Herbs That Can Help You To Improve Your Mental Health

Over the last few years looking after your mental health has become a lot more popular, as more people are becoming aware not only of how mental health can impact all of us but also of how we can look after it. 

Generally speaking, there are many different ways you can improve your mental health, and a lot of those are based on physical practices such as exercise, meditation, yoga, etc. However, aside from that you also can make sure what you put into your body has a positive impact on your mental wellbeing. 

Thinking about what we consume diet-wise can be tricky to manage, especially when we are always on the go. So, this is where you can turn to more reliable and easier ways by incorporating supplements in your day-to-day. 

Having the right nutrition can improve your energy and concentration levels, and overall, it will help to improve your mental health. Certain foods and spices can positively impact your brain. 

We created this post for you to help you learn about organic spices such as Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Chamomile, Ginkgo Biloba & Ginseng that can help to boost your mental wellbeing.

 

1. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a very popular Indian herb that has been used as a natural medicine remedy for decades. There are many different overall health benefits that come with this spice, such as helping with reducing inflammation, reducing sugar levels in blood and can help to boost fertility in men. 

However, there are many more benefits that Ashwagandha has when it come to improving your mental health which are:

• Helps to reduce stress and anxiety
• Reduces symptoms of depression
• Lowers blood sugar and fat
• Boosts fertility and testosterone levels in men
• Sharpens focus and memory

Less Stress, Anxiety & Depression

Ashwaghanda is mainly known for helping with stress relief and is classed as an adaptogen. There have been many studies carried out to support these benefits and how it can even improve mental health. 

Many of those who participated in the study consumed 250 or 600 mg of Ashwagandha extract for 8 weeks saw not only improvements in their stress levels, but also experienced significant improvement in the quality of their sleep. Sleep is one of the most important factors when it comes to reducing your anxiety and stress, as well as helping with overall mental wellbeing. 

Consuming Ashwagandha

To really see the benefits from taking Ashwagandha aim to take a daily dosage of 500-600 mg. When purchasing any supplements, but especially the ones you want to take to improve your mental wellbeing, ensure to always check the ingredients list. The more organic the product is, the more benefits you will experience. 

When looking at Internal Youth’s Organic Ashwagandha Capsules With Black Pepper not only has the recommended dosage of Ashwagandha, but it also has purely organic ingredients. 

2. Turmeric

Turmeric is a popular Indian and Chinese spice that has been mainly used for reducing skin problems and stress levels. Recently, studies have also shown promising results in Curcumin (an active compound found in Turmeric) for reducing symptoms of depression.

This ancient spice can help with improving mental health by tackling the following:

• Improving serotonin and dopamine, brain chemicals that control mood and behavior
• Improving parts of your brain that respond to stress
• Protect against damage to energy-producing structures in your cells
• Help prevent inflammation

In two different studies that were carried on affectives of Cucurmin, showed that it can reduce symptoms of depression when taken as a supplement on its own, as well as in combination with other herbs like Saffron. 

How to consume Turmeric?

Turmeric is a very popular spice that has been used for decades and so there are many different ways you can start to consume it daily. For the best results, especially if you are taking it to improve your mental wellbeing is to consume it as a supplement. That way you can ensure that you’re getting the right dosage to start experiencing improvements. 

When looking for the right supplement to purchase, look out for the brands which list their dosages in the ingredients list. The standard dose that will help you see benefits is 500 mg daily (twice a day). 

At Internal Youth we pride ourselves for having 100& natural ingredient supplements. Our Turmeric Capsules With Black Pepper not only has the recommended Turmeric dosage, but it also is combined with other great ingredients that will not only help to improve your mental wellbeing, but also your immune system. 

3. Chamomile

Chamomile is a flower that comes from a daisy family and is often consumed as tea to help you relax especially before bed time. But did you know that drinking Chamomile tea can also help you feel less anxious and help to manage depression? 

