CALM STRESS AND ANXIETY

Stress and anxiety are rampant epidemics these days. We’re constantly bombarded with stimulation of all kinds. With technology advancing at such a fast pace, our brains need to work overtime to catch up. We’re hooked on social media, glued to artificial light, and under constant pressure to produce, achieve, and succeed. Life feels like it’s moving at lightning speed—and we all have way too many tabs open in our brains. I live in New York City (appropriately nicknamed “the city that never sleeps”), so that stress and anxiety are especially obvious here, but of course it’s happening everywhere. Our nervous systems are constantly in fight-or-flight mode—making it hard to sleep, relax, breathe, smile, be present, and enjoy life.

The way we’re encouraged to handle stress and anxiety isn’t helping the issue. Alcohol, sugar, prescription drugs, endless surfing of the Internet—we turn to these things to help take the edge off, which puts us in a constant cycle of self-medicating. This creates even more anxiety and stress in our bodies and in our minds.

OUR BODIES ARE PRACTICALLY BEGGING US TO SLOW DOWN.

We need to be nurtured and nourished, and our nervous systems need to be settled.

The good news is, cannabis and mushrooms can both be used to support the nervous system and to calm anxiety and stress, and if you add the right plants, herbs, and fungi to your apothecary, you’ll be on your way to feeling more at ease and able to show up for your life with more presence and joy.

A note on medications: As I mentioned at the beginning of the book, “natural” or “herbal” does not always mean “better.” If you need or want to be on medication for anxiety, do what works best for you, take care of your body and mind as well as you can, and work with a therapist to get the support you need. None of these recommendations should be considered alternatives to your doctor-prescribed anxiety medication.

CANNABIS AND ANXIETY

I was surprised when I first tried CBD—I could physically feel it calming my anxiety. For me, anxiety often feels like tightness in my chest and racing thoughts (when I’m trying to fall asleep, of course), and the first time I took CBD oil, I could feel that physical “sharpness” smooth out. I was able to relax into sleep without feeling anxious. It was subtle and extraordinary at the same time.

Anxiety is correlated with low levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide in the brain, and taking CBD increases our natural levels of anandamide. This points us to why CBD may be so effective in reducing anxiety. Anxiety is one of the top things people report feeling relief from when using CBD. I frequently get emails like this one:

Jenny, CBD has changed my life. It has helped with anxiety (this is huge for me!), better sleep, zero sore muscles after hard workouts, and better digestion. I use a full-spectrum tincture, which I prefer. I take it once per day at bedtime. I can’t say enough about how surprised and amazed I am—it has helped me way more than anti-anxiety meds. I’m not against meds, but CBD oil works better for me.

CBD OR THC FOR ANXIETY?

High-CBD products are often preferred over high-THC products for easing anxiety, as THC can be anxiety-promoting for some. If you struggle with anxiety, you will likely want to try a product with a higher ratio of CBD to THC (18:1 or higher could be a good place to start), although self-experimentation is key. I get a lot of relief from anxiety with high-CBD products (the “hemp-based” CBD oils with .3 percent THC or less) along with CBD-to-THC ratios of 20:1 or 30:1. If you do decide to experiment with a higher-THC product, remember to start very low and use just enough to find relief from your anxiety without feeling uncomfortable. As far as dosing goes, you may find you need less CBD during the day to calm your anxiety in order to stay focused and alert—and more CBD at night when it’s time to wind down.

Best Methods of Delivery for Stress and Anxiety

• Immediate relief: inhalation. Inhalation has the quickest onset time of all delivery methods, which means the antianxiety effects are fast acting. Of course, smoking and vaporizing both come with drawbacks (including the chemicals in the smoke, respiratory irritation, and the potentially harmful chemicals found in some vape cartridges), so if you choose to go the inhalation route, try an herbal vaporizer (which heats the compounds in the cannabis to the point where you can benefit from the cannabinoids and terpenes, but doesn’t combust or burn the plant material, or create smoke).

• Quick relief of anxiety and stress: tincture. Instead of immediate effects, an oil tincture under the tongue will kick in after about 15 minutes and last a bit longer than the effects of inhalation. Try a few drops of CBD oil under the tongue, then wait 15 minutes to see how you feel before taking more. You may be surprised to feel your anxiety calming down quickly.

• Long-lasting relief: capsule or edible. These methods of consuming CBD that go through your digestive system can be helpful if you want something long-lasting, but keep in mind that the onset won’t be as quick. If you’re dealing with acute anxiety and want to feel calmed right away, taking a tincture or inhalation in addition to a capsule or edible might be the best bet—as a capsule or edible could take up to 2 hours to have an effect.

