Tips for Matters of the Mind

(left) © Dennis Williford/The PhotoCook http://www.denniswilliford.com

(right) © Adriana Mullen http://www.adrianamullenphotography.com/

Many of you have probably heard that certain foods are better than others for feeding the mind – for instance, growing up we were told that “fish” is good brain food. The sign of Gemini is certainly connected with thinking, as well as with the respiratory system, so here are some herbal remedies and healing foods for calming the mind and clearing the passages! And notice how many of these are the color of Gemini, which is “yellow!”

Lemon Balm – helps to keep one calm and focused, and has even been shown to calm an overactive thyroid. It also fights viruses, and creams made with lemon balm tend to speed healing.

Lime – rub a slice of fresh lime (or lemon) across the forehead and temples to cut through a headache – this really works!

St. John’s Wort – also known as Hypericum, is an herb that has long been used in Europe as a natural remedy for depression. Note the flower is “yellow!”

Feverfew – obviously this herb is used to reduce “fevers” but it is also helpful for headaches & arthritis.

Chamomile – is a wonderful herb that makes a great calming tea to soothe headache symptoms and help to relax you. Valerian is another but is used more as a sleep aid.

Banana – next time your buttons get pushed, eat a banana, which not only gives you a mild blood sugar boost, but also provides 30% of the day’s vitamin B6 which helps the brain to produce Serotonin, thus getting you through a crisis more peacefully.

Potato – eating a potato can apparently help prevent a headache by upping the Serotonin levels.

Pineapple – another “yellow” fruit that contains Bromelain, an ingredient that can ease the symptoms of Hay Fever & allergies.

Olive Oil – consuming a few tablespoons of olive oil daily boosts long-term memory and the vitamin Gotu Kola is said to aid intelligence and memory.

Mustard – for headaches, soak a cloth in mustard oil and apply to the forehead as required.

Coriander – steep some coriander seeds in boiling water for several minutes and then inhale the infused steam from under a towel to relieve sinus-related headaches.

Bach Flower Remedies – for those of you that don’t know about these, they are a wonderful system of 38 Flower Remedies that corrects emotional imbalances – negative emotions are replaced with positive. One of their most wonderful remedies is “Rescue Remedy.” Oh yeah, and the labels on their “rescue” products are “yellow!” Designed to help calm nerves and ease anxiety, my sister and I used a lot of this stuff last year when we were dealing with the stress of our losing our mother. http://www.bachflower.com/