Natural Anxiety Herbs

Kava Kava, also known as awa or Piper methysticum, has long been used by Pacific islanders as a relaxing, anxiety-soothing drink. In Fiji, kava kava goes by the name of “yaquona” and has the honor of being dubbed the national drink. Used on a short-term basis, kava kava root may be just the herb you need to treat your anxiety, nervousness, or sleeplessness.

History

Kava kava has a history dating back thousands of years. Its roots have traditionally been macerated and blended with water to form a bitter, dark brown tea. Botanists are unsure of kava’s exact origin, but Pacific islanders have long known of the plant’s almost magical qualities. In many places, such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga and Pohnpei, kava is revered and used in sacred or religious rituals. The plant’s name, given by explorer Captain Cook, means “intoxicating pepper.”

Uses

The Pacific islanders have really been on to something—as an herbal anxiety treatment, kava really works! Kava may take up to eight weeks to relieve anxiety, but it has also been shown to start working within one week. Kava can help ease withdrawal symptoms if you’re trying to stop using prescription anti-anxiety medication. It also treats associated problems, such as sleep disorders, restlessness, ADHD, and stress. Kava has shown promise as a treatment for chronic fatigue, headaches, depression, and a topical painkiller. Much like alcohol, Pacific islanders use kava regularly as a relaxing drink on social occasions.

Kava does have some risks to be aware of. It has been shown to cause liver damage with heavy, extensive use. This is another similarity that kava shares with alcohol. Do not take kava if you have liver disease, and avoid using kava with alcohol. Children and women who are pregnant or nursing should not use kava.

Dose

60 to 600 milligrams (mg) of kava per day is sufficient to treat anxiety. Alternatively, boil 2 to 4 grams of bare root in water to create a tea. Take the tea no more than three times per day. Do not use kava for more than three months at a time.

Products to Try

Due to concerns about the safety of kava, it can be difficult to find this herb in some places. You can grow it yourself if you live in a warm area like Hawaii, but if that isn’t an option, check out a few online herb shops.

Bouncing Bear Botanicals sells kava in several forms, including powdered, paste, cut root and whole root. Their kava is organically grown with no nasty pesticides or chemicals. BBB has extremely fast shipping and good prices. I once placed an order on Friday and had it by Tuesday, so give them a try if you need kava fast.

Vanuatu Kava Store has a good selection of different kava products not available elsewhere. You can buy in bulk, too. They promise that their kava contains no binding agents, fillers, or other junk.

Have you ever snacked on something–a piece of chocolate or a handful of chips, perhaps–and noticed your mood change? Believe it or not, what you include in your daily diet has an effect on your anxiety. Too much of a food, or not enough of it, can be enough to make you feel irritable and moody.

Doctors are always telling you to drink enough water, and they’re right. They used to advocate the “8 cups a day” rule, but that is no longer the case. Drinking a glass of water whenever you feel thirsty is a good bet, instead. If you’re mostly drinking soda and coffee, the habit will be tough to break. Try slowly replacing these beverages with water. Too much caffeine can cause anxiety, so limit yourself as much as possible.

Alcohol is another concern. Many people use it to numb themselves and remove anxious feelings, but that plan can backfire. Alcohol can actually worsen anxiety and make you feel sad or angry. On top of that, it does damage to your liver, brain and other bodily functions. Alcohol can even interact with anxiety medication, causing terrible side effects.

Ditch sugary snacks and junk foods in favor of whole grains such as pasta and bread. Whole grains may increase serotonin levels in your brain, elevating your mood and removing anxiety. Foods rich in omega-3s, like salmon and nuts, are good choices as well.

Avoid very acidic or spicy foods, such as citrus fruit or hot peppers, if you know that you’re sensitive to them. These foods are usually healthy, but they can cause nausea and indigestion in some people.

If you’re not taking a vitamin supplement, now is a great time to start. You may be suffering from a vitamin deficiency. For instance, it’s not uncommon to be deficient in vitamin D, especially during the winter when most people don’t go outdoors. The human body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, and without it, you can develop numerous health problems.

