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8 Reasons Why Scorpios Are The Best Lovers In The Zodiac

8 Reasons Why Scorpios Are The Best Lovers In The Zodiac

,If you aren’t careful, your Scorpion lover could burn you with their intense passion and fire in a relationship. They might be a bit stubborn and feisty, but they make some of the best lovers in the zodiac, and here are some reasons why

8 Reasons Why Scorpios Are The Best Lovers In The Zodiac

1. Passionate Lovers

Scorpios make some of the most intense lovers in the zodiac; they want to know you deep down to your core, so get ready for a passionate, wild ride. If you have a Scorpio partner, you’ve probably already witnessed their ability to love you deeply, both emotionally and physically, which makes them an incredible lover.

2. Great Conversation

Scorpios have an attraction to talented, intelligent people like themselves. They don’t do well with small talk, but this makes them great lovers because they enjoy getting to the core of who people really are. They like to dig deep and ask you tons of questions about your life, which opens up the door to true, intimate connection. If you happen to date a Scorpio, though, make sure you come prepared, because they will expect you to carry an intelligent, thought-provoking, mature conversation with them.

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3. Courageous and Strong

Scorpios don’t let fear stop them from living their lives. Even if they feel the fear, they push through it and let it motivate them to grow and learn. They stand tall and strong. For that reason many people look up to them for their bravery. They don’t depend on anyone – if they want something done, they do it themselves. They see the challenges and obstacles, but don’t let that stop them from achieving their goals.

4. Mysterious and Elusive

You will have a hard time figuring your Scorpio lover out, just a heads up. They like to keep their emotions under wraps until you’ve truly gained their trust, so it might take a few dates for them to come out of their shells. However, many people find the mystique of a Scorpio very alluring, and their aloofness just makes you even more curious to find out what they’ve been hiding.

5. Loyal Partners

Scorpios will stand by you until the end; if they chose you, then they only have eyes for you. You have their heart, their devotion, and their unconditional love. Scorpio picked you for a reason, and believe me, the scorpion makes one of the pickiest lovers in the zodiac. They picked you out of all the others out there because they saw near-perfection in you, so if you have a Scorpio lover, don’t take the relationship for granted, by any means.

Scorpio doesn’t trust others easily, so if you’ve won their heart, then you must be doing something right.

6. Deep Emotions

Scorpio tends to hold in their emotions until they finally break, so make sure to check in with them often. As a water sign, their emotions run deep, and they often hide a lot of themselves beneath the surface. While this might seem overwhelming, it actually makes them an incredible lover. If they feel emotions deeply and can tune into them so easily, then they can connect with you on this intimate level as well.

7. Very Picky In Choosing A Partner

Scorpio holds themselves to a very high standard, which means they won’t just take any lover. They hold a partner to even higher standards, which means if they chose you, then you’re pretty much perfect in their eyes. Scorpios have very high self-esteem and can even seem a bit egotistical, but this just means they know their worth, and want someone who knows theirs, too.

8. Fiercely Independent

Finally, a Scorpio won’t ask you for much of anything in the relationship, which means you won’t have to deal with a needy, codependent partner. They already have it figured out, and they don’t want your help unless they explicitly ask for it. They love to do things for themselves, as they don’t trust many other people to get the job done right.

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Scorpios have counted on themselves for a long time now, and don’t really know how to do anything differently. They have learned to become their own best friend, so don’t try to get in the way of their independence.

10 Signs You’re A Strong Woman Who Stands Out From Everyone Else

Strong women impact our lives, and we can’t help but feel gratitude for them. You may have been raised by a strong woman or had a strong female role model in your life who helped shape you into the beautiful person you are today. If you identify as a strong woman, then you’ll resonate with the following traits about yourself and all the other beautiful, strong women out there.

10 Signs of a Strong, Independent Woman

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1.     A strong woman displays unmatched courage.

If you have the mental fortitude, you stand up to face any challenge, no matter what it entails. A strong woman will also walk away from any situation that no longer serves her best interest, requiring immense courage. You may feel the fear, but you push past it and stand tall in the face of adversity or danger. This makes you incredibly powerful and a force to be reckoned with!

