| Mainstream medicine offers tranquilizers and | | | | (the equivalent of 6 to 8 cups of coffee), there can |
| antidepressants for generalized anxiety disorder | | | | "caffeinism," a clinically diagnosable syndrome that |
| treatment. The problem with these treatments is they | | | | causes reactions that mimic panic attacks, only coming |
| often just trade one disabling mental condition for | | | | down from the caffeine high can cause headaches, |
| another. Drowsiness, memory lapses, mood swings, | | | | depression, irritability, nervousness, and heart |
| and mania are all too frequent complications of | | | | palpitations. Most people who suffer GAD cannot |
| generalized anxiety disorder. There are natural | | | | tolerate even 125 to 250 mg of caffeine a day, the |
| approaches, however, that also treat generalized | | | | equivalent of 2 cups of coffee, 2 sodas, or one of |
| anxiety disorder without potentially dangerous side | | | | each. 9 |
| effects. | | | | After eliminating sugar and caffeine, herbal |
| The first step in natural treatment of anxiety disorders | | | | supplements may also help. |
| is changing what you eat. Eating too much | | | | Kava is the herb you use to relieve tension building up |
| carbohydrate, like chunking down a dozen doughnuts, | | | | in your muscles and also to get some good sleep. The |
| produces a sugar surge. The glucose concentration of | | | | kavalactones in kava act in the same way in the brain |
| the blood stream increases and for a while, the brain | | | | as the tranquilizers Ativan, Librium, and Valium. |
| can more easily absorb the amino acid tryptophan. | | | | Gotu kola is the herb you use to help you deal with a |
| The brain turns tryptophan into serotonin, which is the | | | | stressful environment. This herb modifies a nerve |
| well-known "happy chemical." In people who suffer | | | | pathway in the brain that causes sudden sensations to |
| generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), however, this brain | | | | be startling. When the startle response is toned down, |
| chemical over-stimulates the parts of the brain that are | | | | environmental stresses become merely distracting, not |
| involved in chronic anxiety. | | | | disabling. |
| That's why the first thing to do if you want to get | | | | After these two herbs help you get a handle on the |
| control over GAD is to stop eating sugar. Just giving | | | | most difficult symptoms of GAD, St. John's wort can |
| up sugar is enough to relieve many of the effects of | | | | relieve the mild to moderate depression that so often |
| stress. | | | | accompanies anxiety. Just be sure that you have |
| The second step in natural treatment for anxiety | | | | been off any prescription medications for anxiety or |
| disorder is changing what you drink. Caffeine gives an | | | | depression, or both, before you begin treatment with |
| unwelcome jolt to the GAD brain. When there is | | | | St. John's wort. |
| consumption of caffeine in excess of 800 mg per day | | | | |