This product has not been approved, researched or otherwise scrutinized by the FDA.
Always talk to your Health Care Provider before starting any herbal supplement: especially if you are currently taking any prescription medications.
Always talk to your Health Care Provider before starting any herbal supplement: especially if you are currently taking any prescription medications.
Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand. The causes of these conditions
are as varied as the severity. While some people may just feel a little nervous or slightly down, others may be plagued with feelings of suicide and frozen with such deep-seated fears that they are unable to even leave their own homes.
are as varied as the severity. While some people may just feel a little nervous or slightly down, others may be plagued with feelings of suicide and frozen with such deep-seated fears that they are unable to even leave their own homes.
The two conditions often happen simultaneously. According to the Anxiety and Depression Society of America, nearly 50% of people have both going on at the same time. This isn't cookies and ice cream or a cheeseburger and fries. These two together are very hard to deal with and can make life just plain miserable.
I know because I have battled them since childhood.
I have been suicidal. I actually tried, and thought that I was going to die, when I was only 13 years old. I am thankful that that all the pills I took were not enough to kill me but that was how much I was suffering.
The pain is real. Talking helps, prayer helps, a supportive family definitely helps, and sometimes prescription medications help. I tried the prescription route on two separate occasions: the first caused such stomach distress (acid reflux) that I couldn't continue, the second attempt resulted in me having seizures from within the first few days of taking them to two months after stopping. I am EXTREMELY sensitive to anything that messes with my neurotransmitters
For me, the herbal route is the best route. Herbs work with the body in a way that synthetic singular compounds can not (plus their God made!) They are not "weaker" just more encompassing: more like a warm comfy blanket than an isolated cold pack.
Don't get me wrong, modern day medicine has its place. If I have been in a car accident and my arm is dangling from my side I want to go to the emergency room, not and herbalist, but modern day medicine also is very singular and in the case of depression and anxiety (with its multiple causes and reasons) a broader approach may just be the best one.
Our herbal Calming Smile blend contains the following herbs and what they are known to help with. Please keep in mind that much of herbal medicine is passed down from generations of experienced wisdom. Not all herbs have been researched. Big Pharma doesn't make money from doing it and is usually responsible for the FDA's heavy handedness in regulations.
Each of the herbs in this blend were chosen not only for their effectiveness but for their "playing well with others." We chose to leave Kava and St. Johns Wort out because of just that. While they are wonderful herbs, they can have side effects and I decided to try to make this blend one LESS thing for you to worry about and not something to add to your list of self questioning. Please take your time reading through the list and enjoy learning new ways of self healing.
Lemon Balm:
A member of the mint family. This herb not only emits a fantastic lemon fragrance but helps with anxiety and insomnia. It has been used through Europe and studies show that it works better in herbal blends. The only draw back to this exceptional mint is that people with low thyroid should avoid it. |
Passion Flower:
Traditionally this beautiful flowering herb has been used to help alleviate anxiety. Some researchers believe that one of its effects is the increase of the levels of the neurotransmitter GABA. By doing so, it decreases the activity level of some brain cells....making you feel less stressed! |
Ginkgo Bilbao: Most known for its usage as a memory aid, this ancient tree is also used to help treat generalized anxiety. Ginkgo is thought to increase brain circulation therefore helping with several brain related conditions. |
Chamomile:
Known throughout the world as a tasty healthy tea, chamomile is a great aid in creating a relaxed state of mind. In low doses chamomile may help with anxiety while higher doses may help with insomnia. Our blend's chamomile is considered a lower dosage but each person is different. So (sorry to do this) do not operate heavy machinery until you know if it will make you drowsy. Chamomile also aids in digestion and has mild anti-inflammatory properties. |
Ashwagandha:
STRESS! We have all read what this does to us. It affects everything from food choices to digestive health. This is where ashwagandha enters. This root has been used in India for centuries and studies are showing its use has been for very good reasons. It helps with lowering cortisol levels (stress hormone) which, in turn, helps with depression, anxiety and all the things resulting from living a life too full of stress. We can do many things to lower our stress levels; meditation, learning to say no, exercise, but even these are sometimes not enough. Ashwagandha also has the added benefit of aiding our immune system and balancing our thyroid. |
Hawthorn Berries:
Okay, I know I site a lot of clinical studies and with this one I'm straying from that side a bit (kinda). Sure, there are plenty of studies that indicate hawthorn is a heart tonic but I've added this to aid our "emotional" heart. Think about it.....when we are feeling sadness what do we call it? We say we are "heart broken". Have you ever felt so down or hurt that you actually feel a heaviness in your heart? Chest tightness? That is why I've added hawthorn; it is known to help with chest pain and high blood pressure. Heart disease is real and should not be over looked. If you are experiencing chest pains call your Doctor or 911. Also talk to your Doc if your taking blood pressure meds or digitalis before using any product with hawthorn in it. But for our depression and anxiety blend, not only may hawthorn help with your broken heart it may also strengthen your heart (the muscle) too! |
Rhodiola:
Rhodiola is an excellent adaptogenic herb; meaning it helps regulate what's off in our bodies. It has also shown to stimulate the affects of neurotransmitters. Our neurotransmitters are tied to our emotional health: Serotonin- mood balance Dopamine- reward & pleasure Norepinephrine- focus & attention This herb, in my opinion, is a very under-utlized herb in the treatment of depression. While showing great promise, it also has very low/to no side effects. Depression and the use of anti-depressant medications (that show little more benefit to placebo while having, sometimes, significance side effects) is a real problem in this nation. Could rhodiola be the answer? |
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*CBD:
Wow, I can't tout the benefits of CBD (cannabidiol) oil enough. This hemp based plant oil has so much to offer that it's almost to good to be true....but it's not! The reason it is effective in so many applications is actually pretty simple: have an entire system in our body that relies on cannibinoids. Whether those are endogenous or come from out side sources, we need them to retain good health and our mental well being is a key player in our living a quality life. There are numerous reasons that we may need supplementation of cannabinoids: daily stress, environmental pollutants, disease, poor diet.....the lists goes on and on. Please see my other pages about CBD and CBD & depression for more information. *Please note, that while I find CBD oil indispensable it is an optional ingredient to our elixirs. |
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