2. You love yourself no matter what.

If you love yourself despite the mistakes you’ve made and your perceived flaws, then you’re most certainly a strong woman. Self-love takes immense effort and time to cultivate, and only the strongest of women know how to love themselves.

3. You don’t depend on anyone else.

Independent females don’t lean on anyone else for their financial, emotional, mental, or physical well-being. It can feel scary to go out there on your own and conquer the world, but you don’t let the fear of failure stop you. You trust yourself to get through any challenge, which makes you a strong woman.

4. A strong woman is kind and compassionate.

Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Mother Teresa

Strong women don’t consider kindness a weakness; instead, they see it as an essential part of being human. Empathy helps them connect with others emotionally and build others up rather than tear them down. Strong women don’t use their egos for evil but good. They see others as their brothers and sisters and treat them as such.

5. You always follow your intuition.

A strong woman doesn’t listen to any voice in life but her own. She trusts her gut, knowing that her instincts will never lead her astray. She may listen to other people’s opinions, but they have no bearing on her decision-making process or personal values. Her intuition speaks loudly, and she’s learned how to quiet her mind and honor her inner voice.

6. Others consider a strong woman a great role model.

Others look up to you for your wonderful personality, attitude, and treatment of others. People come to you for advice or to catch up and chat for a bit. They truly love your company, as you radiate happiness, wisdom, kindness, and strength.

As a strong woman, you know that strength doesn’t come from the brute force but rather an inner fire that never stops burning. It’s a humble, quiet strength that doesn’t boast, and people feel drawn to this peaceful yet vibrant energy you give off.

7. You know how to make your happiness.

A strong woman doesn’t depend on others for their happiness – they create it. If you’re a strong woman, you don’t let other people’s feelings get you down. You also don’t let your inner turmoils run your life; you rise above and make the best of this beautiful journey.

8. A strong woman doesn’t shy away from showing emotions.

“Never be ashamed of how you feel. You have the right to feel any emotion you want.” – Demi Lovato

Strong women don’t bash themselves or others for feeling and sharing emotions. They know that holding in emotions only creates more problems in the long run, and hiding your true feelings isn’t healthy. They speak their minds, let out their innermost feelings and thoughts, and then move on.

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9. You always believe in yourself.

Believing in yourself allows you to reach new heights in life, but only a person with healthy confidence knows that. They know that having faith in your abilities forms the essential foundation for creating the life you deserve.

10. A strong woman shows others unconditional love and support.

A study of maternal vs. romantic love revealed that many of the same brain regions became activated with both types of love. It also led to a suppression of brain activity linked to the negative judgment of other people and negative emotions. So, this means that the love your mom showed you as a child helped you learn how to love others unconditionally. This doesn’t just apply to romantic partners, either; any close relationship you have in life requires love to flourish.

So, next time you see your mom or grandmother, thank her for being a strong woman who helped shape you. Because of them, we grew into the strong women (and men) that we are today.

5 Ways to Find Your Inner Strong Woman

Here are some tips to help you summon your inner strength.

1.     Practice positive thinking in every situation.

It may seem challenging to keep a positive mindset even in the darkest times, but there’s always a silver lining. Perhaps trouble crossed your path to teach you an important lesson or remind you to practice gratitude for what you have. If you can remain mentally balanced no matter what you face, you’re well to become a strong woman.

Next time you find yourself in the middle of a stressful situation, repeat positive affirmations such as “I’ve got this” or “Nothing can take away my inner peace.” If you say these mantras enough, you will start to believe them. Then, no person or circumstance can drag you down, and you will have the tools to combat any problem with confidence.

2. Surround yourself with uplifting, empowered people.

If you hang around negative people who have no goals in life, their energy will cloud your mind eventually. You start to lose motivation when you’re around people who view the world through such a dark lens. A strong woman needs equally powerful people around her who will support her dreams and goals.

