by Ryan Rivera
Millions of men and women deal with anxiety regularly. Not only is it one of the most common psychological disorders in the US – there are countless more people living with a degree of anxiety that doesn’t qualify as a disorder.
But receiving treatment can be difficult. Therapy can cost thousands of dollars at a time when few people in today’s economy can afford to be spending that much money. Modern day anxiety medicines are loaded with side effects to such a degree that in some cases they may even make your anxiety worse.
That’s why natural remedies for anxiety are so important. They are healthier than modern medicines and far less costly than therapy. They also have the potential to reduce mild to moderate anxiety without major side effects or additional treatments.
Natural Anxiety Cures
• Kava
Kava is the king of natural anxiety treatments. Numerous clinical studies found that kava root’s main ingredient – kavalactones – can reduce moderate anxiety for up to eight hours.What makes it even more valuable is that kava is non-addictive, and causes no withdrawal symptoms – both of which are serious problems with modern day medicine.
Kava received some bad press of late when research in early 2000 found a slight increase in liver damage. But that has since been debunked as further research found that those with liver damage also had an alcohol disorder.
In addition, kava is a powerful herb, and not meant to be taken with any alcohol.
While you should always talk to your doctor before starting any herbal supplement, most of the bad press of kava was vastly overblown.
Kava was, and still remains today, one of the most powerful sources of fighting anxiety.
•Passionflower
Passionflower is not as powerful as kava, but valuable nonetheless, and a great choice for those that want an alternative to kava. Passionflower contains alkaloids and flavonoids that improve neurotransmitter production and management, allowing the mind to create a more natural mood.
Passionflower is also side effect free, addiction free, and not currently known to interact with other medications. Passionflower has only recently become popular in the anti-anxiety world, but it looks like it’s here to stay.
• St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is primarily for depression, but it has the ability to contribute as an anxiety treatment as well. St. John’s Wort is known to be effective at helping people cope with stress and maintain a more balanced mood – both of which are important for depression and for anxiety.
Because it’s not designed for anxiety, it’s not quite as effective as kava and passionflower. But many people that suffer from anxiety also suffer from a bit of depression as well, which may make St. John’s Wort an attractive option.
Tea or Supplement
All three of these herbal remedies are available in both supplement and tea form. Teas tend to be much weaker. In the case of kava, tea doesn’t usually provide enough kavalactones to be effective. Also, kava is a fat soluble herb, so you would need to put some type of fat source in your tea in order for the herb to take effect.
But the simple act of drinking tea can be a powerful anti-anxiety force in its own right. Tea takes place in a quiet, secure location, and calms your body with warm liquid, so for Passionflower and St. John’s Wort, the tea may be something you want to consider.
Herbs vs. Pharmaceutical Medicines
There are times when pharmaceutical medicine may be to your advantage. If you are incredibly ill with a serious disease, for example, there may be a pill that helps cure it, and you can take this pill to get the relief that you need.
But when it comes to anxiety, this isn’t the case. There’s no magic formula for instantly relieving all anxiety now and in the future. Modern day medicine, then, is woefully inadequate, because it has far too many side effects to take it in the long term. Similarly, while therapy is useful, the cost of therapy is prohibitive for most families.
Natural herbal supplements are a safe, effective option that is easily affordable and can be taken regularly. Still it is important to consult with your doctor and naturopathic doctor in case you are allergic to the herbs or your supplements interact with other medicines you are taking.
Natural anxiety treatment is the only long term solution, and the only one that you can stop at any time if you feel your anxiety is under control. If you suffer from any degree of anxiety, try taking these natural herbal supplements first, before you commit to unhealthy or expensive treatment options.
(Ryan Rivera used to suffer from uncontrollable anxiety symptoms and knew that pharmaceutical remedies were not the options. He has other tools for reducing anxiety at www.calmclinic.com.)
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