Many herbs contain minerals and vitamins and are one way to ingest these needed nutrients.
Bob, a fifty-two-year-old executive, had struggled with anxiety for years. He tried to change his eating plan but failed. He started taking calcium, magnesium, and potassium supplements, but they didn’t agree with him. When he started drinking herbal teas that contained minerals, he finally found a method that worked for him.
The vitamin-mineral table below shows which herbs supply which nutrients.
The Benefits of Herbs
Herbs offer an effective but gentle approach to the physiological and chemical issues involved in anxiety reduction. They support the adrenal glands and ease the many symptoms associated with anxiety. In most cases they work more quickly than tranquilizers.
Herbs are used for a wide range of anxious symptoms, including worry, apprehension, anticipation of the worst, and irritability. Relaxant herbs treat symptoms, and should never be used to mask a systemic problem. If stress is a way of life for you, relaxant herbs are only part of the answer.
If you decide to try one of these herbs, many can be purchased as teas or in bulk. Start with 1 teaspoon of herb per cup of boiling water and steep for 5–15 minutes. Drink ½ cup three times a day. If necessary, work up to 1 cup three times a day. If you prefer to take capsules, search out a standardized form and follow the directions on the label.
Always tell your health-care practitioner what herbs you are considering or are already taking. If you experience any symptoms, always stop taking the herb and report your reaction to your health-care practitioner. Never stop taking a prescribed drug without discussing it with your health-care practitioner. Purchase a herb book and/or work with a herbalist if you plan to use herbs. Though more gentle than many drugs they are still powerful substances.
Sarah, a thirty-two-year-old yoga instructor, had tried several herbs for her anxiety, including chamomile, motherwort, and valerian, but had not achieved total calmness. When she found a Chinese formula bupleurum and started taking it regularly, her anxiety decreased and her feelings of well-being increased.
This client exemplifies why no specific herbs are recommended in this chapter. Different herbs work well for some individuals and not for others. You may have to experiment and try an herb for a week or two to see which one works for you. Some herbs are easily found. For example, Celestial Seasonings chamomile is available in supermarkets. Other herbs, such as many of the Chinese herbs, are only available in Chinese markets or from Chinese medicine herbalists. In some cases, you may need to inquire at a health food or herbal store to find specific herbs. Always start with a small amount, observe for any changes, and only gradually increase the amount over days, and only if needed.
Albizzia Bark
Albizzia is a Chinese herb that is prescribed for emotional problems. It has a neutral energy and is sweet tasting. The bark is calming and improves mood. It helps with anxiety, insomnia, irritability, anger, and excessive worry.
Ashwaganda
Ashwaganda is an ayurvedic herb. In one study, individuals who had been diagnosed with anxiety disorders were given ashwaganda. In most cases, participants’ mental condition improved in three months.
Blue Vervain
This flower is a herb known as a nervine or nerve tonic; it is sedative and antispasmodic (stops muscle spasms). These attributes make it useful for reducing anxiety and nervousness. It soothes and relaxes the nervous system, helps with insomnia and nervous stomach. To drink as a tea, put ½ teaspoon of the herb in a cup of water and take ½ cup of tea three times daily. If taking the tincture, use 30 drops or ¼ teaspoon three times a day (for children, halve this amount and sweeten with honey).
Biota Seed
Biota is another Chinese herb. It is most commonly used in Chinese tonics. It has a neutral energy and a sweet taste. It is calming and sedative and can be used to reduce fear, anxiety, and insomnia.
Bupleurum Formula
This Chinese tonic is used to inhibit excitability due to an overabundance of liver energy (qi). The liver, believed to be the seat of nerves in the Chinese system of healing, is sedated, resulting in calmness. This formula is commonly used to treat irritability, chronic anger, nervousness, hysteria, tension, spasms, tremors, insomnia due to excitability, grinding of the teeth during sleep, severe neck tension, and spasms due to nervous tension.
Catnip
Studies show catnip is good not only for cats. German researchers report that the chemicals responsible for cats’ intoxication (nepetalactone isomers) are similar to the natural sedatives in valerian (valepotriates). This finding supports catnip’s traditional use as a mild tranquilizer and sedative. Try a cup of tea when you feel tense or before bed to see if this herb works for you.
Chamomile
Chamomile is used to soothe and relax during the daytime. Because it’s a mild relaxant, it’s not usually used as a sleep aid. Chamomile is superior to many tranquilizers because it does not disrupt normal performance or function but reduces anxiety.
Take chamomile as a tea. It is a refreshing, sweet beverage. Do not take if you’re allergic to flowers.
Dragon Bone
This sweet and astringent Chinese herb has a strong calming effect, which is both sedating and relaxing. It is known for calming excitability and has been used to treat insomnia, restlessness, apprehension, palpitations, anxiety, irritability, anger, frustration, tension, and fear. It is extremely safe.
Gotu Kola
Although gota kola has many uses, including healing wounds and improving circulation to the legs, it also relieves anxiety and promotes sleep. Because this herb can result in a skin rash, it’s important to talk with a health-care practitioner familiar with this herb and its uses. The dosage is two to four 400 mg capsules a day of H. asiatica, the least expensive form of gotu kola.
