Passion flower or Passiflora, is a vine known for its beautiful white flowers with purple, blue, or pink calyx crown blooms. The plant is native to North, Central, and South America. It was discovered by the West when Spanish explorers first ventured into Peru and came across the Aztec Indians, who were fond of using Passiflora as a sedative and analgesic.

Recent studies have renewed interest in the herb. Researchers don’t know exactly how passionflower works, but they theorise that compounds in the plant, known as flavonoids and alkaloids, regulate the neurotransmitters in your nervous system that reduce anxiety. (One of its active constituents includes harmine; the ingredient used as a ‘truth serum’ by the Germans in World War II, by virtue of its ability to relax the mind and create a contemplative state.)

 

Studies on passion flower are limited but promising. In a double-blind study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics in 2001, 32 people suffering from general anxiety disorder were treated daily with 45 drops of passionflower liquid extract or 30 mg of oxazepam, a common anti-anxiety drug. After four weeks, both groups showed a significant decrease in their anxiety symptoms. But none of the people taking passionflower reported severely impaired job performance, while 44 percent of the patients taking oxazepam did.

 

In a study published in 2002 in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers gave passionflower extract to alcohol-addicted mice undergoing alcohol withdrawal. The herbal extract reduced the mice’s withdrawal anxiety by up to 90 percent compared to mice that received no treatment.

 

It seems that the constituents in Passion flower somehow decrease the activity of nerve cells in the brain, causing relaxation and is therefore helpful for anxiety and insomnia because of its calming effect. It is also effective in increasing the activity of feel good neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. This makes it anti-depressive, a useful alternative to St John’s Wort for those who can’t take it.

 

Stress and depression are on the increase today in our 24/7 wired world and the nerve relaxant, blood pressure lowering effects of Passiflora make it of prime interest to those vulnerable to stress symptoms. It can also be helpful during the menopause, when falling hormone levels can make women prone to anxiety and depression.

 

The overall effect of Passiflora, when used as a whole herb, is as a gentle but effective relaxant that calms the central nervous system with no addictive properties, so it is appropriate for a whole host of conditions, from sleeping problems to nerve spasms. In addition to being helpful for anxiety, stress, insomnia, and nervous gastrointestinal conditions, the passion flower is also commonly used for pain relief, digestive upsets, painful periods and haemorrhoids.

 

You can take Passion flower in capsule form or you can use the dried herbs. To make an anxiety-easing tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of the dried herb. Steep for 15 minutes, strain, and drink 1 cup twice a day.

 

Passionflower appears to be safe when taken in the recommended doses, but it may make you drowsy. Talk to your health care practitioner before using passionflower if you have a bleeding or clotting disorder or take sedative medications, including antihistamines and sleep aids; the herb can intensify their effects. Don’t exceed recommended dosages and don’t take the herb if you’re pregnant or nursing.

When you’re feeling run down it’s hard to believe that exerting yourself actually gives you more energy, but here’s how it works.

When you exercise regularly your muscles adapt and increase in size, boosting your metabolism (fat burning) and stamina. Your heart and vascular system (which transports blood) also become more efficient, improving the delivery of energising oxygen that reaches your cells so you feel more awake. The more you exercise, the more efficient this process becomes and the more energy you have.

 

Besides all the energy boosting, exercise also increases your immunity and makes you feel good. Research has shown that exercise elevates serotonin levels to provide an instant lift. And when you feel good, you have the get up and go you need to complete your daily tasks. Just 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise has been shown to significantly improve both mood and energy levels. Aerobic exercises like running and fast walking, done in the morning, will rev you up for several hours.

 

For optimum energy boosting, try to work in 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day – that’s exercise where you move continuously, such as jogging or brisk walking. Choose an activity you enjoy as you are more likely to stick to it. You might enjoy walking or biking, swimming, dancing, gardening or ice skating. It doesn’t have to be an aerobics class that you go to at the gym; it can just be an everyday activity like walking.  Start at a comfortable speed and gradually increase the intensity after five minutes. You should break into a light sweat and be slightly breathless but not so breathless that you can’t hold a conversation.

 

When you feel fit enough, why not pile on the pressure? Sign up for a charity work or join a sports team. When you have a specific goal or other people are relying on you, you’re more likely to stick to your workouts.

Curly kale has six times more calcium than broccoli and spinach and is loaded with antioxidants to boost immunity and has high levels of vitamin A, C and K. Just a 100g serving will provide 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of calcium to protect against osteoporosis.