Negative people end up sucking the life out of you but inspire people to enhance your energy levels. They realize that to accomplish anything in life requires positivity and inner strength. Empowered people only like to associate with like-minded individuals who encourage them to push past their limitations. So, seek out the company of those who wish to emulate you to become your best self.

3. Develop healthy habits.

A strong woman knows that taking care of herself is essential for developing mental resilience. She avoids habits that diminish her health, such as smoking, drinking, eating unhealthy food, or overindulging in the news. Instead, a formidable woman will choose the more challenging path of exercising, eating healthy, and training her brain to become more positive. Good habits require willpower and effort to practice, but anything worth having doesn’t come easily.

Today’s lives are filled with opportunities for instant gratification, but we never feel satisfied. The strongest people know that inner happiness comes from delaying rewards until you’ve worked hard to earn them. So, this could mean exercising five days a week to achieve your weight loss goals. Maybe it means spending an extra hour or two each week prepping healthy meals. These habits take time out of your schedule, but the benefit of improving your health makes them well worth it.

4. Don’t follow the crowd.

A strong woman carves her path in life and doesn’t care about fitting in with others. She trusts her intuition to lead the way and relies on her higher self in the most demanding situations. If you want to become a resilient woman who stands out from others, take the path of most significant resistance. Take the long, arduous route through life instead of the easy way out.

You will see that happiness isn’t found in the crowd but inside yourself. And, the journey within isn’t always pleasant; it involves facing the truth directly and dealing with your inner demons.

That is why so many people choose to distract themselves with instant gratification rather than doing the difficult work of self-improvement. But, if you want to master yourself, you will have to dive into the depths of your soul, something most people avoid at all costs.

5. Get outside your comfort zone.

Expanding on the last point, trying new things will help you push past self-imposed limitations. If you want to commit to improving yourself, you have to feel a little uncomfortable during the process. Once you experience your greatest fear or achieve something you once considered impossible, you will start to feel your inner power. No matter how long you’ve been in the dark, the world will shine brighter when you defeat your doubts.

After all, Buddha said: “A man who conquers himself is greater than one who conquers a thousand men in battle.”

Transform yourself, and you will have done your part in changing the world.

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Final Thoughts on Celebrating Strong Women

When you look around at the world, it’s incredible what humans have accomplished. Women throughout history have played a large part in the success of our species and have helped shape us into who we are today. A strong woman shows resilience, courage, and wit in the face of adversity and never backs down from a difficult situation. She stands tall no matter what storms she may face and also lifts the people around her.

We can learn a lot from strong women, and we’re blessed to have them in our lives.

9 Reasons To Stop Eating Processed Foods

“There’s a lot of processed food in America, and I know that can make some tourists who are used to fresh food feel sick.” – Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck is a famous chef and restaurateur that was born in Austria. As a foreign-born food expert, Puck is knowledgeable about the prolific presence of nutritionally-lacking meals -which are is unique to the United States and other Western countries. He is among many experts who testify to the harmful nature of food that undergoes processing.

As a reference, processed food is defined as “any deliberate change in a food that occurs before it’s available for us to eat.” This rather ambiguous definition doesn’t identify what makes some (not all) processed foods harmful. Mechanical processing – the physical actions required to grow, harvest and produce foods – isn’t harmful and doesn’t alter the nature of food.

Chemical processing – altering the chemical makeup of foods through additives and other artificial substances – can harm one’s health. Artificial substances include sweeteners, preservatives, and other elements. The inherent risk of such substances is a public safety concern in many countries for legitimate reasons.

Here are nine reasons to stop eating processed foods immediately:

processed food

1. Processed foods contain disproportionate amounts of sugar or corn syrup

Foods that contain sugar essentially contain empty calories. In other words, these calories provide no nutritional value. Studies have shown that these empty calories can have a harmful effect on the metabolism and cardiovascular system. The diabetes epidemic also strongly correlates with sugar consumption. Corn syrup, particularly of the high fructose variety, has been found to increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, dementia and liver failure.

2. Processed foods contain too many artificial ingredients

Many ingredients listed on the labels of these products cannot be properly read. This is because these ingredients are chemicals, and most chemicals have unpronounceable names. Many additives and preservatives contribute to potentially harmful physical effects, from common fatigue to heart disease.