• General stress relief: topical. While body oil isn’t typically the quickest method of delivery for calming anxiety, your skin is covered with cannabinoid receptors—so lathering on a CBD-rich (or THC-rich) body oil, especially right after a hot shower, can be extremely calming and stress reducing. Try it at night to calm anxiety before sleep. I love the Apothecanna brand for cannabis body oils.

MUSHROOMS AND ANXIETY

One of the greatest known medicinal mushrooms for stress and anxiety is reishi. Reishi acts as an adaptogen, helping your body to better “adapt” to the stressors in your life. Not only that, but taking reishi can support your adrenals, which can have a calming effect and help lower your stress. A 2011 study with breast cancer patients showed that participants reported lowered anxiety and depression and a better overall sense of well-being after using reishi for four weeks.

“It is little surprise that reishi is so effective as a calmative, helping alleviate anxiety, insomnia, and nervousness associated with adrenal deficit conditions,” says Robert Rogers in The Fungal Pharmacy. “It helps relax muscles and reduces the effect of caffeine on the body.”

It’s said that the Shaolin monks have used reishi for centuries, to help them achieve deeper meditations—reishi tea and meditation could be a wonderfully calming ritual to add to your evening routine.

Lion’s mane has also been shown to help with anxiety and depression, as it supports brain health. A 2018 study in mice showed that an extract of lion’s mane reduced anxiety by promoting neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons) in the brain.

Chaga can also help regulate the body’s response to stress, and it can have a grounding effect when you’re feeling anxious.

A combination of lion’s mane, chaga, and reishi mushrooms could be a great daily tonic for your nerves. I have tinctures of all three in my kitchen, along with powder extracts to mix into hot water for teas. I take a tincture or drink a cup of powdered extract in hot water whenever I need to ease my nerves.

Methods of Delivery for Stress and Anxiety

• Calm your nerves: tea. Try swapping out your coffee (the caffeine could be adding to your anxiety) for a mug of hot mushroom tea. You can steep dried reishi slices or chunks of chaga in hot water, or keep it simple with a reishi, chaga, or lion’s mane extract powder that you can dissolve into hot water. The ritual of making and drinking the tea will help soothe your nerves, and it’s also a nice swap if you usually drink a glass of wine to relax. It may take some getting used to if you’re a regular alcohol drinker, to start drinking a calming tea instead, but try it a few times—you may just fall in love with the feeling!

• Feel relaxed and grounded: tincture or capsule. Add a tincture or capsule of reishi, chaga, and lion’s mane into your routine. Take 1–2 dropperfuls of a tincture per day in water, tea, or straight into your mouth. Do this daily, and you will feel your stress and anxiety lift as you feel more grounded and your nervous system begins to relax. Because these mushrooms work subtly, it may take you a week or two to really notice that you’re feeling more relaxed and grounded as you go about your day-to-day life.

Other Rebel stress and anxiety tips:

• Oat straw. Oat straw is known by herbalists as a daily tonic for the nervous system. You can drink oat straw tea at any time of day (it’s neither stimulating or sedating) or make an oat straw infusion, which is similar to tea except you let it steep overnight, creating a stronger and more nutritionally potent brew.

• Lemon balm. Lemon balm is another wonderful calming herb that’s soothing to drink as a tea during the day or at night. I find lemon balm tea to be particularly nourishing in the early evening as I’m transitioning from the activity of the day into the calmness of night.

• Tulsi (holy basil). Tulsi is a prominent herb in Ayurvedic medicine and has been used for thousands of years as an antidote to stress. You can find tulsi in tea or take it in capsules or tinctures.

• Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb that is widely known for stress reduction and nervous system support. Studies have shown that taking 500–600 mg of ashwagandha per day can lower anxiety levels. You can add ashwagandha powder to smoothies, drink it as a tea, or take capsules or tinctures.

• Breathwork. Learning to calm anxiety with breathwork may be one of the most powerful tools we have in our toolbelt (plus, breathing is free!). Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 Breath is one of the easiest and most effective. You breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7, and breathe out through your nose for a count of 8. Do this four times, and then continue as many times as you need to until you feel calm.

• Restorative yoga. Restorative yoga poses can be incredibly calming to the nervous system. One of the easiest and most calming restorative poses is “legs up the wall.” It’s exactly what it sounds like—lie down with your back on the floor or bed and put your legs up the wall. Stay this way for 25 breaths. This is a good practice if you find yourself too wound up to relax.

• Meditation. Any kind of meditation practice can help tremendously with lowering anxiety levels. If you’re new to meditation, try listening to a guided meditation through an app (Headspace and Insight Timer are both wonderful), or simply sit for 10 minutes and focus on your inhale and your exhale.

• Float tanks. Sensory-deprivation tanks are one of my personal favorite ways to treat myself to the ultimate hour of stress relief. In a float tank, you can quickly be taken into a state of deep relaxation and meditation, while soaking in 800 pounds of Epsom salt (which is high in calming magnesium). If you’ve never tried a float tank, do a search to see if there’s one near you, and experience the ultimate feeling of quietude.

