Vitamins, minerals and herbs for the treatment of anxiety

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of unease and fear that may be characterized by physical symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, and feelings of stress. Anxiety is a normal part of your body's response to stress, allowing you to cope with threats by releasing 'fight or flight' hormones in your system. Anxiety interferes with your everyday life, causing depression, panic attacks, insomnia, digestive problems and lowered resistance to infection. In the treatment of anxiety, the key is EFFECTIVE STRESS MANAGEMENT and PROPER DIET. Your diet should contain adequate nutrients to stabilize blood sugar levels.

The following vitamins, minerals and herbs are helpful in treating anxiety:

VITAMINS

Vitamin B1 improves mood.
Vitamin B5 is needed to make anti-stress hormones.
Vitamin B6 is essential for a healthy nervous system.
Vitamin B12 helps to produce "feel-good" brain chemicals.
Foilc Acid reduces homocysteine levels, which can increase depression.

HERBS

St. John's Wort improves mood.
Kava Kava is very useful for anxiety treatment, perhaps as effective as prescription drugs. Kava has a relaxing effect on the muscles. It seems to quiet down anxiety, calm anger and can make one feel more sociable.
Valerian helps you sleep.

MINERALS

Calcium helps you relax.
Chromium stabilizes blood sugar levels.
Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and is crucial for nerve function.

MORE NUTRIENTS

Tryptophan alleviates insomnia.

Which foods to eat for anxiety treatment?

Wholemeal pasta, brown rice, wholemeal bread, oats, fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products, pumpkin seeds.

Useful Site:

Help for Anxiety, Phobias, OCD and Depression - Insight into anxiety-related problems and a self-help approach to deal with them.

Xanax Discussion - Information regarding the usage of Xanax and other benzodiazepines for the treatment of Panic Disorder.

VISITOR COMMENTS on "Vitamins, minerals and herbs for the treatment of anxiety":

mac said,

28th May 07

i suffer from anxiety and after reading this page i am planning to come off my prescribed medication and give the natural way a go as i think thease prescribed drugs are usless and have never really made me better,i am now taking vit b6 ,magnesium,and zinc but i plan to throw in a bit of b5, st johns wort and kava in my daily mix please let me know if there are any cured sufferers out there that have felt the benifits from this herbal mixture to give me a glimmer of hope as ive had the condition for 5 years on and off and really gets me down.

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