3. Processed foods are high in refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are sugars and starches that have been modified (refined). The problem is that this refinement process empties the food of its nutritional value, including its fiber content.  Of course, many sugars and starches contribute to several adverse health conditions.

4. Processed foods are usually lacking in nutrients

The manufacturing and packing cycles often empty the food of its nutritional value. Even though many of these foods are infused with synthetic (read: artificial) nutrients, the quality of nutrition derived from such is far superior compared to whole, unprocessed foods.

5. Processed foods are low in fiber content

Fiber has many different roles to play in developing and maintaining a healthy body. Primarily known to aid digestion, fiber also helps to: produce healthy bacteria, slow the absorption of carbohydrates, and create feelings of satiety.

6. Processed foods harm metabolic function

Because of the chemical makeup of these products – absence of fiber, nutrition, satiety and sustenance – our digestive system and metabolism operate poorly. The cumulate effects result in more food consumed and less food energy expended. In other words, we eat more stuff and burn less fat and calories as a result of eating these products.

7. Processed foods contain pesticides

To grow and harvest GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms), farmers must use pesticides and herbicides to preserve the area where they are grown. These pesticides and herbicides will often penetrate the soil and the crop itself. Needless to say, chemicals designed to eradicate insects and vegetation are not well-received by the human body. These chemicals have been linked to an assortment of functional and developmental problems, including cancer.

8. Processed foods cause inflammation

Various studies have shown that artificial ingredients such as processed flours, vegetable oils and refined sugars can cause or worsen cases of inflammation. Inflammation has been linked to a variety of maladies including dementia, respiratory problems and neurological disorders.

9. Processed food is often high in trans-fat or vegetable oil

Hydrogenated oils such as vegetable oil often contain an excessive amount of Omega-6 fatty acids, which has been linked to inflammation and oxidation issues. Studies have demonstrated that these substances carry and increased risk of heart disease.

What Is Your Psychological Superpower?

Millions of people suffer from feelings of anxiety, depression, phobias, obsessions, addiction disorders or other psychological problems, but confronting and healing from what are labeled as “disorders” can give you a psychological superpower that others cannot begin to understand.

No, you won’t have X-Ray vision or invisibility superpowers, but recovering from mental illness gives you psychological super-strength and superpowers that you can use every day. People who struggle with handling their psychological symptoms can harness an inner strength that is different from what normal people experience.

Think about people who are crazy in a good way, and you think of artists, composers, and intellectual geniuses. People who can successfully manage coping with bizarre thoughts and emotional stress while also functioning in jobs and families have superpowers that the rest of us cannot understand.

What Is Your Psychological Superpower?

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one out of every four adults has a mental illness in a given year. That number translated to more than 61 million people in America who were facing the challenge of mental illness as of 2013.

1. Perceptive psychological superpowers

People who have low self-esteem may suffer from the psychological problems of anxiety or depression. They are also hyper-sensitive to criticism and can pick up on tiny inflections in your voice. They are also hyper-sensitive to facial expressions, gestures, and environmental cues of social rejection.

You have seen the superpower of excellent perception used on TV if you have ever seen the crime-comedy Monk. When you think that everyone is looking at you, you feel like you are under a microscope so you start looking at everything else in hyper-detail with this psychological superpower too.

Related article: 5 Signs Your Partner Has Hidden Anxiety

Unfortunately, the lens that people with anxiety or depression see the world through has a bias toward negativity. If they can turn off the negative filter, people with anxiety and depression can better use their psychological superpowers of perception for good, not evil.

2. Intuitive psychological superpowers

Your gut is hyperactive and highly sensitive. It seems to overreact to anxiety-provoking moments and as a result, you know immediately if there is a reason to be afraid. Unfortunately your psychological superpower also means that the stress you feel causes gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort in addition to giving you your psychological superpower of intuitiveness.

