Everyone suffers the occasional bout of anxiety, but for about 19 million of us – more women than men – it’s frequent enough to interfere with daily activities. Why are women more prone to anxiety? A study from the American Psychological Association suggests it’s because estrogen lowers the level of an enzyme believed to regulate anxious thoughts.
But there’s no need to worry about worrying: whether you have the jitters over a new job or you’re nervous about money or anything else, nature has its own pharmacy of little-known, but well-proven herbal remedies that can calm you down in a hurry, including:
California poppy. Lab tests show it promotes relaxation during stressful situations and inhibits the production of the stress hormone adrenaline. A French researcher found that people with high anxiety were able to reduce their anxiety symptoms by nearly 25% in as little as a week. That’s why Germany’s reputable Commission E has approved an herbal remedy that made primarily of the gentler non-narcotic cousin of the opium poppy to treat nervousness and anxiety.
California poppy helps improve mood by reducing monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the brain, in much the same way prescription anti-anxiety drugs do, without the side effects.
Your best dose: California poppy comes in a liquid extract form. Because of the varying strengths, it’s best to follow manufacturer’s directions.
5-HTP. Your body uses 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) to manufacture the brain chemical serotonin – and a serotonin boost has been shown to alleviate anxiety. It also has a unique way of helping boost your body’s natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin. I love 5-HTP because no other drug restores your body’s natural production of serotonin, even prescription drugs that simply block the serotonin cycle, but don’t fix the problem. Studies from the National Institutes of Health lengthened the time subjects spent in anxiety banishing REM sleep by about 25%, making a huge difference in their ability to awaken feeling rested and refreshed.
Take 50-100 milligrams one hour before bedtime. If that’s not enough, increase by 50 mg. a day until you reach a maximum of 300 mg. The effect is boosted by a vitamin B-complex supplement.
Passionflower. In a recent Middle Eastern study (EDS: from Iran), 32 people suffering from general anxiety disorder took passionflower liquid extract or the anti-anxiety drug oxazepam (Serax –similar to Xanax and Klonopin). Passionflower actually worked better and with no side effects. Plus, French scientists found that a preparation that includes passionflower relieved anxiety in 43% of subjects after just four weeks.
Passionflower removes the anxiety and tension that prevents you from relaxing without making you feel drowsy. Passionflower works best when combined with other herbs and nutrients like GABA, L-theanine, hops and B-vitamins.
Your best dose: 100 mg unless in a combination formula where you need only 1/10 the dose.
Rhodiola. This arctic herb actually changes the way your body reacts to stress, making you feel relaxed and upbeat. Russian animal studies showed that subjects exposed to extreme stress chilled out and improved their performance by an astounding 159% when they had rhodiola in their systems!
It works to give you a boost when you need one and calm you down when you need to calm down.
Your best dose: Take 100-300 milligrams daily. The best standardized ingredient is Rosavin.
