a funny tummy when I'm anxious.

Does that make sense? Whereas other people, it's like the first

thing to go is their digestion.

You know, maybe they just want to go to the toilet.

Maybe they just feel nauseous.

Maybe they get like, stomach cramps.

Like.

So, yeah, chamomile is definitely your herb.

If your sort of like stress response Pattern

is, like, very linked to your digestion.

Yeah. And, you know, like, it has all these other external uses,

but yeah, I think again, check out the herbalism, PTSD and traumatic stress course

for more,

you know, detailed stuff around chamomile.

But I guess, yeah, what I'm trying to say is

that, like,

maybe when you're out and about and you're super stressed,

you know, at your posh coffee shop on route, well, your train's delayed.

Instead of.

Of going for, like, a super stimulating

coffee, you reach for the chamomile tea.

Not only is it cheaper, but it will,

you know, pay dividends in terms of your nervous system.

So,

yeah, I think chamomile is fantastic.

All right, so lemon balm.

Oh, my God.

What another babe, like, another member of the mint family.

The mint family are just like, like, so generous with their nervous system supporting

actions.

If you've never had a cup of fresh lemon balm tea, then what you doing with your life?

No, I'm just joking.

I never had that for decades.

But if you have a windowsill where you can grow herbs,

I strongly recommend sticking some lemon balm in there because it is just so dreamy in terms

of, like, like, scent and flavor and taste.

Like, the.

My most favorite medicine is lemon balm glycerite.

And that's because glycerites combine vegetable glycerin and water.

And I think lemon balm has such a wonderful affinity when you make, like, lemon balm tea,

for example, that a glycerite is almost like preserving that tea.

Like, that's how I pitch it sometimes on my courses.

But I have worked with lemon balm tincture, and it can be very strong and effective, but,

like,

just.

Just doesn't match the glycerite, in my

opinion.

So, yeah, lemon balm is like one of these

herbs that include in my nervous system soother blend a little bit like lavender.

It's very uplifting of mood and.

But simultaneously extremely kind of relaxant, but not in, like, a heavily sedated way.

You know, a little bit like chamomile in the sense of, like, everyone's different in terms

of sensitivity.

But yeah, lemon balm has this kind of, like,

combined action of reducing that level of kind of stress that you're under,

but simultaneously, like, lifting your mood.

And I think lemon balm has more kind of like, nootropic properties in the sense of, like,

working on, like, the limbic system and the brain and getting, like, blood flow up there

so that you can concentrate.

Like, if I had, like, an Exam, for example, which, thank God I don't have exams anymore,

more with my clinical training being finished and stuff.

But like,

lemon balm would be a herb that I would definitely not be afraid to take in terms of a

nervine.

I definitely wouldn't want to take lavender or

something because I'd be way too sleepy.

But like,

lemon balm would reduce that kind of like intense stress response that like with your

brain, so you can't concentrate and you feel overwhelmed.

But it would also like help aid your concentration.

And I think when we think about the parasympathetic nervous system as a way to

feel this kind of like safe and social, like connectedness with the world,

lemon balm is like extremely enabling of that because of this like uplifting property.

So it's kind of like I feel like you can hate everyone and then you can have some lemon balm

and it's like the world just doesn't seem as bad somehow.

And you can just, you know, talk to people and build a relationship with them.

Like it's quite a nice herb.

I like to have like before my sort of

consultations with people because I feel like it kind of.

Yeah, just like enables me to like be kind of like engaged and open.

But. Yeah, but it doesn't have this kind of like sedating nature.

I think lemon balm has a very sneaky like nerve tonic action as well.

Like I've seen it over and over again where people have worked with lemon balm long term

to kind of create like a new baseline for the nervous system where their default isn't like

stress, stress, stress,

stress.

Like I think it's very under researched in

terms of its potential actions, like on the adrenal system and the kind of like stress

response in the body.

That's just my like intuitive sense.

Like sometimes I'm like, man, should I just go into research?

But then I just like have no, like academic,

you know, like I dropped out of school when I was 16 and stuff.

So like I. Yeah, anyway, I'm not gonna go on a rant, but I'm just saying that like, I wish

this stuff was, was more researched or at least like DIY kind of people science level

research.

Because yeah, I think lemon balm has this kind of nerve tonic property where it's really

supporting our guts to function better.

A bit like chamomile.

It has like a real affinity for people who experience stress and anxiety in their guts.

But I feel like lemon balm also has an affinity with the like cardiovascular system

so like it can relax that tension across our blood vessels, but then can simultaneously

help to just like focus this kind of scattered mind and also help our memory.

And I know that there is some research around its impact on certain like, receptors in the

brain and stuff.

So anyway, like, lemon balm is just *******

great.

Like, you know, we can feel calm and relaxed

in this, like, not in a, like learn the sofa way, but like,

like we can also feel like alert and focused and like able to like,

you know, connect with the world.

So yeah,

all right.

I think.

Oh my God. Yeah, I could just talk about lemon balm all day, but yeah, in the herbalism Peter

scene traumatic stress course, you can find a very in depth profile of lemon balm and all of

the plants I'm talking about and different studies and yeah, all of the things.

