PanicCured
11-16-2011, 06:05 PM
I used to have panic disorder and agoraphobia, and now I don't. I believe anxiety and panic disorder, requires healing of the nervous system and balancing of brain chemistry. I believe the body if brought to a relaxed, healthy state, will try to do this naturally, but I am a strong believer in herbs and supplements to help speed up the process. I have tried and used so many supplements in my recovery process, that I thought I'd mention some that I think almost everyone should be taking. I do not make any money off these and I am not affiliated with any of this in any way. These are just good recommendations. You can buy them all online discounted at iherb.
These are not the only supplements you can take. These are just a few I'd like to focus on now.
A few things that I think can rebalance the brain and nourish the nervous system are:
GABA
L- Theanine
Magnesium
Chamomile
Rhelora
Passion Flower Extract
GABA- GABA receptors are activated when one takes Klonopins. It gives a sense of calmness and well being.
"A pair of small studies conducted by a maker of GABA supplements in Japan reported that GABA did have an anti-anxiety effect. In the first study, the researchers found that taking GABA had a relaxing effect on brain waves. In the second, people afraid of heights were asked to walk across a narrow pedestrian bridge after taking GABA or a placebo. The participants who took GABA had lower levels of anxiety (as measured by a stress marker in saliva samples)."
"GABA’s calming, anti-epileptic, and neurotransmitter regulating properties are critical for the nervous system’s healthy function. Many disorders such as anxiety, tension, insomnia, and epilepsy are thought to be due to the inability to manufacture sufficient levels of GABA."
L- Theanine- A calming amino acid
"Research on human volunteers has demonstrated that L-theanine creates a sense of relaxation in approximately 30-40 minutes after ingestion via at least two different mechanisms. First, this amino acid directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing the key relaxation effect."
Some info on L-Theanine: http://web-us.com/l-theanine_anxiety_reducer.htm
Magnesium- Used in all nerve processes and is lacking in our food, and is very difficult to absorb, hence needing supplementation. It is calming to the nerves. VERY IMPORTANT MINERAL!
Chamomile- Herb choice to remain calm throughout the day and a great excuse to drink a calming hot beverage
Rhelora- Is supposed to help reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone. If adrenaline is what gets released instantly, cortisol is the long term chemical.
"Just as your levels of adrenaline start coming down, so rises the amount of cortisol flowing through your veins. Moreover, cortisol has a much larger momentum than adrenaline, which means that even though it builds up slowly, it also takes a long time to go back to normal. Together with the rise of cortisol and the decrease of adrenaline, come the nasty side-effects of the stress hormones. It is at this moment that you feel bad, anxious, and having lots of negative thoughts."
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Demystifying_Depression/The_Stress_System
I found a product called Theanine Serene. It has:
Magnesium (as magnesium chelate) 300 mg
GABA 500 mg
Taurine 450 mg
L-Theanine 200 mg
Relora (a proprietary blend of a patented extract from Magnolia officinalis bark and a patent pending extract from Phellodendron amurense bark) 150 mg
Holy Basil Leaf Extract
I didn't know of this product when I was deep in anxiety, but I wish I did. This looks like a great product to take. Again, I am not trying to sell you anything and do not make any money off this. I wrote the company and asked what form of Magnesium it is and they said Magnesium Glycinate, which is a very good absorbable form. Taurine I know is an amino acid good for the heart.
Read the reviews of anxiety sufferers on iherb. It seems to be for the most part very positive.
I would recommend taking an extra magnesium supplement of magnesium glycinate so you get 400 or more mg a day. I currently take about 800 mg of Magnesium Glycinate a day for general health.
If you have high cortisol levels, you may also want to add more Rhelora.
Passion Flower Extract- is a concentrated extracted form of this wonderful herb. It can help calm you, without side effects.
Rescue Remedy Spray- This s for the immediate panic relief. If you are like I was, which is at the slightest bit of panic you reach for meds such as klonopin, I found Rescue Remedy the best way to get used to reaching for a natural product without side effects. You spray a couple sprays in the mouth, and I really did feel better. You can keep it in your pocket at all times, and there are no side effects.
Hot Chamomile Tea- add some mint tea to this, then after it cools down slightly, add some raw organic honey for a relaxing and incredibly tasting beverage. I like Trader Joes organic Chamomile and organic Mint tea bags. I add 2 chamomile tea bags and 1 mint tea bag, with raw organic honey, and it's incredible. It is rare, but some people do have an allergy to chamomile and can get itchy skin or hives. This has never happened to me, and I drink a lot of it!
SAFETY: Let's face it, how many people you think die from over the counter supplements? How many die from pharmaceuticals?
"In 1998 an extensive study published in the reputable Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that 106,000 people die each year in American hospitals from medication side effects "
That doesn't mean all supplements and herbs are safe for everyone. Anyone can have an allergy to anything. Some people die from a peanut. That doesn't mean everyone should be scared to eat peanut butter. You're going to have to be smart about it all. But fear of natural supplements, is unwarranted.
