HERBS FOR REST & RELAXATION

HERB-OF-THE-WEEK - 02/14/2010 - HERBS FOR REST & RELAXATION
Posted by: "papa_de_q"
Greetings Gang!
And as always, I pray that God blesses me to provide the most accurate information possible. I also pray that God blesses each and every one of us spiritually in such a way where a physical blessing may result and physically in such a way where a spiritual blessing is the end result.
Secondly, I pray that God blesses us all in such a way, where there can be no doubt where the source of the blessing lies. Remember that you and I, exist only because of His mercy and His grace. Once upon a time (true story) a doctor advised me that I ought to be thanking whatever God I believed in, because he does not know how or why I survived.
I promised before that I would try to keep this short and sweet... whenever possible. Keeping in mind that right at your fingertips you have access to the world's largest depository of information regarding anything about anything (the Internet), I still want to provide enough info for you to research the right information - and ask yourself the right questions before you start Googling.
Cool?
So with keeping it short in mind, I'll cover what is a serious problem and a serious concern, even amongst the most healthy of us. A disproportionate number of people these days are bothered by sleep disorders and problems involving too much stress. In fact, not enough sleep may be attributed to stress and vice-versa. So this week I'll cover a few herbal remedies that may help to manage sleep disorders and/or stress handling difficulties.
Remember this - OVER 80% OF ALL ILLNESSES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO OR LINKED TO OR WORSENED BY FOUR FACTORS - POOR DIET - A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE - STRESS AND NOT ENOUGH SLEEP.
VALERIAN ROOT
Valerian Root has been used for hundreds of years for insomnia, epilepsy and nervousness as Ayurvedic medicine in India and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). By the eighteenth century, this herb was an accepted sedative and was even used for digestive disorders associated with nervousness. In Europe valerian is still the most common non-prescription sedative, where over one hundred Valerian preparations are sold in pharmacies. In Germany, it is used for unruly children. Valerian Root was a very popular sleep sedative in the United States until it was displaced by prescription drugs after World War II. Clinical studies have shown that people taking Valerian Root had shown significantly improved sleep quality without the morning grogginess. It has been compared drugs such as Valium, but it is a milder and safer sedative. Valerian supposedly not addictive and is NOT exaggerated by alcohol and barbiturates.
Like traditional medicine of any kind, herbal medicine does not have the same effect on everybody. Valerian gives me a very bad headache the morning after. A fantastic sleep - but not worth the headache. So there you have it. Fortunately you have me as a guinea pig for many herbs. Still, it may work for you.
Of course you can Google and find out more about the the botanical name ((Valeriana officinalis) and the active chemicals (valepotriates) for a more detailed knowledge.
============ ========= ========= ========= ==
SKULLCAP
Skull Cap is native to North America and grows in the woodlands and forests. Skull Cap is used much like valerian in that it relaxes nervous tension and is even used in combination with valerian as a mild sedative for anxiety. It has also been used for "female problems" such as cramps. It has a specific use in the treatment of seizure as well as epilepsy. Skullcap is a sleep aid and has been used for treating anxiety and has also shown potential in treating drug addiction and drug withdrawal involving barbiturates - including alcoholism and DT's. It is said to enhance calm and awareness at the same time.
If skull cap causes giddiness, confusion, twitching, and stupor, a smaller dosage may be in order, but the herb works well when taken consistently over a period of time.
As your guinea pig speaking, Skull cap and a strong multiple B complex vitamin with a tall glass of water will usually do the trick for me if I have trouble sleeping.
Of course you can Google and find out more about the botanical name (Scutellaria lateriflora) and the active chemicals (scutellaine and flavonoids such as scutellarein etc.) for a more detailed knowledge.
============ ========= ========= ====
TRYPTOPHAN
There are even some nutritional supplements that are good for sleep. I will cover just one. Many of us are familiar with the theory that your Thanksgiving Day turkey contains large amounts of tryptophan which supposedly acts as a mild sedative allowing us to catch a good nap during the football game afterwards. However an article in Wilkipedia states"...Despite popular belief to the contrary, the level found in turkey is at a level typical of poultry in general..."
But there are other sources of tryptophan. Mainly 5-HTP:
5-HTP is an amino acid produced by the human body from the essential amino acid L-tryptophan (LT), which is found in dietary proteins like dairy and meat products. It's value is in it's ability to increase production of serotonin which is one of the most important brain chemicals. Serotonin helps support appetite balance, sleep functions, and mood. Serotonin regulates sleep, anxiety, depression, sexual behavior, pain sensation and appetite.
5-HTP can have a bad reactions when taken with Carbidopa, which is used to treat Parkinsons disease; triptans such as Imitrex, Zomig, Maxalt, or Amerge; and some other prescription medications. If you are taking any medications, please check with your doctor or pharmacist before using 5-HTP. 5-HTP may cause seizures in children with Down's Syndrome.
As always CHECK WITH YOUR PHYSICAN BEFORE BEGINNING ANY NEW DIETARY REGIME. Enough cannot be said about finding a doctor that is knowledgeable of herbs and nutritional supplements (CAM-Complimentary and Alternative Medicine) or a N.D. Naturopathic Doctor.
FINALLY:
Since dietary and herbal supplements don't come under the same scrutiny and testing as drugs, there have not been the same studies conducted to prove their effectiveness or their safety. In addition, there have been cases of contaminants in some supplements. For this reason, it is important that any supplement always be purchased from a GOOD REPUTABLE HERB COMPANY - And I won't recommend – Just remember as a rule of thumb, you get what you pay for.
But why take my word for it? It's your health. I invite you to Google any or all of this information.
Another good search engine is www.dogpile. com which will search at least 22 other search engines. Just enter a few keywords separated by a plus sign ("+") research anything that you like.
EXAMPLE: celery + hypertension – try that one and you'd be surprised to learn that just a few stalks of raw celery is believed by some to prevent hypertension.
NOTE: My use of the words "believed by some", "may be" "might be useful". This words have to be used even in the face of overwhelming research, because we are not doctors and neither do we make any medical claims to diagnose or cure anything.
NOTE: I will work on keeping this newsletter short and sweet. Next week's will be shorter because I will choose a very simple topic.
Until next time remember .... most illness (upwards of 80% according
to experts) can be attributed to FOUR important factors that can
weaken your immune system and your ability to fight off disease:
1. Anxiety, depression, anger, resentment, guilt and other STRESS factors
2. Improper and/or inadequate NUTRITION habits
3. A sedentary lifestyle that does not include enough EXERCISE
4. Not enough rest and quality SLEEP time
We ALWAYS recommend that you ALWAYS consult a professional herbalist, naturopathologist or physician. We are just passing along what we hope to be useful information and not claiming to diagnose or cure anything.