Rebel Ritual: Purposefully take some time to incorporate stress-reducing practices into your everyday life, particularly if you’re always on the go. Take a few moments after your shower to intentionally massage a soothing cannabis body oil into your skin, sip on reishi tea in the afternoon or evening, pause throughout your day to take a few deep breaths, or go for a walk in nature.

Terpene Tip: Cannabis varieties high in the terpene linalool (found in lavender) tend to be especially soothing for anxiety. If you want some extra linalool in your life, get some lavender essential oil and use it in a diffuser in your home or office for a dose of calm.

STRESS-MELTING BODY OIL

¼ cup carrier oil—(I like almond oil, jojoba oil, or fractionated coconut oil which is liquid rather than solid)

1 dropperful of a CBD or CBD/THC tincture

A few drops of a calming essential oil, such as lavender or rose

In a bowl, add desired amount of unflavored CBD/THC tincture to the carrier oil (alternatively, you can use your infused coconut oil that you made with the cannabis flower).

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil—such as lavender or rose.

Whisk all oils together well and put mixture into a glass bottle with a pump.

Use on your body as a massage oil, whenever you’re in need of stress relief.

HEALTHY CBD GUMMIES

CONTRIBUTED BY ROBYN YOUKILIS

One of the top reasons people are reaching for CBD gummies is relaxation and taming anxiety, but most CBD gummies on the market today contain sugar, corn syrup, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. My friend Robyn Youkilis has an amazing healthy gummy recipe in her book Go With Your Gut (it’s called “Good Gut Gummies” because of the gut-friendly gelatin). Here, we’ve joined forces to create healthier CBD gummies, sweetened with honey and made with real fruit. The main recipe uses blueberries, but Robyn offers yummy alternatives like strawberry, raspberry, and peach. True to form, I’ve added my own energy-boosting flavor ideas—coffee gummies and matcha gummies. The possibilities are endless!

Servings depend on size and cut

1 cup frozen blueberries or raspberries (or a mix of the two)

¾ cup fresh lemon or lime juice (or a mix of the two)

1 Tbsp. honey

¼ cup unflavored Great Lakes Gelatin

2–3 dropperfuls of full-spectrum CBD oil, depending on your desired dose—I make mine with 10–20mg of CBD per gummy. Take note of total amount of milligrams you add, so you can measure individual serving sizes.

Add the berries to a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir the berries and allow them to cook until their released liquid is steaming and the berries are plump, 6–10 minutes.

Place the lemon juice, honey, and berries into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the lid and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Add the gelatin and CBD oil to the blender and blend again until smooth.

Pour the mixture into candy molds, or a 9x9-inch baking dish, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Once the gummies have set, remove them from the molds or slice them into desired shapes and store in the refrigerator.

Cut into small pieces depending on your desired dose (if you want each gummy to have 10 mg of CBD and you started with 100 mg, you will cut 10 squares, for example).

If you want a no-sugar version, you can try sweetening with monk fruit sweetener or stevia, if you like the taste.

OTHER FLAVORS TO TRY:

Peach (add peaches instead of blueberries)

Strawberry (add strawberries instead of blueberries)

Matcha: warm 1 cup coconut milk with 2 tsp. matcha, add to blender with gelatin, 2 Tbsp. honey, and CBD—no lemon juice

Coffee: warm ½ cup coffee and ½ cup coconut milk, add to blender with gelatin, 2 Tbsp. honey, and CBD—no lemon juice

EVENING ADAPTOGENIC ELIXIR

CONTRIBUTED BY JAMIE GRABER

My friend Jamie Graber—of Organically, Jamie—once owned a juice shop in the West Village of NYC, where she made all kinds of wonderful juices, smoothies, coffee drinks, and elixirs. She’s a master at beverage-making, especially using health-supportive adaptogens. She’s contributed both a morning and evening elixir to The Rebel’s Apothecary. This is the evening elixir, which includes both CBD and soothing reishi and is perfect for calming stress and anxiety. (You can find Jamie’s energizing morning elixir on this page!)

10–12 oz. warm water

¼—½ tsp. reishi extract powder

¼—½ tsp. ashwagandha powder

¼—½ tsp. cinnamon

1 dropperful of CBD oil (your preferred evening dose)

½—1 tsp. ghee or coconut oil

Put the warm liquid into a blender, and then add the rest of the ingredients. It should be tea temperature—warm to the touch, not scalding. Blend, pour into a mug, and sip.

Jamie and I both prefer our elixirs to taste earthy and medicinal—but if you want some added sweetness, add a touch of honey, stevia, or your sweetener of choice.