Finding calm once again

The word calm derives from the Greek term kaūma, (= burning heat of the sun) because great periods of calm are mostly accompanied by extreme atmospheric heat or because the word originally identified the silence of the fields in the hottest hours of the summer, and eventually the state of a still sea, not roughened by winds. And besides, under the August midday sun, there can be nothing but calm.

In traditionally organised societies, people carried out their share of work at the right time and in the right place, whereas in the ‘modern 24-hour society’ consumers demand products 24 hours a day, and consumers produce 24 hours a day. This means, one can do anything, anywhere, at any time, without taking into account the need to have a break or rest. Suffice it to think of shift work and how it profoundly alters the biological rhythms of the worker. Under these conditions, stress is triggered by a clear conflict between the biology of man, who has evolved with working rhythms that now clash with the needs of a society requiring the capacity for continuous adaptation.

In conditions of excessive stress, especially if repeated or persistent, one often perceives the desire to remain alone and secluded, precisely in an attempt to find calm again.

Various plants and nutritional supplements can contribute to restoring the body and recovering a state of calm.

In this context, the role played by Magnesium, enhanced by Vitamin B6 and Taurine, with its calming and energy-supplying action, is particularly interesting. One plant that plays a particularly important role is Hawthorn, which protects the heart and blood vessels from the effects of adrenaline, the chemical mediator that is the protagonist in stress. Passionflower on its part contributes to uplifting one’s mood, thanks to its sedative and antispasmodic property.