Effective Natural Remedies for Anxiety

L-Tryptophan and B vitamins conquer anxiety-related alcoholism

I was very concerned for my husband, who is hypersensitive (and was getting more so all the time) had severe anxiety issues, constant brain chatter, severe insomnia and drank way, way too much (it was the only way he could calm down).

On discovering Earth Clinic and while searching for stenosis for myself, I came across Ted's advice on alcoholism. I went over all his advice thoroughly and decided on the following once a day:

• L-Tryptophan 1500mg
• Vit B-6 100 mg
• and a Raw B-Complex.

My husband agreed to give it a try. I didn't notice anything for about 4 days then, all of a sudden, we both noticed that his anxiety levels and drinking had greatly reduced. And all this in the middle of stressful issues that were coming at us one after the other. After a week, my husband noticed that he was feeling sleepy in the mornings after taking the supplements. So we reduced the dosage from 3 capsules (1500mg) to 2 and that has stayed at that level. It has been nearly a month and we are both delighted with the results! I am so thankful to this Earth Clinic site and to Ted's advice which was exactly what we needed!

Rhodiola has really helped me with overall mood and has lowered anxiety.

I have had a significant flare up of my bursitis, which has led me to a help that I have never considered.

Yesterday was a lovely day and I went out to the porch to swing and crochet in the sunshine for a little bit. I realized my pain was not bothering me as much. Certainly sunshine and something to do with my hands was a pleasant distraction, but then I considered the rocking.

Parents and caregivers naturally rock and sway to sooth babies and little children. Perhaps rocking is soothing for humans of all ages!

I did a little research and found that studies have found that rocking in a rocking chair has many health benefits.

It helps to decrease cravings of addicts in rehab facilities. It improves balance among the elderly in care facilities, it also reduces requests for pain medicines, and reduces agitation. Rocking can release endorphins, which can help with pain.

For the elderly, rocking in a chair improve blood flow and gives a bit of exercise to muscles.

Rocking chair therapy has also been used to improve outcomes after some surgeries.

My take away is that it makes sense to ensure that the elderly have an available rocking chair. And that anyone, no matter the age, may benefit from some rocking chair time to relieve anxiety, pain, and cravings.

Maybe rocking chairs are a way to restore some calm to our society which has become increasingly frenetic.

Happy Rocking,

~Mama to Many~

Hi Irina..can you name the brand of the chia oil you're using. Thanks

Hi Lauren - I don't know if I'm allowed to name the brand here, but if you type into Google, "organic edible chia seed oil artisan cold pressed" it will come right up!

For anxiety what worked for me was Vitamin B3-450mg taken first thing in the morning and just before going to bed. This eliminated anxiety within 24 hr.

I am sorry for your sad loss. Regarding high blood pressure, magnesium is effective, and most people are deficient. Magnesium chloride is very absorbable, I just have a pinch per day, but Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate) could also be used. Red beetroots also help lower blood pressure.

Thanks young lady (charity) sorry for late reply, I am just not sure how the replies work. I don't know if they go to my site or just posted on EC site. It would be nice to communicate directly, with a copy posted on site for all to view. This is old news, however curious how long you took 6 Valiums (60mg) daily? Wow. That's a lot, actually to much in my opinion but couldn't have been taking long or you would have had major Anxiety Attack plus………? Thank you, curious especially since my son took them for 5+ yrs and when I shaved a tiny off of one pill his Anxiety exploded. Today I restarted and after 3 days of reducing 2mg off of 20mg he is doing quite well. Albeit I do add a few natural things.