You can take supplements for a specific vitamin, or you can take a multivitamin that covers all your bases for the day. On top of this, I also recommend taking an omega-3 or fish oil supplement, since most people do not get enough of this vitamin in their diet. Remember to eat a meal before taking your supplements; this helps your body absorb the vitamins better.

For your omega-3 boost, try Kirkland Signature Enteric Coated Fish Oil. Kirkland’s fish oil gets very high reviews on Amazon, and you only need to take one capsule per day to see the benefit.

Centrum is a well-known and trusted name in the vitamin industry. They offer vitamins for people under and over 50 years of age, as well as a variety of other supplements. If you have trouble getting your kids to take their vitamins, or if you just don’t like taking them yourself, try these chewable gummy vitamins from Vita Fusion.

Valerian is a popular, well-known treatment for anxiety in the United States. This hardy plant, also called all-heal and garden heliotrope, bears lovely white and pink flowers in the summertime. If you grow this wonderful herb in your garden for its looks and fragrance, you’re in luck—the plant is a perfect anti-anxiety treatment, too.

History

Valerian has long enjoyed use as a medicinal herb. It was popular in ancient Rome and Greece, and was prescribed by the physician Dioscorides as a treatment for digestive, urinary, and liver problems. In the 1500s, Valerian was used in a tea recipe that, when ingested, was believed to cause peace between men. During World War II, Europeans favored valerian as a stress-relieving herb. Valerian was included in the United States Pharmacopoeia until 1942.

Uses

Valerian is ideal for a variety of anxious and nervous conditions, including stress, excitability, attention deficit hyper disorder (ADHD), hysteria, and hypochondria. It has been known to effectively treat fatigue, menstrual and menopausal symptoms, asthma, and headaches.

Valerian is generally deemed safe for short-term use, but it can cause some side effects, including headaches or sluggishness.  Valerian can interact with anesthesia used during surgery. Do not use valerian for two weeks prior to any surgery.

Dose

As an anxiety treatment and sleep aid, take 400 to 900 milligrams (mg) of valerian approximately two hours before bedtime. The effect is enhanced if you take valerian along with hops or lemon balm extract.

Products to Try

Valerian is widely used and easy to find in most grocery stores. Some of the most common brands of valerian root extract include Nature’s Way, Nature’s Bounty, and Spring Valley. GNC also sells 500 milligram valerian root capsules under the Herbal Plus brand.

Other online vendors with a good valerian root selection include Herbal Remedies, Bulk Herb Store, and Mountain Rose Herbs.

When you feel an anxiety or panic attack coming on, sometimes the trigger is obvious. It could be that you have to give a presentation in front of your boss at work, or maybe you have to attend a social gathering with someone you don’t like. But what do you do when you start feeling anxious, but can’t recognize the reason why?

This happened to me once when I was sitting in class at college. It was an ocean science class, and the teacher was showing the students how to dissect a small shark. That didn’t bother me in the least (so I thought), but I started feeling very panicky and anxious. I developed lightheadedness, clammy skin, hot and cold flashes, and nausea all at once. It was a terrifying moment that, to this day, I don’t understand. I now know that I was probably having a panic attack, but why? What triggered it?

Do panic attacks really come on randomly? Usually not. Chemicals, such as prescription drugs, alcohol, and caffeine are all known to trigger anxiety and panic attacks. These chemicals make you think differently, so if you feel anxious while taking them, it’s in your best interest to stop or reduce your intake.

Sometimes, simple daily tasks can be anxiety triggers, like making a phone call or talking to a person of the opposite sex. I have an irrational fear of the phone, for instance. I get nervous and anxious when calling anyone I don’t know. I fear that I won’t know what to say when they answer. I fear what to say to the voice mail if they do not answer. I try to keep both opening responses (one for the actual person, one for the voice mail) in my head as the phone rings. I often rehearse what I want to say many times before calling. If the person picks up the phone, I worry that he or she will judge me or hang up on me. I just know I’ll sound stupid.