 

In 2009 a study was carried out on 57 participants, which included people who experienced: anxiety & depression; anxiety with history of depression; anxiety with no history of depression. This mixture of participants were given a Chamomile supplement to take every day to see how this will improve their mental health. The results have shown promising results, as at the end of the study the symptoms of depression and anxiety have significantly decreased in participants.

How to benefit from Chamomile?

Chamomile is very popular and is consumed by people all over the world and so it makes it easy for us to add it as part of our daily routine. You can find it in the form of liquid extract, capsules and tea. Whichever option you choose, make sure to incorporate the right amount of it into your daily diet.

 Guidelines on the dosage of Chamomile:

1. Capsules: 400 mg to 1600 mg (daily dose)
2. Liquid extract: 1 ml to 4 ml (three times daily)
3. Tincture: 15 ml (three times daily)
4. Tea: 1 to 4 cups of tea (per day)

When you're looking to buy Chamomile as a supplement make sure to always look for the label that states it is an organic product. 

Ginkgo Biloba 

Ginkgo Biloba is another ancient Chinese antioxidant-rich herb that has been known as a remedy to treat a variety of conditions. As mentioned by the Mental Health America, it can be consumed to improve brain health and has even been used in studies to help people with schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There have been no real outcomes shared yet, but it does sound very promising. 

Ginkgo Biloba can help with improving the following symptoms:

• Anxiety
• Bronchitis
• Depression
• Erectile dysfunction 
• Fatigue
• Glaucoma
• High blood pressure
• Insulin resistance
• Multiple sclerosis

There have been many studies carried out on this herb, as it has shown improvements in people who are suffering with Dementia & Alzheimer’s. The positive results have been related to the fact that Ginkgo Biloba helps with blood flow to the brain. 

Some of the research has shown that the participants had reduced levels of anxiety and depression. In fact Ginkgo Biloba can help in treating depression. This has been based on purely animal studies, so further research is needed to really show how much this herb can benefit our mental health. 

Dosages & Tips for Ginkgo Biloba

Interestingly despite there being a lot of research conducted, there isn’t a specific dosage that has been used across those studies. However, the majority of evidence has shown that you can safely consume 120–240 mg divided into several doses throughout the day.

It is also recommended to take it for at least 6 weeks, as you most likely will start to see benefits around then.

 

1. Ginseng 

Here is yet another traditional Chinese remedy herb. Ginseng has been used as part of medicine for centuries and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties really help with boosting your overall health. 

There are actually many different types of this herb, but the two most popular ones are the American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng).

It can help with improving your mental well being in many different ways:

• Reduces inflammation
• Improved brain function
• Boosts immune system
• Increases energy levels
• Lowers blood sugar

In one study where 30 participants consumed 200 mg of Ginseng daily for 4 weeks, they saw a great improvement in their mental health, social functioning and mood. What’s even more interesting in other studies, participants with Alzheimer’s disease found positive effects on brain function and behavior.

Add Ginseng To Your Diet

There are many different ways you can consume Ginseng as you can even eat it raw. It can be added as part of soup and stir fries or even stewed in water to make tea. Of course, the easiest way to consume it will be taking it as a supplement.  

Always look out for companies that label the product as organic and check the ingredients list to make sure that there is a good amount of Ginseng in it. Because it’s an expensive root, companies tend to add it alongside many other herbs. The daily recommended dosage is 200–400 mg of the extract.

 

Start Taking Care Of You

Now you can see how important it is that you start to incorporate supplements as part of your diet, as they not only help you improve your gut health, but they also help you improve your mental health. 

Going for organic supplements is key, as you will not only get the most benefits, but you will also get the least side effects. Speak with a specialist if you have to follow certain dietary requirements, to make sure you find the most suitable supplement for you. 

Explore Internal Youth’s products that can help you with boosting your overall well-being, and always feel free to reach out to our team, if you have any questions!