Herbs With Medicinal Purposes Article

The Most Popular Herbs For Anxiety Treatment

"More and more people these days are worried about the possible side effects from taking anti anxiety medications and they are turning to more natural approaches to treating their anxiety. In this article I'm going to talk about the use of herbs for anxiety as an alternative to conventional anti anxiety drugs.

The use of herbs for treating anxiety is something that is rapidly increasing in popularity these days.

Many anxiety sufferers would prefer to try natural treatments to help with their anxiety rather than take medicines prescribed by their doctor. This is perfectly understandable, especially when you hear so much about the possible side effects of modern anti anxiety medication.

The easiest way to take herbs for anxiety is in the form of supplements, available widely from health shops and also on the internet. Obviously, if you either already have sufficient knowledge or you choose to find out how to do it yourself, you can take herbs as an infusion but most people prefer the ease and simplicity of taking them in ready made supplements.

I have listed below the healing properties of the most popular herbs used for anxiety treatment:

Kava Kava

This herb is well known for its anti anxiety properties. It has a calming effect on the nervous system as well as being a muscle relaxant and a mild sedative. Of all the herbs used, this is probably the most well known as it is excellent for anxiety, tension and stress. If you have trouble with your mind racing all the time then this is the herb for you!

PLEASE NOTE that Kava Kava should NOT BE TAKEN at the same time as proprietary anti depressant drugs.

St Johns Wort

You may be familiar with this as a supplement taken to help with depression but it is also very helpful for anxiety and tension. Acting as a gentle sedative, it has a calming effect on the nervous system.

As with Kava Kava, it is NOT TO BE TAKEN at the same time as medical anti depressant drugs.

Damiana

This acts as a nerve tonic and has a calming effect on the mind and body. It is very good for treating anxiety and mild depression. It is also known for its aphrodisiac properties so ... be warned!

Scullcup

This is a gentle and relaxing sedative which works on the central nervous system. It is excellent for use in treating nervous exhaustion and nervous tension.

Valerian extract

This is quite a popular treatment for relieving anxiety as it is non addictive. Taking supplements made from Valerian extract helps you to feel relaxed and can reduce your worries.

Verbena

Verbena supplements can act as a tonic for the nervous system, relaxing you, reducing stress and treating nervous exhaustion.

Passionflower

If you are looking for a sedative that is non addictive then Passionflower is a very good choice. It is most commonly used for calming nerves, relaxing the nervous system and reducing worry. It is excellent for people who suffer from anxiety, excessive stress and nervous disorders.

L-theanine

This is a natural anti anxiety supplement that has a pronounced anti anxiety effect. Many anxiety sufferers have said that, when taken in the right dose, it works just as well for them as more traditional anti anxiety drugs.

Withania

This herb is sometimes more commonly known as Ashwaghanda. It is a good tonic herb and can be used to treat nervous exhaustion caused by stress.

Tibetan Herbs

If you are looking at the supplements that are available you may come across Tibetan herbs which have been carefully mixed together in specific proportions to create a special blend. According to Tibetan medical research one herb cannot be isolated from the others. They have to work together to act on the root cause of anxiety.

If you are considering taking herbal supplements for anxiety, always choose very carefully when buying products. Many will be available to buy at your local health shop where, hopefully, trained staff will be available to give you advice. You may also like to consult a herbalist about your specific health problems. He or she should be able to recommend supplements more suited to your individual needs.

It is always vital to take herbs for anxiety in the proper doses and potencies! Many products are available under brand names these days and potencies may vary from brand to brand so be sure to read the labels very carefully. If in doubt, use your judgement and go for better quality products where the herbs have been extracted in a superior way.

The majority of natural supplements recommended for treating anxiety will not be as powerful in treating your symptoms as if you were using well known drugs such as Valium or Xanax but you are much less likely to experience any side effects as a result of taking them so this can only be a good thing. Don't forget to take the supplements for the recommended length of time to achieve maximum results.