Since Benzos such as Zanax and Klonopin increase GABA in the brain, I don't know if taking GABA on top of that, would create too much GABA. I probably wouldn't take both at the same time. I am not sure what would happen.
I searched for evidence of complications of supplements and there are some reported with the stimulants such as Ma Huang (Ephedra) which people take as diet pills. It is basically herbal speed. There is also some claims that Kava caused liver disease, though it is not conclusive if the Kava was the proper form, which is the inside of the root, or if the liver disease was coincidence.
Vitamin/herb deaths:
http://www.gaia-health.com/articles401/000412-poison-control-report-herb-vitamin-deaths.shtml
"The American Association of Poison Control Centers' report utilized the data from 60 Poison Control Centers. They handled 2,479,355 human poison exposures of all sorts. Analgesics, all Big Pharma products, accounted for 11.7% of all poisonings, the largest percentage, followed by cosmetics/personal care products at 7.7%, household cleaners at 7.4%, and sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics, another Big Pharma group of products, at 5.8%.
The category Dietary Supplements/Herbals/Homeopathic/Amino Acids, which starts on page 1138 of the report, indicated a single death, but even that one can be discounted because it's listed as "Unknown Dietary Supplements or Homeopathic Agents". There wasn't a single death from any product in this category. Ma Huang, which has been treated as if it were Public Enemy Number One, caused no deaths. Echinacea, Valerian, St. John's Wort, entire classes of herbal types, such as Asian and Ayurvedic medicines, and many others resulted in no deaths, though the FDA is clearly on the attack against them.
Vitamins, which start on page 1146, provided the same results—not a single death. However, pharmaceuticals were the cause of 497 deaths, out of a total number of 718 from all causes of poisoning deaths. Pharmaceuticals were responsible for a whopping 69.2% of all poisoning deaths in the United States! "
Of course, everyone is different, so you need to be your own lab rat at times. Keep seeing what works and what doesn't. Clearly, turning the brain off and blindly following doctors like they are gods, is not the best way to go. Not that doctors can't help too, but there is more than just the methods conventional medicine has to offer.
Herbs and supplements are part of the puzzle. Not the whole picture, but part of it. Continue to meditate, do yoga, eat healthy, keep facing your fears and leave your safety zone as much as you can, practice slow calm breathing, and whatever else you think can help you recover and become anxiety free. Also, learn to use courage to see through what is basically your brain bluffing you into thinking its all coming to an end. Time and time again you are fooled and nothing ever really happens. At some point, I just said, enough already. Nothing really bad ever happens. Turn Fearful into Fearlessness! Don't cowl in a corner, but face the fear. Little by little you will become a very powerful strong warrior able to take on anything that comes your way.
Finally, watch the movie, The Shift, with Wayne Dyer. Great movie!
I hope this helps. Good luck!
These are not the only supplements you can take. These are just a few I'd like to focus on now.
A few things that I think can rebalance the brain and nourish the nervous system are:
GABA
L- Theanine
Magnesium
Chamomile
Rhelora
Passion Flower Extract
GABA- GABA receptors are activated when one takes Klonopins. It gives a sense of calmness and well being.
"A pair of small studies conducted by a maker of GABA supplements in Japan reported that GABA did have an anti-anxiety effect. In the first study, the researchers found that taking GABA had a relaxing effect on brain waves. In the second, people afraid of heights were asked to walk across a narrow pedestrian bridge after taking GABA or a placebo. The participants who took GABA had lower levels of anxiety (as measured by a stress marker in saliva samples)."
"GABA’s calming, anti-epileptic, and neurotransmitter regulating properties are critical for the nervous system’s healthy function. Many disorders such as anxiety, tension, insomnia, and epilepsy are thought to be due to the inability to manufacture sufficient levels of GABA."
L- Theanine- A calming amino acid
"Research on human volunteers has demonstrated that L-theanine creates a sense of relaxation in approximately 30-40 minutes after ingestion via at least two different mechanisms. First, this amino acid directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing the key relaxation effect."
Some info on L-Theanine: http://web-us.com/l-theanine_anxiety_reducer.htm
Magnesium- Used in all nerve processes and is lacking in our food, and is very difficult to absorb, hence needing supplementation. It is calming to the nerves. VERY IMPORTANT MINERAL!
Chamomile- Herb choice to remain calm throughout the day and a great excuse to drink a calming hot beverage
Rhelora- Is supposed to help reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone. If adrenaline is what gets released instantly, cortisol is the long term chemical.
"Just as your levels of adrenaline start coming down, so rises the amount of cortisol flowing through your veins. Moreover, cortisol has a much larger momentum than adrenaline, which means that even though it builds up slowly, it also takes a long time to go back to normal. Together with the rise of cortisol and the decrease of adrenaline, come the nasty side-effects of the stress hormones. It is at this moment that you feel bad, anxious, and having lots of negative thoughts."
