As we approach finals season, it is even more necessary to take care of ourselves no matter how tempting it is to pull multiple all-nighters, eat junk food, and, in the tiny amounts of down time we have, to drown our stress by mindlessly scrolling through social media.
We all know that stress is really bad for us. According to Body Into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care, stress can lead to insomnia, cognition and memory issues, decreased blood flow to the “rest and repair” organs, slower digestion, etc.
One of the most common ways for college students to manage stress is to consume massive amounts of caffeine to stay awake at 2 o’clock in the morning while we are cram in that last bit of information.
However, I am the last person to say that we should do away with coffee entirely. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, coffee has a lot of health benefits like increased energy, increased liver health, decreased DNA breakages, and can be a contributing factor in preventing strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer.
However, excessive coffee use can lead to “increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, anxiety, [and] trouble falling asleep.” We already have to face so much stress from finals, and we do not need the added stress that coffee brings. While we don’t need to get rid of coffee altogether, it might be helpful to work in some herbal teas that decrease stress and focus our minds so that we do not have to rely only on coffee to give us focus. Here are a few herbs and teas that may help you manage the finals stress.
1. Ginseng
Ginseng has been used for thousands of years as a stimulating adaptogen. It is first mentioned as a medicinal herb in writings from the 2nd century C.E. It can be overused, but when taken in appropriate amounts, it can increase liver protection form toxins, balance blood sugar, and gives energy without causing the caffeine crash that often comes along with a cup of coffee.
One easily found tea with ginseng is Celestial Seasonings Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea.
2. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an herb that provides countless benefits for balancing bodily functions. It can help with thyroid problems, decrease inflammation, boost the nervous and adrenal systems, and bolster the immune system. Most importantly for us, it helps to relieve anxiety. It paradoxically helps to increase energy without the coffee jitters.
Organic India has a fantastic tea that can be found in many health food stores and in some general grocery stores.
3. Vanilla
Believe it or not, vanilla has tremendous health benefits like being an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory, and protects neural health. The smell of vanilla reduces anxiety, and it is incredibly easy to include in your diet. You can put it in your coffee, smoothies, and more!
Celestial Seasonings Madagascar Vanilla is easily found at any grocery store like Publix and Kroger.
For more information on the effects of coffee and health benefits of the herbs mentioned, read the following articles and Body Into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care by Maria Groves.
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