I never found any supplements that helped a lot for benzo withdrawal--it took me 3 years to taper off of Ativan. Possibly fish oil and tiny bit? The thing that helped the most was to do a liquid micro taper--crush the pill, either mix it with water to form a suspension or mix it with a ml of alcohol first to dissolve then mix some water to dilute and just decrease the amounts by micrograms every day. Here's some info on how to and the Benzo Buddies website is also helpful.

http://benzo.alwaysdata.net/titration/titrationHelp.htm?help=Readme+First

Sept 11,2021, just read your article, not quite sure I understand but I will view the link. My son is a disabled vet, has PTSD, (severe) among other issues, his VA Dr got him addicted to Valiums for 5 yrs and he takes 30mg daily. He has a new Dr., and in about 5 weeks hopefully she will start tapering him off. I know it is painful and people still suffer even though it is out of his system. Plus it can return and even seizures are possible. I am almost 80 yrs old the Dr says he can be an outpatient, I just have to monitor him. All I have for anxiety now is Acetyl-L-Carnitine 500mg 2X daily, I will also start Taurine. Acetyl-L Carnitine is for the brain, yet it works great, I stoped the L-Theanine 800mg. Anything else you can share will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sorry to say just because you cut the 100mg in half does not make it 50 mg it still is 100mg just less. Hope this helps you.

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Rhodiola for Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Wow...it worked within 25 minutes. I took 100mg last. I felt very peaceful. Downside I got am icky stomach that has continued I to the morning. Manageable. It was still worth taking though!

I realized that in my original post. My point should have been that biting into the Holy Basil capsules and letting them sublingually absorb, rather than just swallowing them whole or just drinking the HB tea seems to reduce the stomach upset that many supplements give me and it seems to work better and faster than having the HB capsules digest in my stomach. Plus I think I heard that HB oil is good for dental hygiene so having that oil coating may be doing some good for my teeth and gums I hope.

Wow! Most of the stuff I've read says shallow breathing is the cause of all our ills and deep breathing is the cure-all. Lately, however, I have been reading that all that deep breathing might not be the answer after all. The answer, according to many, is belly breathing. Go figure.

Hey Robert Henry and Sye. There is a former professional wrestler, who has out a yoga program. The very first thing he covers in this is the way you breath, saying to fill up the diaphragm slowly and exhale slowly. He encourages people to get up to a 20 count. This is slow in and slow out. Starting with just like the count of 2 and then working your way up over time. He says he can go to a count of 60 and that this controls the way you react, adapt, and take action. I can't tell you the name here, but if you Google professional wrestler's This ain't your mamas yoga you will find it. His commercials are on early mornings 3 to 4.30 am eastern time on various stations. Not advertising here, but I made the purchase and breathing is the first thing covered on disc one.

Interesting: you never mention exercise. exercise defined as 1. cardio, 2. weight bearing, and 3. stretching

bare minimum, 3 times a week. ideally, 4-5,2-3 hours a day. yes, it's WORK. yes, it pays; it's the best health insurance of all.

remember this name:

JACK LALANNE

Yes, the chloride form taken orally or transdermally are the best types of magnesium to take because they are best absorbed by the body.

Dear Claire,

You are welcome. Thanks so much for taking time to share what is helping you! I am so glad you are feeling better. Being able to sleep and relax are so important!

~Mama to Many~

I seem to have panic attacks only in winters, maybe the lack of D3; who knows. The only natural thing that works for me so far is Peppermint tea. When I feel there is a PA in its way, I run and either prepare or buy ( if I am outside) a peppermint tea and the effect is inmediate. Is this a placebo effect or there is a compound in the mint tea that fights the panic attack? Honestly I dont know, but as long as it avoid a PA I will continue to try it. Hope this advice can help someone.

Chocolate can definitely increase anxiety levels! I am super sensitive & get heart palps from anything with caffeine!

Hemp Seed Powder and Kelp Powder

I used to get very anxious and depressed, headaches, stomachaches, sore and tired all over, the headaches were like migraines or tension headaches. I can't eat wheat. I read about how protein is used by the brain to manage its levels of nitrogen and ammonia, so thinking the migraine might be from a lack of protein I took 1/4 cup of hemp seed powder, with a teaspoon of kelp powder since I had the kelp powder, mixed in a glass of water. I feel much better. I did that once or twice a day for three days, I wake up less tired in the morning, my good mood lasts all day, I feel more optimistic and youthful, the headaches are almost gone. The dark circles under my eyes are lighter.

