How to De-Stress with Nutraceuticals

Yes, you should have a de-stressing regime in play (such as exercise, meditation, journalling etc.) to keep the everyday stresses at bay, but what happens when you have a brief period of super stress?  For example, the Christmas season that just passed- you have exams, family get-togethers and not to mention stressful Christmas shopping!  In naturopathic medicine, we have discovered some handy herbal supplements called adaptogens that can help your body physiologically cope with the effects that stress has on our various organs.  In this post, I'm going to mention some adaptogens that me or my colleagues have found helpful in our own lives.  Please note that most adaptogens are only to be taken for a short amount of time (3 to 6 months), so be sure to check with your health professional if you would like to try one of these.

***Please remember that this blog is informative only and is not meant to diagnose medical conditions.  Please contact your holistic health care provider if you would like to try some of the suggested supplements so that they can guide you on their correct dosing and whether the product is right for you***  


1. Holy Basil

I was very impressed with a lot of aspects of this product, the number one being its efficacy.  I also noted the lovely dark glass bottle it came in (this will help preserve potency and give the product a longer shelf life) as well as the great taste of the softgels and how easy they were to swallow. A definite number one on my shelf. 

2. Relora

 Many companies make a Relora product, which is usually a proprietary blend of 2 herbs: Melissa officinalis snd Phellodendron amurense.  The above product also contains B vitamins, GABA and 5-HTP, which are all known to aid relaxation and combat the stress response in the body.  Highly recommended in the book, The Hormone Diet.

3. Anxiovita 

I got this homeopathic combination therapy as a sample during my first year, but I didn't use it until just this year during my midterms.  I found this product to be wonderful, easy to take and easy to carry around with me.  Something similar to this would be the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy.  Both are to be taken in acute situations of stress only and are not the best option to deal with long term stress.

4. Rhodiola rosea
A fantastic herbal supplement that is readily available in capsules or tablets. It not only helps you deal with stress, but it also helps deal with the lack of energy a stressful period can cause you.  A typical dose is 2 tablets a day, one taken in the morning and the other in the early afternoon.  This is because most people experience a surge of energy and this can affect sleep if taken too close to bedtime.

5. B- Complex Vitamin
A B-complex vitamin contains most (if not all) of the B vitamins, of which there are 11 in total.  B vitamins are incredibly helpful in regulating the stress response in the body and are also water-soluble, so there is little worry of taking too much as the excess is often expelled from the body in the urine.  That said, do not be alarmed if your urine is neon yellow.  This is the colour of the Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) in the formula.

Have a calm and stress-free day!