If the stress of Christmas is all getting too much try this star of Bethlehem meditation for seasonal stress. Breathe in deeply and visualise a perfect star up in the sky above you, shining with a tremendous bright light. As you breathe in the white light shoots down and pours into you filling your whole body with its power. As you breathe out, feel the white light taking your stress away. On the next in breath, pinpoint the cause of your stress and direct the light right at it – like a wand sending out a blast of light. As you breathe out, the light zaps away the stress. Keep breathing like this for several minutes, breathing in the star’s white light and breathing out stress.

Oat straw also known as avena sativa or green oat is a pale green grass cultivated for its edible grain. The parts that are used are the seeds and the stem. It has been used for centuries in teas, tinctures and herbal medicines, and has shown promise in treating and preventing a wide variety of health conditions.

Oat straw has been shown to boost immunity, build bones and prevent osteoporosis. It is also effective as a pain reliever and for easing anxiety and depression but one of the most popular applications for oat straw however is in sexual enhancement supplements, as although it is not an aphrodisiac it can help prolong sexual performance and stamina, hence the term ‘sowing your oats.’ In men it appears to be effective for treating impotence and premature ejaculation. In women it may increase sexual desire.

Wild oats are reported to have been a noticeable sexual stimulant for horses and other animals, and studies suggest they can have the same effect on humans of both sexes. References to the stimulating effects of avena sativa have been found for hundreds of years in the German Pharmacopoeia and recent studies have confirmed that it can enhance libido by reducing stress and easing the mind, much like ginkgo and damiana.

 

Avena sativa is rich in body-building and energy boosting nutrients including silicon, manganese, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A, B1, B2 and E and is great for building healthy bones, skin, hair and nails. The seeds are not only a rich source of carbohydrate and soluble fibre they also have the highest content of iron, zinc and manganese of any grain. In addition they contain compounds which are both sedative and soothing to the brain and nervous system.

 

In cases of sexual problems related to stress and anxiety, Avena sativa and its compounds work as nervine relaxants to ease tension and strengthen and support the nervous system and as a tonic to promote energy to handle stress. Oat straw can also be used in baths for rheumatic problems, lumbago, liver ailments and gout.  It can soften the skin and help eczema and other skin diseases, flaky skin, frostbite, chilblains, wounds, and eye problems.

Avena sativa does not appear to interact with drugs so it is often used as a safe alternative to other herbs that are used for anxiety, such as St John’s wort, which cannot be taken with many prescription medications. Avena sativa may also be of use in helping with drug withdrawal and is often combined with valerian and skullcap.

Q: My PMS always gets worse in the winter and I find it really hard to get up in the mornings. Why is this? What can I do about it?

A: Many women find that their symptoms of PMS get worse when the nights are longer and darker. This lack of warmth and light seems to make things worse because when you are exposed to plenty of bright light your body starts to produce serotonin which wakes you up and makes you feel more energetic and alert. Without enough serotonin you can end up feeling depressed and irritable, with food cravings and problems sleeping. Sounds a lot like PMS, doesn’t it?

It’s clear that too little serotonin and not enough light can play a part in PMS or make symptoms worse. Change in appetite, insomnia, reduced energy, weight gain, problems concentrating and fatigue are symptoms of both PMS and low serotonin levels so if you are suffering from any of these symptoms you need to light up your life. This is crucial if your PMS gets worse in the winter or if you suffer from depression. By boosting your serotonin levels, your mood will be boosted and you will have more energy in the morning to leap out of bed.

To increase your serotonin production make sure you are exposed to either full-spectrum light from the sun or a bright white light for at least 15 minutes during the morning. Light has a direct effect on your brain, helping to set your body clock for sleep and waking. The incandescent lights you may have in your lamps are not good enough and you should try to walk outdoors – even if the sun isn’t out. Don’t wear sunglasses as your eyes need to be exposed to natural light. If you think you need something more you could buy an alarm clock that is also a bedside lamp so when you set it to wake up at 6.30 am it gradually turns up the light intensity starting about 20 minutes before you need to get up – simulating what dawn does. If this doesn’t wake you first the alarm goes off at your wake up time. You may also want to consider getting a special light box that can provide full-spectrum.  The light is measured in units called lux, and a typical light box provides 10,000 lux. Daylight is around 5,000 lux and it takes around 2,500 lux to have a therapeutic effect on your internal clock. You can do light therapy yourself as long as you don’t over do it and follow the instructions on the box to the letter – but it is always best to check with your doctor first for advice.