Taking potassium and magnesium pills help too. I take more than the label says depending on how I feel. Sometimes 4 to 6 99mg potassium at a time.

I just bought "Rhodiola" from Gaia Herbs, it is 249 mg. Can anyone tell me if they have used this brand and if it helped you? I have severe panic attacks where the adrenaline lingers on way after the attack. I do not drive and waking is hard too because I feel like I am walking to the side. As though I am going to fall. Can anyone please help me?

Do you have any food allergies or thyroid issues... I've had that walking to the side thing too.

@Lauren0305: Both sleep and mental issues or the presence of both are many or most times only symptoms of underlying problems which are almost exclusively associated with modern lifestyle. There are many factors happening in these cases, and the key is removing these factors. Clean(er) air, food, water is where to start. A good whole food multivitamin/mineral supplement is essential as well as extra antioxidant nutrition. Oil Pulling and Detox Foot Pads help remove any stubborn toxins.

This is just my general assessment and there could be other factors involved of which you might get answered here on E. C.

Thank you for the replies. Yes, we cut out all artificial dyes, preservatives, etc many years ago b/c of his ADHD symptoms. His diet isn't as healthy as I'd like b/c he's picky, but I buy about 90% all natural and/or organic foods. I'm trying to cut him back on gluten to see if that affects anything.

Article published 2 days ago entitled: Gut feelings: the future of psychiatry may be inside your stomach. "...anxious mice dosed with the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus (JB-1) showed lower levels of anxiety, decreased stress hormones, and even an increase in brain receptors for a neurotransmitter that's vital in curbing worry, anxiety, and fear..."

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/21/4595712/gut-feelings-the-future-of-psychiatry-may-be-inside-your-stomach

If you have crippling Anxiety, EMDR sessions with a safe trusted professional can really reprogram the brain and help heal trauma. However it takes a full lifestyle change to healthy living to find absolute resolution.. Drink lots of pure water, eat alkaline pure food, Good sleep, breathing, regular bowel movements, enemas, daily mediation or prayer

Awareness and control of feelings of fear, disappear and hopeless. Try to stay in the moment. Gratitude and Love seem to be the emotional antidotes. Talking and healing deep buried emotions are also key.

Avoid- Alcohol, Tobacco, Wheat, SUGER!!! Be patient with your healing. enjoy the journey

To sye from colorado. have you tried the EMDR therapy? I have been reading the book called "getting past your past" by Francine Shapiro, phd. I must say it is a fascinating read so far.

I came across information as well called Iasis treatment on youtube that looks similar but is not available where I live all about neuro feedback and getting brain chemicals in balance. Would like to hear more if you have done the treatment. Thanks. Health to all

I have been plagued with depression and anxiety since 2001 when I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid. I have hot nodules on my thyroid. Began with one about 1in by .5 inch. Now I have two the size of a lemon. I have not been able to take antidepressants. So I have struggled with it all these years. One thing that helps with the anxiety is strong green tea. I take about 6 oz of water and add two tea bags. Let it set a while and make sure you move the tea bags around and squeeze out the good stuff. That is where the L theanine comes from. Drink as much as you want. I also take Lemon Balm. It works well but usually have the green tea. Wish I could beat this depression. I am now 65 and it seems to be getting worse and I am under a lot of stress. Have never tried Rhodiola. Think I will give it a try. Hope the green tea works.

I take Acetyl L-Carnitine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and it is fantastic. I take one or two 40mg capsules a day.

