I think this year, more than anything, I've felt the effects of burnout, stress, and its accompanying symptoms like insomnia (which I've never had before), feelings of apathy, and a lingering fatigue that lasts all day. It's made things really difficult. It's hard to get things done, and that's sort of a big deal when you work from home.

I can't afford NOT to get things done.

And therein lies the kicker, doesn't it?

All too often, we find ourselves digging deeper, going harder, and chasing after every possibility to do better, to make more money, to chase potential happiness.

I am definitely one of those people. As a result, I am also the perfect example of an over-stressed nut-case. And on top of that, I don't handle stress well at all. In fact, stress has some pretty detrimental effects on my health because I either freak out when something even remotely stressful happens or end up putting on a stoic face in the heat of the moment only to fall completely apart afterward - much to the chagrin of my husband. I just don't have the reserves within my own body to react to stressful situations calmly anymore.

Pair that with feeling like the emotional dumping ground for everyone I know and It's the perfect recipe for chronically elevated stress levels and eventual burnout.

It has gotten to a point where I sweat constantly not because I feel hot, but because I feel anxious from the moment I wake up until the moment I can finally fall asleep. As soon as a friend or family member starts sharing their problems, the sweat begins to form and my autoimmune disorder starts to flare.

It's exhausting, it's distressing, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Pedicularis Tincture for The Side Effects of Stress

Our bodies are a balance of yin and yang energy and keeping one from taking over the other is the essence of sustainable vibrant health.

Yin energy is inward, restive, regenerative, receptive, absorbing, reflective, and cooling.

The yang side of things is driven, demanding, focused, proactive, energized, and hot.

Can you guess which one most people have too much of?

Yep, it's yang, and it's a fire that often burns out of control until there are no more reserves left to burn. It causes the hot emotions to run high and our stress to sky-rocket out of control. It is the force that drives us to keep moving forward, even at a pace the body cannot sustain.

If this is you, then pedicularis tincture can definitely help with some of those side effects of stress.

Pedicularis - The Perfect Herb for Excessive Stress

If you're someone who feels chronically tense, anxious, and strung out on cortisol then finding those moments to slow down and "turn off" is going to help immensely.

I say this because simply taking some pedicularis tincture (as relaxing as it is) isn't going to fix the underlying issue. You need to reflect on what's causing you to go into hyper-stress and work on making those aspects in your life better.

This might mean cutting your losses in regards to toxic relationships, improving self-care, a change of scenery, some emotional work, or getting to the bottom of underlying health conditions.

Healing the root cause of your stress in tandem with taking 10 drops of pedicularis tincture will give you more lasting and sustainable results than just taking the tincture alone.

How Does Pedicularis Work?

Pedicularis (aka Indian Warrior), is a systematic yin tonic that helps restore balance and regenerative energies to the mind and body.

It's incredibly relaxing, yet does not hamper mental clarity or reduce physical energy. It allows us to DO things within a parasympathetic frame of mind. This means that instead of burning through all of our energy stores and beyond, we move forward at a sustainable simmer. It's a steady pace that allows the body to rebuild WHILE moving forward.

Pedicularis is also skeletal muscle relaxant that greatly eases tightness and tension in the muscles where we tend to hold our emotions like in the neck and shoulders.

How to Make Pedicularis Tincture

I don't actually go out and wildcraft my own pedicularis (yet), so I actually get my mine dried from a friend.

Obviously, fresh would be the best option, but I have to stress that this herb is not readily available for harvest all year round and tends to grow in areas where a bit of off-trail hiking might be involved.

I hesitate to really talk about this herb since it is rare, but if you do come across it and you want to try some, then please harvest it responsibly. Otherwise, hit up your local herbalist.

If you can't find pedicularis, I suggest kava kava as a suitable replacement which can be procured more ethically.

Once you have come into possession of pedicularis (I use Pedicularis densiflora), then it's time to make tincture!

Here's what you'll need to make pedicularis tincture:

• 1 part dried pedicularis
• 5 parts high-proof alcohol (I used Everclear)
• A mason jar
• Dropper bottles for storing

Loving Preparation - Pedicularis Tincture

1. Add the dried pedicularis to the jar and add the alcohol.

2. Cap closed and gently shake to mix.

3. Label the jar with the herb contents and the date.

4. Allow the herb to macerate for 4-6 weeks. Swirl the contents on occasion during this time to aid the extraction process.

5. Once4-6 weeks have passed, strain the tincture and bottle it in labeled dropper bottles.

If you have fresh pedicularis, I recommend checking out this article on how to process it.

To Use

Take 10 drops to half a dropperful when you feel like you feel like having a nervous breakdown/freak out, during times where you just can't relax, before bed to treat stress-induced insomnia, to ease stress-induced tightness in the muscles, and during times where high-stress emotions are running rampant.

Have you ever used pedicularis tincture? Please share in the comments below!

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How to Make Cottonwood Tincture
How to Make Herbal Tinctures Using the Folk Method
Stress Reducing Kava Kava Massage Oil
How to Make a Parasympathetic Roll-On Blend