Hello.

All right, so now I'm going to talk about catnip.

And again,

so much to say about this plan.

Please check out the full profile in the

herbalism PTC and traumatic stress course.

But again, I feel like catnip is really underestimated and not worked with as much as

it should be, if that makes sense.

So catnip was one of those herbs that I also had after the birth of my son and was.

Yeah, it's got an affinity with people who are kind of like breast or chest feeding.

And again, there's so many other medicinal actions beyond its like impact on the nervous

system.

But yeah, catnip, I feel like when I get people that are sort of a little bit, I don't

say like resistant to herbs, but like they take the sort of blends for anxiety and

they're not really helping.

I feel like catnip is just this like,

I don't know, it just like comes in as like something a little bit stronger, a bit more

pokey.

Or maybe there's just like different

mechanisms of how it's affecting the body.

But yeah, catnip has a really, really strong impact on the gut.

It's also part of the mint family, which is just like this dreamy family of plants with

all these amazing properties that really have an affinity with the digestive system and the

nervous system.

But yeah, for people who really manifest anxiety in their guts, I think catnip is

amazing.

And who knows, maybe it's because of its

impact on the gut bacteria.

I think that's probably where research is

going.

But it has this kind of like affinity for people that.

Where things are like,

sounds like, like hippie ish, but like rising upwards.

Like they get kind of like,

like some people's Anxiety is like coming from their like chest if that makes sense.

Like they instantly feel that kind of like panic in their chest.

Maybe they have like a heart palpitation and then it just like moves across their body.

And other people,

they just feel it in like they're kind of like upper gi.

Like they get like a kind of of you know, like like pain in their sort of throat, like they

can't swallow well or like they feel nauseous.

And then other people get it like really like down below where they just want to like go to

the toilet straight away like and get you know, full on diarrhea.

And then I feel like catnip is like something in the middle where there's like it's more

like in the stomach but it's kind of like rising up into the chest if that makes sense

rather than like starting in the chest.

But yeah, like actually catnip is used a lot for that kind of area.

Like it's used for like colic for example in babies and infants.

But yeah, so yeah, this kind of like strong affinity with the digestive.

Digestive symptom.

And it's also a kind of like diaphoretic.

So it helps kind of like induce kind of like sweating and perspiration.

Like it's a kind of traditional like fever tea.

But I feel like for people who are hyper vigilant and tense,

catnip is like a strong like releaser, like a mover because of this kind of like diaphoretic

like pushing things outward.

Like I feel like some herbs relieve anxiety by just kind of like calming overactivation.

And some herbs relieve anxiety because they've like helped it move in a really somatic way of

you need to kind of express this anxiety.

Say if someone has a respiratory infection or a fever, they have to kind of sweat it out,

you know what I mean? It has to be kind of released from their

system.

And sometimes those kind of chronic infections there isn't enough of an immune response kind

of mounted which creates this much longer term sort of slower,

inflammatory like post viral feeling.

And I feel like catnip is really great for those people where they're sort of like lymph

is kind of stuck or they're like nervous system is quite stuck.

Like it's a very like releasing,

moving herb.

Does that make sense?

So yeah, so anyway it's you know, it's quite strong.

Again, it's not like a herb that I'm taking like day to day like in a nervous system

soother blend.

Like I wouldn't just include catnip in my,

like, care packages for people because it can just be, like, very, very, very strong.

And the awkward thing about warming herbs, especially warming mints, is that, like,

they can be stimulating for people.

And, like, there is a whole module in the PTSD

course around stimulating nervines, which are herbs that have more of a kind of like,

stimul,

like, helping people have, like, a bit more energy and vitality.

And I feel like, you know, like, I was a bit torn with catnip of, like, putting catnip in

this more stimulating category rather than a relaxant nervine.

But, like,

you know,

like, I mentioned, like, I had catnip quite a lot after I had my baby.

And, like, I do feel like it had this kind of, like,

anxiety reducing effect because the levels of anxiety were so high.

Like, that hypervigilance around, like, a newborn and, like, are they safe?

And that level of, like, depletion after a birth, like, is really full on.

And I feel like catnip just calms me the **** down.

And I think it's very good in that kind of, like, acute crisis moment.

I don't work with it in, like, a kind of nerve tonicy way of like, some.

You know, I would be so happy if someone took lemon balm, like, for days on weeks and months

on end.

Like, that would be like, I wouldn't see any sort of, like,

kind of biochemical harm or risk there, if that makes sense.

Whereas I feel like catnip, it's just that much, like, just a lot stronger.

So I would be hesitant for someone to take it so long.

And I think it has much more of a, like, antimicrobial property on the gut as well,

which you don't want long term.

But I think if you can build a relationship with catnip so that you can have catnip at,

like, specific moments for you, like,

you know, when you are in a state of, like, intense emotional shock.

Like, I feel like catnip would be like a very powerful herb or if you want to, you know, do

kind of releasing rituals around, like, grief and just heartbreak and, like, reclaiming

your,

you know, energy.

I feel like catnip would be great for that

anyway.

I keep saying I'm just gonna record little tiny introductions to, like, tease you into

these plants.

