Quiet Riot – Elixir

15ml

Quiet Riot is a blend of valerian (Valeriana officinalis), chamomile (Chamomilla recutita syn. Matricaria recutita), roses(Rosa spp), spearmint (Mentha spicata), hops (Humulus lupulus) and passionflower (Passiflora incarnata). This is the same blend I use in my AnxieTea which I love drinking 30 minutes before bed.

Valerian has been used since Roman times as a sedative and relaxant. It was named PHU by Dioscorides for the sound you make when you get a whiff of its musty aroma. Honestly it just flat out smells like feet. Testing in Germany and Switzerland has led to the endorsement of using valerian over synthetic pharmaceuticals to improve sleep and lower blood pressure. In the middle ages it was known as “all-heal”. Valerian not only reduces mental overload but relaxes over contracted muscles like neck, shoulder, asthma, colic, IBS, PMS and spasms.

German Chamomile is a good for all herb like lavender. It has been used for digestive problems since at least 1 CE. It shows excellent fortitude for pain, indigestion, acidity, gastritis, gas, bloating, peptic ulcers, Chrohn’s disease and IBS. The flowers reduce irritability and promote sleep, especially in children. Also I use it extensively in my oils, salves and butters for eczema.

Rose is uplifting and was esteemed during the Middle Ages for depression. It comes originally from Iran and was called the Queen of Flowers by Sappho in the 6th century. Rose contains different levels of, depending on type, volatile oils; geraniol, nerol, citronellol, geranic. Some herbalists will tell you that rose isn’t really useful, it’s just beautiful for aroma but I disagree. Rose is an excellent head and heart medicine and also soothing to the skin. Until the 17th century all mints were used in about the same way which is unfortunate because they vary so much.

Spearmint is a wonderful herb to add to any tea blend for a sweet kick or to cover up flavor as in valerian. Spearmint is also not as stimulating as peppermint so it really works here. It is great for digestion so you’ll see it in a lot of digestive blends. It has shown to help with hormone imbalances especially in women. It is a strong antioxidant, lowers blood sugar, reduces stress. The list goes on. If you need a pick me up look to peppermint but for a calm cup with dinner pick up spearmint.

Hops is an excellent bitter and digestive herb. This blend is so great at night because it helps with digestion while you sleep and helps you get to sleep faster. It is a sedative, soporific, antispasmodic and aromatic bitter. In 16th century the Parliament in England started a petition about this “WICKED WEED”. It relaxes smooth muscle but has shown to have an estrogenic effect so use caution those avoiding estrogen increasing foods. It helps reduce irritability, promotes a sound night’s sleep, anxiety, tension headaches but should not be used in cases where depression is present.

And finally passionflower. This herb is so beautiful it gets its name from the crucifixion of Christ – 5 stamens for the 5 wounds, 3 styles for the 3 nails, and white and purple colors for purity and heaven. Passionflower is a sedative, non-addictive tranquilizer and an antispasmodic. In 2001 it was shown

1. Goes well with AnxieTea, Relaxy Bath, Anti Anxiety Inhaler