The symptoms of an anxiety attack can include heart palpitations, heart burn, sudden loss of breathe, increase in blood pressure, sweating and possible digestive malfunctions. These can last anywhere from a few minutes, to hours on end for some people. Anxiety can affect the emotional and physical well being and can be treated with a natural remedy.
In the first article, ‘Natural Remedy Guide for Anxiety I’ we examined how body health can assist with lowering anxiety and in this article we will see how the use of natural herbs can affect you for the better
Passionflower
The most common herb that has been used to help with anxiety is Passionflower. Passionflower was used among the American Indians as a treatment for sleeping disorders, anxiety and epilepsy. They would take the leaf or root from the passion flower and mix it with a tea, after some time the anxiety would subside providing a natural remedy.
The reason the passionflower is a natural remedy for anxiety is that it stimulates higher levels of gamma-aminobutric acids in the brain. These additional gamma-aminobutric acid acts as a sedative for some brain cell which results in a more relaxed state for the individual.
The Passionflower, also known as Maypop fruit, is grown in the southeastern United States. The natural amount of sun that is in this region of the United States is what this Maypop fruit needs to flourish. It has a growing season from May until July and the resulting herb is a small berry. This berry can be ingested or mashed into a jelly.
Valerian
While the use of this medicinal plant for anxiety isn’t nearly as extensive as Passionflower the effects on some mild forms of anxiety have been documented. The natural remedy of Valerian occurs by the individual taking this primarily in a pill form.
Valerian is mostly found in Europe and parts of Asia which favors this plants growth in a cooler, wet climate. The plant can be found among the marches around Britain and are normally in bloom from June until September.
This herb does have some side effects so you should consult a doctor before taking this herb. Some of the side effects include mild indigestion, headaches or dizziness. It is also recommended not to take this herb with other medications as there can be additional side effects.
There are many other herbs (Kava, Saint-John’s wort, etc.) that provide a natural remedy for anxiety but these two are those that are most frequently used. These herbs can be found at most health stores or you can ask your local pharmacists for assistance.