Festival season is a time to let loose, try new things, make friends and basically party for as many hours and weekends as you can afford.
There are plenty of ways to hack a party state and feel good at a festival; Music, dancing, alcohol and for some people a stash of narcotics, but have you ever thought about packing a few plants?
It’s not just cannabis leaves that make you feel good. Here’s a list of our favourite plants, what they do and where to find them. We’ve even thrown in some behind why these herbs can help you have the best time, whilst keeping things legal and natural. Just the way life should be.
Herbs to make you feel good
Euphoria not ecstasy
Californian poppy is super helpful. Ayurveda is ancient Indian medicine, and velvet beans have been used for thousands of years as a mood and libido enhancer.
The Science & How it works
Dopamine causes us to feel “pleasure and reward”. Mucuna pruriens is an Indian herb (also known as velvet bean), which causes mood enhancement and has aphrodisiac properties by working with the dopamine system.
It contains a molecule called L-dopa which is a precursor for dopamine, this means it is what the body needs to then go on to make the magic molecule of dopamine. Californian poppy is another herb which works with dopamine, as well as serotonin.
How to take and where to buy it
Tinctures and liquid extracts are great for festivals, as they are fast, easy to consume and very high in active compounds.
Californian poppy is found in Sharp, but dosage on the individual plant can vary depending where you buy it from so always read the label. However 5-10 drops every few hours is advisable (but be receptive to how your body feels as it could make you tired)
Velvet beans - (tincture) 5mls up to 3 times a day.
Herbs to chill you out
Alternatives to cannabis
Serotonin highs have always been a party favourite, and it seems nature has been generous in providing a way to do this. St Johns wort works in the same way that popular pharmaceuticals selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) work. Basically our cells re-uptake serotonin to recycle, and this lowers our serotonin levels.
St John’s wort blocks the serotonin being taken up inside our neurons and so there is more serotonin to greet our cells causing that happy feeling. However be careful if you are taking pharmaceuticals as this herb can interact with them and this can lead to complications.
Sometimes you just want to chill out, and there are plenty of gifts from nature to help us do just that. There are countless herbs for this but favourites include wild lettuce, lemon balm and passion flower.
The Science & How it works
When we’re overexcited our nervous system fires too much electricity, and this causes us to feel restless and anxious.
We have a molecule called GABA which inhibits the electrical impulses, passionflower and lemon balm modulate this. It is unclear yet how wild lettuce works, but it is thought that one lactucarium from the plant can cause pupil dilation. Other active compounds include lactucin, lactopicrin and hyoscamine which are thought to interfere with basic excitatory processes in the nerves and muscles.
How to take and where to buy it
Wild lettuce - (tincture) 4mls or as advised on product (also sometimes smoked!)
Lemon balm - capsules are available, with L-theanine which is a molecule found in green tea that aids relaxation. You can also find lemon balm and other dreamy plants in our Nightcap.
Passion flower - tincture and capsules are useful, or you find it in our Social Elixir.
Herbs to help you sleep
Coming down
Often it can be hard getting to sleep after a day/night of partying. This can be pretty torturous, as you’re exhausted but your body just won’t rest. Many resort to sleeping pills, but there are natural alternatives that can really help you conk out. These include Jamaican dogwood and a wonderful high quality tincture mix of valerian and hops that easy to find also - yes the same hops that brew your beer are also used medicinally!
The Science & How it works
Jamaican dogwood has some cannabinoid activity, and contains active compounds such as piscidin and fukiic acid.
Valerian contains valepotriates including valtrate, and acevaltrate. The way it works is that valerenic acid works as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, and also inhibits the enzymatic breakdown of GABA.
Hops induce muscle relaxation and works in synergy with valerian to help give you a blissful sleep.
How to take and where to buy it
When you’re at home with a stove to hand, decoctions (boiled herbs in water) of Jamaican dogwood bark are handy. However at a festival a liquid extract which is high in active compounds works great.
Jamaican dogwood - (liquid extract) 3-9mL
Valerian and hops - (oral drops) 30 drops, also found in Nightcap.
Herbs for recovery
Helping the hangover
Herbs can also help you recover from a heavy night so you are ready for round two the next day. Milk thistle, rhodiola rosea, siberian ginseng are favourites and all have their own scientific method of magic.
The Science & How it works
Milk thistle will give your liver the love it needs after getting intoxicated. Not only does it help clear toxins but it protects your liver from what is to come. Active compounds include silymarin and silybin.
Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen, and so can adapt itself to a variety of needs your body may have. It increases your neurons sensitivity to dopamine and serotonin, however careful if you are taking it with common raving supplement 5HTP as this can lead to too much serotonin which can be dangerous.
Siberian ginseng, according to a study published in the journal Human Psychopharmacology, is very helpful for hangovers. Ginsenosides are the active compounds, and work on the CNS helping you with mental and physical fatigue.
How to take and where to buy it
Milk thistle - (capsules) these capsules are also mixed with other effective liver cleansers such as dandelion leaves.
Rhodiola rosea root- tinctures and capsules are effective
Siberian ginseng- (tincture) 30 drops twice daily, or just enjoy a healthy dose of Livener.