And I'm just chatting and chatting and

chatting.

So I'm gonna.

Yeah, stop there and then talk about the last herb preview.

All right, so the last hub is Fever View, which, again, is like, it's not your kind

Chamomile, lemon balm.

Take them whenever.

Kind of herb.

Like, it's much, much stronger.

And Feva View gut, it's kind of, like, pigeonholed as, like, a migraine herb.

But,

you know, it can be very effective for migraines.

And I think,

again, if that's your stress pattern, then Fever View is, like, potentially, like, an

important nerve iron for you to work with.

It's very cooling and bitter and.

And in the PTSD course, there is, like, a

whole lesson about energetics.

But, like,

when we think about the kind of, like, fight or flight system, there's, like, a lot of

******* heat there.

Like, especially in the fight state, which is

often accompanied by, like, a lot of, like, anger and rage.

And I think when we see that level of heat, we can think then about, like, cooling herbs.

And this is where I really went wrong with herbalism for a long time was I'm, like, super

******* hot person.

And my PTSD from prison and childhood really

manifested in, like, a lot of anger and rage.

And so having, like.

And I'm super warm constitutionally, like, I

barely ever feel the cold.

So, like,

having warming herbs that were, like, drying and tonifying were just like a nightmare for

me.

Whereas, like, those cooling herbs are just

dreamy.

And Fever View is, like, very, very cooling

and cold in my experience.

So that's why I think it's.

It's really good for this kind of constitution

where there's, like, a lot of, like, heat, and it's also, like, very relaxing in terms of

tension.

I think a lot of people get headaches and migraines because of, like, musculoskeletal

problems and just, like, general tension in the.

In the system.

And I think that's where Fever View is, like,

sneaky ******* amazing.

Magical plan is just relieving that tension.

And it's got a real affinity with, like, like,

nerves in the sense of, like, you know, people that have, like, sciatica or shingles or, you

know, different, like, neuralgia pain.

Like, I think Fever View, you know, because

often, like, people have those challenges, and then you.

I want to work with a herb like St. John's wort, which is, like,

amazing for that kind of nerve pain.

But so many people are on medication that is

just not safe or appropriate to use St. John's Wort, whereas I feel, like, Fever View just

has that, like,

extra kind of.

Yeah. Affinity with that kind of nerve pain and, you know, has, like, other actions for

people who have, for example,

challenges with menstruation or, like, really heavy period pains.

And like, I don't know, like I need to research it, but I feel like there's some kind

of like relationship between fever view and like progesterone.

Because a lot of people with like a progesterone sensitivity get migraines and

headaches when they're premenstrual and then get like often bad period pains.

And then Fever view kind of has this great like antispasmodic action.

And also like fever view has a good kind of affinity with people that have this kind of

like slight like allergic response which is a lot of like heat again, you know, like high

levels of histamine.

Like a lot of people get headaches and sinus conditions, congestion for example as a kind

of like allergic allergy response.

And fever view has like a sneaky affinity with

that as well.

So.

So yeah, like I think there's, you know, there's some research around fever view and

like histamine for example.

Yeah. And things like vertigo.

Like that's very progesterone anyway.

But yeah, but also fever you has this affinity with the liver.

So then people that are having progesterone challenges changes, for example like a PMT

pattern.

Often there's like a liver issue where the liver is not kind of optimally clearing stress

hormones and things.

So.

So yeah, so yeah, FEVU is like fantastic for like all these kind of, I don't want to say

like secondary things because they are like primary health complaints of people.

But like as a nervine you can get like really like specific and focused with it to help with

all these like other patterns of chronic stress in the body.

Does that make sense?

But it does also just have this like general relaxant action which I think is kind of like

underestimated.

But again it's like quite strong.

So like I'm not,

I wouldn't be like have feverfew every feverfew tea every day or viva few teacher.

Like I would want to work with that plant very intentionally and probably in like quite a

short term way.

I don't know.

But then some people have an affinity longer

term.

I don't know.

But anyway I'd want to kind of be very person specific with it.

Whereas I feel like with things like lemon balm and chamomile,

I'm just like a drug dealer with that.

I'm just like, come on everyone, like take

these amazing herbs.

They can just support you all day long.

But yeah, so anyway, I have been talking so much and I have got loads to do this morning

in my herb shed for my clients, prepping their blends, prepping the herbal care packages,

doing all the things things.

So I'm going to stop talking but highly highly highly recommend that you join the Herbalism

Peter Steam Traumatic Stress course if these herbs have been like interesting or

fascinating or you want to just work with them.

Want to understand all the things I'm banging on about?

No one is turned away for lack of funds so please do not let money be a barrier.

It is open to everyone who wants to join it and obviously some people will hopefully pay

so that I can, you know maintain my livelihood and look after my little ones one and keep the

work of the Solidarity Apothecary going.

But yeah, it is open for enrollment on Sunday so please please please join the waiting list

if you're interested and thank you for listening.

Thanks so much for listening to the Frontline Herbalism Podcast.

You can find the transcript, the links, all the resources from the show@solidarity

apothecary.org podcast.