Related article: 5 Things That Happen When You Suppress Your Emotions

You can definitely trust your gut, and from your perspective, you think other people should too. The problem is that you can’t trust your perspective because you are recovering from having distorted thoughts due to being mentally ill. You might not be able to trust your friend’s perspective either because one in four of us have a mental illness of some sort.

3. Empathic and hyper-social-cue psychological superpowers

If you suffer from what is labeled as a “mental illness”, you are very empathetic to others due to the wide range of emotional extremes that you experience. You understand extreme grief and inexplicable sorrow, or you may understand manic joy or extreme anxiety better than anyone else. Being able to provide empathy is a social and psychological super power.

As someone who is recovering from depression, you are highly sensitive to social cues of rejection due to your low self-esteem issues. When others are oblivious to the turning of heads and whispered glances, you know exactly when you are being publicly shamed into leaving a social group due to being different.

4. Creative psychological superpowers

From Vincent Van Gogh to Edgar Allen Poe, creative “mentally ill” people who unleash their psychological superpowers have left their mark on the arts of our culture for centuries. Your superpower ability to think outside the box helps you to creatively solve problems.

In a study of creative writers and rates of mental illness, researchers found ‘The writers had a substantially higher rate of mental illness, predominantly affective disorder, with a tendency toward the bipolar subtype. There was also a higher prevalence of affective disorder and creativity in the writers’ first-degree relatives, suggesting that these traits run together in families and could be genetically mediated.’

Another study found that creativity was associated with a higher likelihood of having schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, or abusing drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately for this psychological superpower, the risk of suicide was also higher for these people.

If you yourself have concerns about your thoughts, emotions or behavior, getting the help of a licensed counselor is easier than ever. You now have access to counseling apps, text messaging, and video chat in addition to the face to face way of getting help.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 for immediate help or to help someone else who is in crisis. Click this link for the click to chat feature on the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It’s never too late to save a psychological superhero before they become one of the 117 Americans who die every day from suicide.

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What Type of Person Do You Attract?

Whether in romantic or platonic relationships, we all attract certain types of people into our lives based on our attitude, personality, and other factors. However, who we attract and who we’d ideally like to attract often are two different things. For instance, maybe you want outdoorsy types of friends who would rather spend their time in nature than watching TV, but you tend to attract couch potatoes. It happens, even though our happiness partially depends on having relationships with others that will allow us to grow and share common interests with.

So, in this article, we’ll talk about what type of people you tend to attract, and how you can go about attracting people that you really want in your life.

What Type of Person Do You Attract?

We’ll list a few of the most common personalities and character traits for you so that you can see which people you most frequently attract, and who you’d like to attract, ideally.

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The Earth-Lover

This type of person loves to spend every second they get in the great outdoors, forgetting about the modern world and just relishing in all the natural wonders of the Earth. They love planning great excursions and reaching new heights, both figuratively and literally. This type of person loves a challenge, and lives for taking risks and breaking barriers. They might be into things such as cliff jumping, skydiving, base jumping, rock climbing, and other types of extreme sports.

Or, in the lesser extreme, they might just enjoy a hike through the woods or a road trip to the Grand Canyon. If you love the outdoors, you will likely attract this type of person.

The Artist

If you enjoy painting, drawing, writing, reading, and other types of art in your spare time, you will likely attract someone with the same interests. An artist sees the world in a different way, and could care less about numbers and dollars and analytical ideals. They want to create something beautiful, and make their imagination come to life. Artists live inside their own minds a lot, but because of this, they can create from their own thoughts and feelings, and bring something new to life.

The Intellectual

These people enjoy having deep conversations and learning new ways of thinking. They have a very wide range of knowledge, in most cases, and can talk to you about everything from quantum physics to philosophy to art history. This person loves to learn, and lives for conversations that expand their mind. They likely have a more logical, analytical personality that enables them to see things objectively. They tend to have strong opinions, and don’t feel shy about voicing them.

You might attract these types of people if you have a mature, objective, analytical personality.