Hi, I just want to say that I am so happy to have found this web site. I really need help for my son and I cannot sit here and cry about this anymore. My concern is that my son is seventeen years old. Ever since he was 13 years old I recognized that he started to get anxiety and was a little on the hyper side. When he was in the fifth grade they tested him for A.D.D. and they said that he did not have it so as he grew up during junior year it became worse where he did not want to go at school, his grades were dropping and had no strive for anything. I thought that home school would help him so I started to home school him because I thought is anxiety would become better but it got worse.

He finished his home school and graduated but his anxiety level isn't any better. His moods go up and down. When his anxiety goes up there is no talking to him to calm him down. I just let him be. I want to bring him to therapy but he will not go. I know he needs help but I dont know how to get it for him. He is always anxious and looks like he is very nervous at times. Because of this he will not go out in public if he doesn't look perfect. If one thing is wrong with his looks or his clothes he will not go out the door. He is always in the house. I am a single mom working and going to school and I feel like I am not doing enough for him. He won't go out, doesn't have any friends, always home I like this anxiety is getting worse and I feel like he is going to loose his mind from being home all of the time. It's like he has phobia or something. I feel like he is afraid to go out in the real world and I don't know if it was right to take him out of school but at the time I think it was. I feel like my son is trapped in his own home. I don't want him to be like those people who are afraid to step out of there box because of this anxiety is so bad.

Please!!! How can you help me with this situation. Thank you Abby

Please tell your son this - every, EVERYBODY thinks at one time or another that they don't look right, act right, etc. The first day of teaching a 6th grade class, all the students were nervous when they knew they had to go in the hallways for 2nd period. I told them EVERYBODY in the hallways were scared thinking 'what are others going to think about me' ? DO this - engage in conversations, fake happiness, force yourself to have fun - you will not know how awesome you are until you do what you dream to do and be. I know you can DO IT! Good luck! Been there, seen it.

Hi, I'm sure he has a b vitamin deficiency- take a hair sample and get him tested but in the meantime start supplementing with b50 or b100 twice a day and b3 and vitamin c. If he won't take the tablets put them in his food!! Good luck- teenagers are challenging.

I've also had success with Valarian root for anxiety. I started having episodes of mania and rancing thoughts, with an inability to fall asleep. My brain just would not shut off and I thought I was going crazy; it was unsettling and felt like my nerves were totally shot. I bought another sleep aid (I was currently only taking melatonin) and it had valarian root combined with hops and lemon balm. It helped a lot and I could actually fall asleep again and stay sleeping throughout the night.

I then noticed during the day when it would wear off and saw how much it helped my general anxiety and took half doses as needed. It's incredibly calming and soothing and helps relax my muscles and all the tension in my brain. It's made a huge difference getting through an incredibly stressful time. I hope this helps someone else too!

I don't know what to put this under, so put it where you think.

I put some burdock leaves through my vegetable juicer last night. I got about half a cup of juice. I put the pulp through a couple times with water mixed in to get out more juice and to make it a finer pulp. Then I swallowed the pulp with water and drank the juice on a somewhat empty stomach. It made my stomach queezy a bit but it stayed down. After a while I could feel like little tightnesses here and there in my body loosen up. Spots in my neck along the collar bone. And there was a sort of fizzy feeling that went up the back of my neck and around the back and top of my skull. It felt really nice. Also it made my stomach and backside slimmer. I rinsed out the juicer and put the juice/water mix in the fridge and it was good to drink four hours later - still bright green and sour. It tasted bad but it sure had a nice effect. I feel more relaxed and less depressed. I was trying to help out my liver.

Hi Anon, Were you aware of all that burdock is attributed to help with? It is known to have diuretic qualities which would explain the feeling of being slimmer. It also, on a psychological level helps with worry about the unknown. Thus your feeling of relaxation. So interesting...