Kava-Kava Root
The dried roots of kava-kava are used in Polynesia to calm (in small doses) or induce sleep. A dose of 1 ounce of the herb in tea or capsules (up to 280 mg a day) is safe. Kava-kava costs about one-tenth the price of Xanax, doesn’t impair reaction time or concentration as do antianxiety drugs like Xanax and actually improves mental function; it does not promote sedation, does not lose effectiveness over time as drugs do, and has no side effects when taken at recommended doses (47 to 70 mg of kavalactones three times daily). The German Commission E (the government health agency that publishes monographs on herbs) states that kava-kava should not be used during pregnancy, while breast-feeding, or if you are depressed or have liver damage.
Although there was an uproar about the dangers of this herb several years ago, the research findings continue to show it is safe unless you have the above-listed conditions.
Linden Flowers
The tea made from linden flowers has been used since the Middle Ages to reduce anxiety, invigorate the mind, and soothe the body. Some research has shown that continued frequent use of linden flower tea can damage the heart. In therapeutic doses, especially in capsules (follow the label), linden is nontoxic.
Motherwort
The ancient Greeks and Romans used motherwort for both physical and emotional problems of the heart—palpitations and depression. European colonists introduced motherwort into North America and prescribed it as a tranquilizer for nervous excitement, restlessness, and disturbed sleep. German studies show motherwort has a mild sedative effect, comparable to valerian, making it useful for anxiety and insomnia. Try two cups of tea a day with honey (it is bitter) or ½ to 1 teaspoon as a tincture twice a day. Should not be given to children below the age of two.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg can also be used to bring on sleep and may even be more powerful than valerian. The herb must be taken four to five hours prior to sleep, but once it takes hold, sleep lasts for eight hours, so it is more effective to keep you sleeping than valerian. For best results, whole nutmeg should be freshly ground in a coffee grinder or blender and then placed in capsules.
Because of its power, start with 1 capsule four to five hours before bedtime and take another if you don’t get the effect you want. To stay relaxed throughout the day, you can take another one in the morning.
Passion Flower
Like valerian, passion flower has a long history of being used as a sedative, or nervine, to combat anxiety and nervousness, to end muscle cramps, to tranquilize, and to induce sleep. Passion flower was discovered in Peru by the Spanish doctor Monardes in 1569 and is now used worldwide. Research has shown that passion flower preparations overcome nervous symptoms and cramps that inhibit sleep and produce a restful and deep sleep free from frequent awakenings. It sedates the central nervous system, helping overcome anxiety and nervousness.
Passion flower is not toxic and has no side effects. The herb has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for food use. There are no known contraindications for passion flower, but use whole-plant preparations, not isolated alkaloids, which can be hallucinogenic.
Pearl
Pearl is a tonic herb that is used in the Orient as an antistress supplement. It can relieve uneasiness, nervousness, anxiety, and tension. It also promotes sound sleep, prevents nervous disorders and nerve weakness, and overcomes fatigue. Consistent use can help maintain energy and vitality. Safety studies have shown pearl to be absolutely harmless, and it can be taken indefinitely by anybody without side effects.
Peppermint Leaf
This herb contains several essential oils that prevent congestion of the blood supply to the brain, stimulate and clear circulation, and strengthen and calm nerves, creating a calming effect. Take as a tea after meals to aid in digestion and relax the mind and body.
Rosemary Leaf
Rosemary—yes, the same rosemary you probably use to spice up your lamb dish—contains valuable essential oils that calm and soothe irritated nerves and upset stomachs, and extinguish anxiety. Rosemary is also very high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium, which are required by nerves and heart muscle for proper functioning.
Suanzaorentang
This Chinese formulation of zizyphi seed, ligustrum, licorice, poria, and bunge root known as suanzaorentang has proven almost as effective as the anti-anxiety drug Valium (diazepam) in dealing with anxiety, weakness, irritability, and insomnia. When taken three times a day, this herbal combination improves motor skills and produces none of the side effects of Valium. In a European study this Chinese formulation helped individuals with severe anxiety attacks, including chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.
Valerian Root
Valerian is a short-term sedative that works in two weeks, whereas drugs can take six weeks to take effect. In one study, individuals with anxiety and depression took hops and valerian, which took effect in two weeks and caused far fewer side effects than prescription drugs.
Valerian is at least as effective as Valium and Xanax, but is not habit forming and does not interact with other drugs or alcohol the way prescription tranquilizers do. An overdose of Valerian results only in headache and mild tremors that resolve in twenty-four hours, while taking Valium with alcohol can cause death.
In Europe, Valerian is widely used instead of Valium or Xanax for anxiety. More than 200 studies showing the herb’s effectiveness have been conducted there, and the herb is likely to be recommended by physicians instead of pharmaceuticals. Prior to the l940s and the rise of the pharmaceutical industry, valerian was used to relax muscles. Research has also shown it to be effective with hyperactive children, but don’t use the herb with children (or pregnant or nursing women) except on the advice of a knowledgeable health practitioner.
If insomnia is a problem for you, consider taking valerian root. It offers a healthy, nontoxic alternative to prescription drugs; it works best if you have trouble falling asleep, but it does not increase the quality of sleep. Valerian can also be used to withdraw from an addiction to sleeping pills.
Because of the acrid smell of brewed valerian root tea, the best way to take valerian is either as a capsule, tablet, or tincture. It may take five to ten capsules or tablets to get the desired effect. Two tablets or capsules may calm your nerves, but more may be needed for sleep. Start with two and work up until you obtain the desired result.
Summary