The Empath

The empath feels deeply, and loves to offer advice and a shoulder to cry on to those in need. This type of friend or partner will never leave your side, and will stay up through the night listening to you, or just holding you if you need it. They are the most loyal, honest, giving, beautiful people you will ever meet, and you might attract this type of person if you are receptive to emotions.

Empaths need to feel safe, loved, and understood, so you likely attract this type of person if you are a deep, compassionate person.

The Tech Lover

These people will spend hours playing video games, watching movies, or playing boardgames. They tend to also love intellectual topics, and can spend hours talking to you about subjects that truly interest them. Far from what was once known as nerds, this personality is often celebrated, because they keep their child-like demeanor and show others how to have fun, play, and learn all at the same time.

You might attract this type of person if you consider yourself a movie buff, a gamer, or something of the sort.

The Go-Getter

You might attract a passionate, driven, motivated person if you have big goals you’d like to accomplish. The go-getter will keep you motivated, and encourage you to follow through with your plans even if they seem scary. This type of person loves to push the boundaries and see how much they’re truly capable of. They hardly ever slow down, as they want to utilize their time to the best of their ability.

The go-getter might have several successful businesses, best-selling books, or maybe a popular YouTube channel. They know how to get what they want, and don’t hesitate to go after it.

The Introvert

You prefer spending time with quieter, more reserved people. You might attract this type of person for two reasons: (1) you’re an introvert yourself or; (2) you’re an extrovert who needs someone to balance you out.

Introverts and extroverts can certainly get along, but if you attract the former, then you likely need someone in your life to help you slow down and enjoy the little things in life.

The Extrovert

On the contrary, if you attract an extrovert, then you might need some excitement in your life, whether you identify as an introvert or extrovert. If you attract this type of person, get ready for some fun and adventures, as this outgoing friend or partner will help you have the time of your life.

Attracting an extrovert might mean that you have an outgoing personality as well that your friend or partner finds attractive, or maybe the person needs an opposite personality to balance them out.

The Debbie Downer

Unfortunately, we’ve all known this type of person at some point in our lives. They can come from all walks of life, but they don’t offer much in a relationship except bringing you down. They like to complain about anything and everything, and will spread their negativity to anyone who will listen.

If you attract this type of person, you might want to take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself what types of behaviors you might engage in that attract negative people. Do you complain a lot? Don’t you stand up for yourself? Do you allow people to take advantage of you? Oftentimes, positive people will actually attract negative people because the Debbie downer feeds off their energy. If you have a relationship like this in your life, you need to confront the person immediately so that they don’t continue this destructive behavior any longer, at least on your watch.

Related Article: 10 Habits That Make You More Attractive

How To Attract The People You Want

1. Know who you are.

Believe it or not, knowing yourself well can help you form deeper, more positive relationships. If you don’t know yourself, you’ll likely attract people who don’t know themselves, either. Just the same, if you don’t love yourself, you’ll only attract more people who don’t love themselves.

To prove our point about the importance of knowing yourself, researchers in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology studied the Law of Attraction and discovered that it even applied to 4th graders. Students in grades 4-12 filled out surveys about their attitudes and preferences. Then, the students looked over surveys from other students, without knowing whose survey they had in their hand. Both boys and girls ranked the surveys most similar to theirs as being the most attractive people.

Related article: 5 Things You Need To Know To Attract The Right People

2. Have an open heart and mind.

In order to attract the right people, you have to remain open-minded. You can’t possibly attract who you want if you don’t believe that you have the ability to do so. Keep your emotions positive, and you can even try repeating affirmations such as “I will attract people into my life who are positive, healthy, and happy.”

Also, focus on healing yourself from the inside out. This way, you’ll attract more whole, healthy people who you can truly enjoy a thriving, positive relationship with.

3. Don’t try to control it.

No matter how much you say that you want a specific person in your life, you can’t control who shows up. It might be an elderly man, or it could be a teenager. The Law of Attraction sends you a person who will most benefit your evolution on this Earth, so don’t question the methods. Just enjoy the presence of whoever happens to show up, and know that you either consciously or unconsciously attracted them into your life.