Since the phone is an anxiety trigger for me, what can I do? I can’t entirely avoid it. To help myself feel less anxious, I practice with the phone by making small calls, for example, to ask when a store closes or to order pizza. When I feel more confident, I can stay on the phone for longer. Sometimes, I’ll write down a few sentences of a prompt to guide me when the person answers the phone. I may make a list of points or questions, if the phone call merits it. This helps me focus. I also think to myself, what’s the worst that can happen? The person may hang up on me or be rude. That would make me very anxious, but I know I’ll survive.

Try to figure out what your anxiety triggers are, and develop a similar plan of action around them. For instance, if driving makes you anxious (it does me), see if you can take public transportation or get a ride to your destination. If you can’t, practice driving by making small trips to the grocery store or another nearby destination. When nothing bad happens, you’ll feel less anxious about driving and be able to drive further.

Do social situations make you panic? You can avoid parties, for the most part, but sometimes you have no choice but to attend. You probably feel comfortable around your own family or a friend or two. Go out with a group of people you feel comfortable with to someplace busy, like the mall. This will help you deal with being around other people. Try to talk to the cashier when you buy something at a store. This short social interaction will boost your confidence.

Always keep an eye out for potential anxiety triggers. Learning what bothers you is the first step to conquering it.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) isn’t talked about much, especially in the United States. Kratom is a large tree that grows in Southeast Asia, in particular, Thailand and Malaysia. The tree has not yet gained popularity as an anxiety treatment, but that may change as more people discover its potent effects.

History

An explorer named Low mentioned the kratom plant in Western literature for the first time in 1836. After that time, Kratom got its official name from 19^th century Dutch botanist Pieter Willem Korthals. Southeast Asian laborers originally used kratom for its energizing, mood-enhancing effects. Kratom users valued the tree’s leaf because it helped them work more quickly and efficiently. Kratom was also used to treat opiate withdrawals after World War II.

Today, despite the fact that Kratom grows in Thailand, the government there has deemed growing the tree illegal. Existing trees that are found there must also be cut down. The tree is also illegal Australia and Malaysia.

Uses

Kratom leaf, when taken internally, binds to the opiate receptors in the brain much like the pharmaceuticals hydrocodone and oxycodone. Because of this, kratom can effectively mimic those medications without many unwanted side effects. At low doses, kratom is said to be energizing, while higher doses are very relaxing. This relaxation can be helpful to those with social anxiety or other anxiety disorders. Kratom is also an inexpensive way to relieve pain. Many users say it works as well as prescription opiates, and it is much more effective for pain relief than over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol.

Kratom can be habit-forming if taken regularly. Users who take a high dose (usually 7 grams or more) may experience side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and dry mouth.

Dose

Kratom is best taken in its powdered leaf form, although crushed or whole dried leaves are available. If you buy whole leaves, crush them as much as possible before measuring a dose.

It is most effective to drink powdered kratom with a beverage, such as lukewarm water or citrus juice. For a low dose, mix about 2.5 grams (about 1 teaspoon) with one cup of liquid until well-blended.  For a high dose, use 5 grams (2 teaspoons). The powder doesn’t incorporate well, so drink as much of it as you can, then add more liquid and continue drinking. Repeat this until you ingest all the powder.

If you have a gel-capping machine, you can also store the powder in convenient dissolvable capsules. One capsule typically holds about 1 gram of powder.

Kratom’s effects are noticeable after 10-15 minutes of ingesting the powder, when taken on an empty stomach. If you have eaten recently, effects can take an hour or more to become apparent.

Products to Try

Unless you live close to a head shop or experimental health food store, you’ll be hard-pressed to find kratom anywhere near you. Fortunately, several reputable sources sell kratom online.

I highly recommend Bouncing Bear Botanicals  as the place to buy your kratom. Prices are fair and shipping is lightning fast. If you’re in luck and looking for a challenge, they also sometimes sell live kratom plants. Be aware that kratom requires warmth and humidity to grow, however.

Arena Ethnobotanicals is another great online vendor for kratom. They were featured in USA Today and they offer live support. You can choose from kratom powder, extract, capsules, or tincture. Live kratom plants are also available, when in stock. They also offer a sampler pack if you’re just getting started with kratom and don’t know what you want to try.