Nourishing Herbal Bliss Balls ~ Delightful Anti-Anxiety food

It's a good time to think about supporting ourselves and deeply nourishing our bodies. There are some nervous system supporting herbs and foods that are a great idea to include in our daily food intake; snacks and meals too. These nourishing Herbal Bliss Balls are a variation on the original 'zoom balls' which I learned to make on Sage Mountain with Rosemary Gladstar in the 1990s. They can truly be called an anti-anxiety food as they are packed with nutritive supportive foods and herbs and boy, are they yummy!

These little goodies feature oatmeal and astragalus and hawthorn berry powder ~ all uplifting and supportive ingredients. You can add other options too. You'll notice that I do share some that I have used over the years, and yet.. the sky's the limit and you will no doubt have some others to consider as additions!  These are a variation of the originals.. the "zoom balls" which I learned to make in apprenticeship classes with Rosemary Gladstar on Sage Mountain, long ago. If you want to hear more about that story and read up on that recipe, here's the original zoom ball recipe!

Herbal Bliss Balls ~ Optional add-ons:

¼ cup sunflower seeds, chia seeds, chopped walnuts, almonds, etc or “hemp hearts“.
Add dates, raisins, dried cranberries, or other good quality dried fruits, finely chopped.
Dried berries too.. High in anti-oxidants, these can make a tasty + nutritious add-on.
Powdered herbs like allspice, nutmeg, or cardamom –the sky is the limit here.
Good quality gelatin and/or collagen from companies like Vital Proteins or coconut collagen creamer
Desiccated coconut or cocoa powders are often my choice for rolling, after balls are formed.
I’ve used finely chopped nuts or chia, sesame or sunflower seeds too.

The magic of these beloved herb-infused bliss balls?
They are EASY to make and so tasty. Such a simple way to administer herbs for healing and support!

This version features astragalus root powder and hawthorn berry powder.  This combination is nourishing and supportive in nature. Variations are endless. One thing is for sure. This recipe above, is a good way to include the powers of calming and supportive herbs in your family's 'everyday'. Astragalus root is a great herb to get to know. Here's a post all about Astragalus medicine. Hawthorn is a simply wonderful herb. Read more about Hawthorn here.

Choose your combinations based on what your body needs! I have made herb-infused energy balls for immune support, memory enhancement, digestive system power-up,  grief support, detox regimens and for ‘rejuvenation’ after a lengthy illness. We can call upon our herbs for eye health support, heart health etc. Whatever you want to nourish ~ it’s all in the ball! I will write more about this and add some links for other recipes in the next while. Stay tuned..  This pic below.. A very tasty version, rolled in finely shopped pistachios. So pretty!

It's important to know which foods to choose to support the nervous system. Don't underestimate the power of the choices you make!

Anti-Anxiety Food ~ my top picks:

I think it's important to note that I am NOT suggesting that foods should replace medications recommended by your health care practitioner. We can, however choose foods to support our entire being. There are studies that indicate that our gut health affects our 'well-being' and anxiety levels. I tend to think that they influence each other.

Here's one such study. We know that oats, for example are a nervous system nourisher ~ oatmeal in various forms can really make a difference in our level of calm. In fact, in addition to oats, turkey and bananas; both high in 'tryptophan', have been shown to have a calming affect. Here's an interesting study dealing with the influence of tryptophan and seratonin.
Almonds provide a significant amount of vitamin E and healthy fats, which play key roles in brain health support. Here's another option for further reading re the connection to our well-being and our food consumed.
Berries are a great choice for nutritional support. Blueberries are extra-ordinary nutritional supporters. Read more about the power of anthocyanins here.

In general, here are some ideas for Anti-Anxiety food choices:

• Eat whole foods.
• Choose whole fruits  (especially citrus + berries + bananas)
• Choose ample amounts of veggies to nourish your body. Make sure to include some dark leafy greens.
• Choose foods with Calcium + Vitamin D ~ This duo can help to fight the stress hormone 'cortisol'
  Try to include yogurt with probiotics (or goat milk's yogurt)
• Choose highly nutrient dense foods rich in Vitamins B, C + D ~ These act as anti-inflammatory antioxidants which support immune system health. Buy berries, add lemons n' limes to your cooking or vinaigrettes.
• Enjoy a little good quality dark chocolate! Whole nuts + grains are high in the B vitamins.
• Choose complex carbohydrates like whole wheat pastas instead of white pastas. Check out the 'alternative' grains like quinoa, spelt, millet etc.
• Increase your intake of foods with Omega-3 fatty acids ~ avocados, flax seeds, halibut, tuna or salmon

AVOID or LIMIT: foods with simple sugars such as packaged sweets,cookies, cakes. These foods boost our energy quickly but leave us feeling depleted and often with less energy afterwards.
Watch out for that trap of too much caffeine. I love a nice cup of brewed coffee, but I don't enjoy every day and never more than one cup. Choose herbal teas when possible. Here's a link to some ideas for nourishing herbal teas which can be very helpful!
Limit alcohol when possible~ Can actually act as a depressant so not a great plan overall.

Try these anti-anxiety foods and know that this is a great way to
support brain health and overall well-being.
Carol xo

Here's a beautiful pin to PIN so that you can save this super recipe..... and if you'd like to follow my board on Pinterest here's the Studio Botanica board.