These Herbs Can Help You With Anxiety And They’re More Effective Than Medicines

Anxiety isa group of uncomfortable symptoms that most of us want to avoid. But taking prescription medication with its’ many adverse side effects is not as desirable as trying herbs that can be more effective than medicines. Undoubtedly, medicine has earned its place in society as a helpful tool. But those who follow a more natural path seek first to find their medicine from nature instead of a pharmacy.

As you would with prescription medicine, take care when using herbs as even some herbs can become toxic in high doses or you may have a particular sensitivity to them. If you are already taking a medicine to relieve anxiety, talk to your medical provider about your desire to reduce the medication and switch to natural herbs.

These Herbs Can Help You With Anxiety And They’re More Effective Than Medicines

Most herbs that can help you with anxiety have a sedative effect, so exercise caution when you know you will need to be alert, for example when driving. Most of these herbs can be used as a tea, although stronger forms are available as supplements.

Essential oils, infusions, and tinctures are also available for herbal anxiety remedies. So consulting with a naturopathic physician can help you to find the right strength of natural herbal remedy that will work best for your unique anxiety situation and symptoms.

In addition to working with herbal remedies for treating the symptoms of anxiety, look at what may be causing your anxiousness and look for ways to reduce or remove stress in your life. Treating the symptom without treating the cause is like filling a bucket with a hole at the bottom; you’ll never get anywhere. Meditation, breathing practice, exercise and being outdoors can also help reduce anxiety as effectively as some prescription medications, so look for alternative therapies as well.

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Chamomile

Chamomile is a flower that is frequently used as an herbal, non-caffeinated tea for help with falling asleep. Its compounds can also be used to help relieve anxiety. Researchers say that inhaling a spray containing the essential oils derived from chamomile can be used to relieve anxiety as well as general depression.

The researchers also say ‘Chamomile in the form of an aqueous extract has been frequently used as a mild sedative to calm nerves and reduce anxiety, to treat hysteria, nightmares, insomnia and other sleep problems.’ The study suggests that the German chamomile variety is the one with the most benefits for generalized anxiety disorder.

Lavender

Most frequently used as aromatherapy, lavender has a calming effect for those suffering from symptoms of anxiety. This herbal remedy can be more effective than prescription medicine for reducing intense stress, for example, during childbirth. Hospitals sometimes use lavender essential oil diffusers as aromatherapy in maternity wards. When it is in use, women are less likely to request pain medication during childbirth.

Lemon balm

Researchers gave subjects 600mg doses of lemon balm and then subjected them to a simulated stressful event. Afterward, they had them rate their levels of anxiety and stress and found that those who had received the lemon balm doses had ‘significantly increased self-ratings of calmness and reduced self-ratings of alertness.’

Green tea

Researchers studying the effects of the active compound in green tea, l-theanine found ‘Results evidently demonstrated that l-theanine clearly has a pronounced effect on attention performance and reaction time response in normal healthy subjects prone to have high anxiety.’ For those subjects who had high anxiety, the l-theanine kept them calm and also helped improve their performance on mental tests.

Kava

Kava is less well-known to the Western world. However, cultures of the South Pacific to help with anxiety and some say that it is more effective than medicine. Kava works by increasing the brain chemical GABA, which helps communication between the brain and the body and reduces anxiety symptoms like rapid heart rate, perspiration, and shakiness.

Valerian

The name valerian is similar to the anti-anxiety medicine named Valium. So you can easily remember that this herb is going to be effective to help you’re your anxiety. Valerian has been used effectively as a sleep aid for centuries and its effectiveness for reducing anxiety is also widely known. Again, avoid situations where drowsiness may cause you potential harm, for example, while driving.

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Passion flower

Although the herb passion flower sounds like something that would be a stimulant, it actually works to help you with anxiety. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center ‘Studies of people with generalized anxiety disorder show that passionflower is as effective as the drug oxazepam (Serax) for treating symptoms.’ The passionflower extract did not work as quickly as the medicine, however, patients who took the medicine had more difficulty with normal job performance die to the side effects of the prescription medicine than those who took the passionflower herbal remedy.

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