Do any of you practice this approach?  Those of you that are familiar with different herbs, are there any that you can recommend for someone to take for stress/nerves?

Nope....I like good old-fashioned Western medicine.

[quote author=

I don't follow any of it really. My mother was engaged to someone who was (and still is)
heavily into it, and it drained him of thousands of dollars, and he's still pouring money into it with hardly any results. As one lady said, "You're just paying for expensive urine" and it's true - whatever your body is not absorbing, your kidneys are taking the brunt of it.

I think St. Johns Wart helps with anxiety of some sort, but I'm not 100% sure.

I don't follow any of it really. My mother was engaged to someone who was (and still is)
heavily into it, and it drained him of thousands of dollars, and he's still pouring money into it with hardly any results. As one lady said, "You're just paying for expensive urine" and it's true - whatever your body is not absorbing, your kidneys are taking the brunt of it.

I think St. Johns Wart helps with anxiety of some sort, but I'm not 100% sure.




thanks for the advice, Krissy.  I have heard some stuff about St. John's Wart....maybe I will look into it some more.

well one of the reasons that I am questioning about a more natural approach, is that I don't currently have health insurance...so it would be easier (and cheaper) to go to the health store...at least for the time being. Also, I have heard some good things from a few people who have taken a more natural approach...but who knows? :D


I wouldn't get into it... I lived with it for years. You'll pour more money into that when you could really use it towards real help from a doctor, who at that same time, could give you advice as to which holistic practices to use and what not to use.

This doesn't mean things in that arena wouldn't help, but it may be better to get it from a medical doctor than someone who claims to know your body by putting their hands over it.

thanks for the advice, Krissy.  I have heard some stuff about St. John's Wart....maybe I will look into it some more.


No Problemo.

Hey Erin!

Krissy has a lot of valid points, the main one being that if it isn't being directly absorbed then you are just flushing it down the toilet.

That being said.... I use a lot of natural herbs (and when I need Rx I do take those) ;)
I was on St. John's Wart as a treatment for depression. I was able to take that because my depression wasn't clinical.
It did work! And a side effects are: muscle relaxer and treats menstrual cramps quite well.

For regular stress - the book I have recommends Hops, Passionflower, Valerian or Skullcap. I haven't tried these.

For anxiety it recommends Evening Primrose or Lavender

The only thing you really need to remember is to try and get the herbal remedy in liquid form. Liquid absorbs into the system faster
and you don't lose so much down the drain. ;)

Good luck Girl

Hey Erin!

Krissy has a lot of valid points, the main one being that if it isn't being directly absorbed then you are just flushing it down the toilet.

That being said.... I use a lot of natural herbs (and when I need Rx I do take those) ;)
I was on St. John's Wart as a treatment for depression. I was able to take that because my depression wasn't clinical.
It did work! And a side effects are: muscle relaxer and treats menstrual cramps quite well.

For regular stress - the book I have recommends Hops, Passionflower, Valerian or Skullcap. I haven't tried these.

For anxiety it recommends Evening Primrose or Lavender

The only thing you really need to remember is to try and get the herbal remedy in liquid form. Liquid absorbs into the system faster
and you don't lose so much down the drain. ;)

Good luck Girl



thanks for the great advice Tam...I'll have to give those a try. :)

Hey Erin!

Krissy has a lot of valid points, the main one being that if it isn't being directly absorbed then you are just flushing it down the toilet.

That being said.... I use a lot of natural herbs (and when I need Rx I do take those) ;)
I was on St. John's Wart as a treatment for depression. I was able to take that because my depression wasn't clinical.
It did work! And a side effects are: muscle relaxer and treats menstrual cramps quite well.

For regular stress - the book I have recommends Hops, Passionflower, Valerian or Skullcap. I haven't tried these.

For anxiety it recommends Evening Primrose or Lavender

The only thing you really need to remember is to try and get the herbal remedy in liquid form. Liquid absorbs into the system faster
and you don't lose so much down the drain. ;)

Good luck Girl


I remember my mom's boyfriend was taking Valerian root for his stress problems. To my knowledge, it was still difficult to say how well it worked.

http://www.quackwatch.org/

If you read nothing else on Quackwatch, please read this:

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/quacksell.html

If you're not entirely clear about where to draw the line between science and pseudoscience, and why science works better, read Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark. 

^ You can call it quackery or anything you want. You are entitled to your own opinion. ;)

A ton of the home remedies I know about and use were handed down from My Grandmother - a full blood Indian - (see avatar)
so imho it isn't quackery.

I thank you for your input though! 8)




*edited to add:
this is not a snarky remark - so please don't take it as one.
much obliged

http://www.quackwatch.org/

If you read nothing else on Quackwatch, please read this:

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/quacksell.html

If you're not entirely clear about where to draw the line between science and pseudoscience, and why science works better, read Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark. 



   I thought this topic might attract you...

   And you beat me to the link.  Snake oil...

 

There may not be a cure, but if you can get temporary relief through these methods,items,herbs or whatever, then you should. When you speak of dealing with the stress/nerves, or anxiety issues, I can relate from experience as I have had to deal with them myself for many years & had to learn how to deal with them through books, therapy & medication and knowledge of my condition. I've made lifestyle & job changes and that helped immensely. Unless people have experienced severe stress & anxiety, they can't fully understand how crippling these conditions can be. So whatever you are going through or experienceing that brings on these conditions, you need to get your relief from wherever you can with the resources available to you.

I heard you should take your vitamins at night before you go to sleep. That way your body absorbs it more without flushing it out of your system. Especially vitamin C.

It doesn't hurt to try things. What may work for some , might not work for others. I know a lot of people who have detoxed their bodies with a cleansing diet, and have felt 10 times better then before.

Ask the herbalist at the health store what they would recommend for releasing stress.

There may not be a cure, but if you can get temporary relief through these methods,items,herbs or whatever, then you should. When you speak of dealing with the stress/nerves, or anxiety issues, I can relate from experience as I have had to deal with them myself for many years & had to learn how to deal with them through books, therapy & medication and knowledge of my condition. I've made lifestyle & job changes and that helped immensely. Unless people have experienced severe stress & anxiety, they can't fully understand how crippling these conditions can be. So whatever you are going through or experienceing that brings on these conditions, you need to get your relief from wherever you can with the resources available to you.


Yeah.  What he said.  :)

As far as the holistic stuff -- just be careful.  I'm curious about it too and am just beginning to snoop around.  There are lots of "quacks" -- but also (imo) legitimate practitioners.  You can probably find a doctor who leans in that direction and one visit is worth the extra $$.  (I don't have insurance either -- sometimes they'll give you a break if you're private pay -- you have to ask though).  I'd just suggest trying one thing at a time becaue you just don't know how you will respond to each element and if you mix them....it's kind of like making yourself a random science experiment.  ???