I have never suffered any depression, panic or anxiety my entire life. I had the normal ups and downs everyone typically has, but nothing ever so severe where it felt life threatening and debilitating. I had a pretty severe panic attack which lead to obsessive worrying and anxiety for the last 5 months. It was directly connected to a liver detox a chiropractor / AK recommended. Whatever the liver detox did to me, unleashed and ravaged my life for the last 5 months. Ongoing anxiety attacks and obsessive worrying. I went to a dr and all they wanted to do is prescrive meds and kept assuring me its normal and most of the population takes them. Umm... No thanks.. I was not like this before this event so something must have happened.

To make a long story short. As for treatments...
- I tried valerium, holy basil, lemon balm, anxiety supplements, vitamin b complex, and all of the sorts.
- I tried hypnosis, chiropractic and other forms of therapy which did not work.

To narrow down what did work.
- The chiropractic helped releive minor anxiety for less than a day.
- Acupuncture was the holy grail to a true feeling of calmness and relieve. Other times after intense work outs I felt like I did not have anxiety, I didn't.. But subconciously I was worried and obsessivly thinking about dying and all sorts of horrible feelings. The difference was after my 3rd visit, I felt a true "release" of all the worries. What did the accupuncture do? I don't know exactly but from my research of the points they put on my body, I am guessing even though my thyroid levels were normal, I could have been out of balance. My other feeling on this, I have noticed a drastic increase in many pepole I know having these exact same issues, not a coincdene considering the radiation fallout from japan has already circled several times. Radiation is bad for the thyroid, thyroid issues will cause panic, anxiety and depression.

So the game plan:
- Read positive books such as Think and Grow Rich, Tony Robbins products.
- Get Acupuncture and Chiropractic treatments
- Take hot epsom salt baths with essential oils for scents to stimulate your brain
- High Intenseity exercise and daily walks
- Socialize even if you are not in the mood, be around positive people that will push you outside of your comfort zone.
- Take at least 2000-3000mg of fish oil/day ACV every third day
- Get your thyroid checked!
- Cry it out if you have to, there are stored emotions you should not hold back. At some point you wont be able to cry anymore, crying is a way for the body to release. Why do you think people cry?

Chelsea, read up on Rhodiola here on EC.

I think we sometimes confuse depression and sadness. If we are in an awful place and very miserable about it we call it depression when it is sadness. I do not believe that any medication can help with that, it has to be you changing the way your life is so that you become happy and are no longer sad. I have heard that Apple Cider Vinegar helps with lots of things but never depression but if it does wonderful. I cannot see how it helps for a bit and then stops nor how such a small amount can cure depression. But there again they now say daffodils can, so maybe. Maybe you were feeling so miserable you wanted it to work so felt it did?

ALSO try getting a magnesium supplement... Stress depletes your bodys magnesium apparently, I felt much better after getting some magnesium citrate in powder form and having some whenever I felt stressed (whole foods has a good one blue bottle I think)

I second rhodiola as a remedy to try. It sounds like you are physically burned out, and the way you described your symptoms is exactly what I went through because of a really demanding job and relationship a few years ago. Rhodiola helped me immensely in terms of getting my life and energy back. If you take it in small doses (100-200mg), it helps stimulate your energy and removes anxiety. In larger doses, it makes you feel drowsy and super relaxed. It has been a God-send for me. I take about 125mg twice a day.

Susan, although I have never had the diagnosis of mycoplasma lung infection, I have many of the symptoms. Last night I nebulized Colloidal Silver w/ 2 distinct surges of herx and felt much better today than I have in several days or weeks. Mycoplasma infections are as hard to diagnose as they are to treat, but this is a possible culprit in your condition. I haven't the panic attacks but I do have very high stress levels and come near panic sometimes, so the stress factor is definitely involved here it's just the cause you need to know. Also, as a side note, the herb Hawthorn- 2 caps seem to provide immediate relief for the lungs and energy but I don't experience the herx. My 2 cents.

I am glad you mentioned this. I am on a new medication that depletes my potassium and my levels are low. Never thought that might be a spike in panic attacks for me. I will have to get more because the low levels may be affecting me more than I knew!