Stress, anxiety and panic disorder affect millions of people. While many prescription drugs are used to treat such disorders, natural herbal medicine offers several powerful alternatives. When untreated, stress, anxiety and depression can have a negative effect on all of the body's key symptoms. Herbs offer relief without the side effects of prescription medications.
The following herbs are among the most potent for treating stress and anxiety. They also may be used with success by people suffering from panic disorder, mood disorders, and depression.
Herbs for Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks
Herbal "tension-tamers" are widely available both individually and in combination formulas. Perhaps the most effective single herb for stress comes from the Indian, (or Ayurvedic), pharmacopia. Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), known in Sanskrit as tulsi, is considered sacred in the Hindu religion. Holy basil is classified as an "adaptogen," which means that it enhances the body's physiological capacity to respond to stress factors. As a result, the troublesome effects of chronic stress - such as nervousness, sleeplessness, and digestive disorders, can be minimized.
Valerian root, most often used to treat insomnia, is also an effective herb for people who suffer from panic attacks and panic disorder. Other herbs which often find their way into herbal stress-reducing formulas include chamomile, ashwagandha, kava kava, ginseng, St. John's Wort, rhodiola, and turmeric.
Depending on your individual symptoms of stress, you will want to look for a formula that provides the best fit for your needs. For example, herbal formulas containing valerian and chamomile are effective when anxiety and stress are accompanied by sleeplessness. Formulas containing St. John's Wort are effective when stress and anxiety lead to mild cases of depression.
Chronic Stress and Long-Term Health
Stress is usually defined as what happens when the demands on your body exceed its ability to cope. Our bodies are well-programmed to deal with stress events, via the biological "fight or flight" reaction, in which the adrenal glands provide a burst of energy designed to meet the demand with a strong reaction either toward or away from.
Problems can occur, however, when stress occurs in a repeated, or chronic, pattern. When levels of naturally-produced stress hormones remain elevated over a prolonged period of time, they begin to take a toll on several of the body's key systems. The results can be chronic inflammation, digestive disorders, and psychological dysfunction such as sleeplessness, irritability and mood disorders.
Herbal cures offer a great alternative for those who want to combat the long-term health effects of stress, anxiety and panic disorder.
References
Dadkar VN, Joshi AG, Jaguste VS, Billimoria FR, Dhar HL 1988 Antistress activity of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi). Indian Drugs 25 (5): 172
Roy U, Mukhopadhyay S, Poddar MK, Mukherjee BP 1992 Evaluation of antistress activity of Indian medicinal plants, Withania somnifera and Ocimum sanctum.International Seminar on Traditional Medicine, Calcutta, 7-9 November
Lucy Tashman - As a writer, I draw on my background in environmental studies, natural history, botany, and herbal medicine, combined with a lifelong ...
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