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Demystifying_Depression/The_Stress_System
I found a product called Theanine Serene. It has:
Magnesium (as magnesium chelate) 300 mg
GABA 500 mg
Taurine 450 mg
L-Theanine 200 mg
Relora (a proprietary blend of a patented extract from Magnolia officinalis bark and a patent pending extract from Phellodendron amurense bark) 150 mg
Holy Basil Leaf Extract
I didn't know of this product when I was deep in anxiety, but I wish I did. This looks like a great product to take. Again, I am not trying to sell you anything and do not make any money off this. I wrote the company and asked what form of Magnesium it is and they said Magnesium Glycinate, which is a very good absorbable form. Taurine I know is an amino acid good for the heart.
Read the reviews of anxiety sufferers on iherb. It seems to be for the most part very positive.
I would recommend taking an extra magnesium supplement of magnesium glycinate so you get 400 or more mg a day. I currently take about 800 mg of Magnesium Glycinate a day for general health.
If you have high cortisol levels, you may also want to add more Rhelora.
Passion Flower Extract- is a concentrated extracted form of this wonderful herb. It can help calm you, without side effects.
Rescue Remedy Spray- This s for the immediate panic relief. If you are like I was, which is at the slightest bit of panic you reach for meds such as klonopin, I found Rescue Remedy the best way to get used to reaching for a natural product without side effects. You spray a couple sprays in the mouth, and I really did feel better. You can keep it in your pocket at all times, and there are no side effects.
Hot Chamomile Tea- add some mint tea to this, then after it cools down slightly, add some raw organic honey for a relaxing and incredibly tasting beverage. I like Trader Joes organic Chamomile and organic Mint tea bags. I add 2 chamomile tea bags and 1 mint tea bag, with raw organic honey, and it's incredible. It is rare, but some people do have an allergy to chamomile and can get itchy skin or hives. This has never happened to me, and I drink a lot of it!
SAFETY: Let's face it, how many people you think die from over the counter supplements? How many die from pharmaceuticals?
"In 1998 an extensive study published in the reputable Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that 106,000 people die each year in American hospitals from medication side effects "
That doesn't mean all supplements and herbs are safe for everyone. Anyone can have an allergy to anything. Some people die from a peanut. That doesn't mean everyone should be scared to eat peanut butter. You're going to have to be smart about it all. But fear of natural supplements, is unwarranted.
Since Benzos such as Zanax and Klonopin increase GABA in the brain, I don't know if taking GABA on top of that, would create too much GABA. I probably wouldn't take both at the same time. I am not sure what would happen.
I searched for evidence of complications of supplements and there are some reported with the stimulants such as Ma Huang (Ephedra) which people take as diet pills. It is basically herbal speed. There is also some claims that Kava caused liver disease, though it is not conclusive if the Kava was the proper form, which is the inside of the root, or if the liver disease was coincidence.
Vitamin/herb deaths:
http://www.gaia-health.com/articles401/000412-poison-control-report-herb-vitamin-deaths.shtml
"The American Association of Poison Control Centers' report utilized the data from 60 Poison Control Centers. They handled 2,479,355 human poison exposures of all sorts. Analgesics, all Big Pharma products, accounted for 11.7% of all poisonings, the largest percentage, followed by cosmetics/personal care products at 7.7%, household cleaners at 7.4%, and sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics, another Big Pharma group of products, at 5.8%.
The category Dietary Supplements/Herbals/Homeopathic/Amino Acids, which starts on page 1138 of the report, indicated a single death, but even that one can be discounted because it's listed as "Unknown Dietary Supplements or Homeopathic Agents". There wasn't a single death from any product in this category. Ma Huang, which has been treated as if it were Public Enemy Number One, caused no deaths. Echinacea, Valerian, St. John's Wort, entire classes of herbal types, such as Asian and Ayurvedic medicines, and many others resulted in no deaths, though the FDA is clearly on the attack against them.
Vitamins, which start on page 1146, provided the same results—not a single death. However, pharmaceuticals were the cause of 497 deaths, out of a total number of 718 from all causes of poisoning deaths. Pharmaceuticals were responsible for a whopping 69.2% of all poisoning deaths in the United States! "
Of course, everyone is different, so you need to be your own lab rat at times. Keep seeing what works and what doesn't. Clearly, turning the brain off and blindly following doctors like they are gods, is not the best way to go. Not that doctors can't help too, but there is more than just the methods conventional medicine has to offer.
Herbs and supplements are part of the puzzle. Not the whole picture, but part of it. Continue to meditate, do yoga, eat healthy, keep facing your fears and leave your safety zone as much as you can, practice slow calm breathing, and whatever else you think can help you recover and become anxiety free. Also, learn to use courage to see through what is basically your brain bluffing you into thinking its all coming to an end. Time and time again you are fooled and nothing ever really happens. At some point, I just said, enough already. Nothing really bad ever happens. Turn Fearful into Fearlessness! Don't cowl in a corner, but face the fear. Little by little you will become a very powerful strong warrior able to take on anything that comes your way.
Finally, watch the movie, The Shift, with Wayne Dyer. Great movie!
I hope this helps. Good luck!